The Past is Not Past: Incorporating Historical Context into Psychological Therapy with People from Minoritised Ethnicities

Registration is open here: The Past is not Past

Historical context is a key factor in psychological therapy with people from minoritised ethnicities. The ongoing effects of historical experiences of discrimination and self-empowerment continue to shape the lived experiences of people from minority ethnic communities and influence their interactions with psychological therapy and healthcare systems in general today. However, historical context remains underexplored in the academic mental health literature.

This webinar will explore why and how historical context should be incorporated into psychological therapy with people from minoritised ethnicities. It will have a focus on cognitive behavioural therapy and will, in addition to a theoretical conceptualisation, suggest practical steps attendees can take to include historical context in their work. The histories of minority ethnic communities are also relevant in healthcare services in general, so there will be some discussion of how these historical legacies might be addressed across the healthcare system.

Speaker:

Dr Alasdair Churchard is a Clinical Psychologist and NIHR Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry. His focus is on addressing ethnic inequalities in NHS psychological therapy services and he is investigating how to incorporate historical context into effective psychological therapy with people from minoritised ethnicities.

 Alasdair completed his undergraduate degree in History at the University of Cambridge in 2009. After working in homelessness services in London he undertook an MSc in Experimental Psychology at the University of Sussex, where he was awarded the Alan Parkin Prize for Best Performance on the MSc. He then qualified as a clinical psychologist in 2017 from University College London.

In addition to his fellowship, Alasdair works clinically in Buckinghamshire Older People’s Psychological Services and he has been a research tutor at The Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research since 2021. His other research interests include homelessness, psychological therapy with and by people from minoritised ethnicities, and climate change. Alasdair carried out the first published research into links between autism and homelessness, showing that autistic people are likely to be over-represented among the homeless population. He led on the development of the Autism & Homelessness Toolkit, a guidance document for workers in the homelessness field, created in collaboration with organisations such as the National Autistic Society and St Mungo’s.

Discussant:

Prof. Peter Phiri, PhD is a Head of Research & Innovation at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Has previously held role as Director of Research & Innovation. He is also a Visiting Academic at the University of Southampton’s School of Psychology and a Visiting Professor in Global Mental Health, at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ruhuna, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Prof. Phiri is a Registered Mental Nursing (DipHE RMN) and holds a BSc (Hons) in Nursing. He is also a Specialist Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist (Dip CBT), BABCP Accredited, with extensive experience in mental health and psychological practices in the NHS across various care settings.

A seasoned clinical trialist, Prof. Phiri has conducted groundbreaking research on the cultural adaptation of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for serious mental illness, as well as broader disease sequelae. He is the author of several books, including "Clinical Trials and Tribulations" and "Cultural Adaptation of CBT for Serious Mental Illness: A Guide for Training and Practice." His extensive publications have been disseminated nationally and internationally. Prof. Phiri is a Fellow of the British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), a peer reviewer for leading scientific journals, and an Associate Editor. Prof. Phiri has a strong commitment to advancing the well-being of individuals through evidence-based practices and innovative research. His multidisciplinary expertise enables him to address complex mental health challenges effectively, contributing to both clinical settings and academic advancements in his field.

Chair:

Dr Rebecca Syed Sheriff is a Consultant Psychiatrist at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and a Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, Department of Psychiatry. She is interested in community engagement for mental health in people aged 16-24.  

After studying medicine and playing rugby at Balliol College, her career has been an international one.  She is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK. She has lived and worked in Colombia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.  In addition, during her training at the Institute of Psychiatry, she led a project to introduce formal mental health training in Somaliland.

Since returning to the UK in March 2020, Rebecca led O-ACE (Online Active Community Engagement), a collaborative project with GLAM (Garden’s Libraries and Museums) and the Oxford Internet Institute. This project engaged people aged 16-24 to find out what supports their mental health and find ways to optimise online cultural resources.

Rebecca is the Lead Investigator for ORIGIN (Optimising cultural expeRIences for mental health in underrepresented younG people onlINne) which aims to have a positive impact on the mental health of young people and is funded by the NIHR. ORIGIN is projected to run until 2028 and is a collaboration between NHS Trusts and multiple UK universities, with museum and charity partners. The study involves listening to the experiences of diverse people aged 16-24, co-designing an online arts and culture intervention aimed at reducing anxiety and depression, and then testing this in a randomised controlled trial.