We provide live, interactive events with a flexible “pay what you can” model, making knowledge accessible to all.
Additionally, our ondemand learning library offers a wealth of resources available anytime, at your convenience.
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HERE HERE to join the conference. to join the conference. You’ll receive an email with the Zoom You’ll receive an email with the Zoom link and reminders on the day of the link and reminders on the day of the event. Check your inbox (and event. Check your inbox (and spam/junk folder) for details! spam/junk folder) for details!
We are happy to be hosting & supporting the conference online! If you have any questions or need assistance, please email our support team at help@onlinevents.co.uk
Thisyear’sconferencethemeisrootedinthelivedexperienceofBlack women: Together, we’ll explore what this means for Black women therapists in the UK in our work, our day-to-day lives, and in community with one another.
‘Respecting Our Bodies’
If you’re a Black woman therapist, trainee, supervisor, trainer or coach based in the UK or someone who truly values and supports the work of Black women therapists in the UK this conference was created with you in mind.
We’re so looking forward to welcoming you all into this dynamic online space, where we’ll guide you through the day, introduce you to our inspiring presenters, and help facilitate meaningful connection and discussion.
This annual gathering offers a unique opportunity to connect and reflect in a space dedicated to the lived experiences of Black women therapists.
The day includes rich opportunities for:
Listening
Showcasing
As you browse this online brochure, take your time to meet the presenters, explore the day’s schedule, and see which workshops speak to you. You’ll be able to choose your sessions during the event. Can't wait to share this precious space with you, again.
Best wishes
Click the links below to navigate the programme
Hosts Conference
Speakers Conference Schedule
Who Should Attend?
This conference centres on and celebrates Black women practitioners and trainees.
Priority will be given to their voices, while all who support this vision are warmly welcome.
Tickets
All tickets include access to the live event and recordings.
Choose what you pay: £25.00 | £37.50 | £50.00
Students: £15.00 with discount code BWTUK2025
FAQ
Will I receive a CPD Certificate for attending the conference?
Yes, after the conference, you will be sent a link to the email you registered with so that you can download your CPD certificate to keep for your records
Why
are
the tickets different prices?
Yes, after the conference, you will be sent a link to the email you registered with so that you can download your CPD certificate to keep for your records
Who can I contact if I need support attending the conference?
Onlinevents will be hosting the technical side of the conference. There is a dedicated support team who can be contacted by email at help@onlinevents.co.uk before, during and after the confeference.
Mary is a psychotherapeutic counsellor, group facilitator and mentor in private practice, and host for BWTOC UK. Mary is also an associate tutor for the post-graduate diploma in person-centred counselling at The Norwich Centre, Norfolk, UK. She is registered with the British Association For Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and with the Black African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN, https://www.baatn.org.uk/).
Specialising in working with transcultural issues through a personcentred lens, her approach is relational, racial justice allied and social justice allied. Within her practice, Mary offers counselling for adults, mentoring for counselling trainees and, as a group facilitator, a tailored programme of online and in-person experiential workshops offering an enabling space, in which participants can explore the impact of race and culture on well-being within the current climate, the context of their work, training or supervision.
Tonia is Co-Host for BWTOC UK. She works as Head of Therapeutic Services at MAP (https://www.map.uk.net/), a Youth Charity, based in Norfolk, UK. Tonia also delivers Form and Freedom Supervision training colleague, Cat Burton, to deliver (https://therapynorwich.com/. Tonia qualified as a person-centred counsellor in 2007 and has devised, and delivered, anti-racist training since the mid-nineties.
She is a member of the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN, https://www.baatn.org.uk/) and has participated in their mentoring programme since 2016. Her counselling practice is situated in the context of a lifelong active commitment to personal and community development, global justice, and equality.
She is author of the chapter ‘Effective Anti-Racist Practice in Counselling and Therapy Training’ in 'Therapy in Colour: Intersectional, Anti-Racist and Intercultural Approaches by Therapists of Colour’ (2023, Jessica Kingsley Publishers).
For BWTUK 24 one-day online conference, Tonia offered a radical workshop entitled Rest as Resistance: Rest Now! Accessible HERE
(BST)
10:00AM – 10:30AM Open (with music) / Welcome & Introductions
10:30AM – 10:40AM Break (with Music)
10:40AM – 11:25AM Parallel sessions - Session 1
11:25AM – 11:35AM Return to Main Room / Break (with music)
11:35AM – 1:05PM Parallel sessions - Session 2
1:05PM – 2:05PM Return to Main Room (with music) Meal Break
2:05PM – 2:15PM Return to Main Room (with music)
2:15PM – 3:00PM Parallel sessions - Session 3
3:00PM – 3:05PM Return to Main Room / Break (with music)
3:05PM – 3:45PM
0PM
Closing Comments
Exchange contacts/ (with music) and resources. Goodbyes
10:40AM – 11:25AM
STREAM 1
STREAM 2
SPEAKER STREAMS
Click speakers names for more information about the sessions
Natalie Morrison - Representation: Losses & Gains for Black Women & Girls in the UK
Joy Langley - Survivors or Thrivers? Success & the Black Woman Therapist
11:35AM – 1:05PM
STREAM 1
STREAM 2
Gloria Boadi - The Skin We’re In: A Mindful Approach to Health, Beauty and Environment
Rita Edah - Saying 'No' as an Act of Self-Care: How to Maintain Boundaries with Compassion and Grace
STREAM 3
Rayann Bryan - Embodied Legacies: Reconnecting Black Caribbean Women with Ancestral Wisdom
2:15PM – 3:00PM
STREAM 1
STREAM 2
Ngozi Cadmus - Shape Your Success: From Placement to Practice
Matthew Johnston - Bridging the Gap: Why Some Black Women Choose a Black Man Therapist
Representation Losses & Gains for Black Women & Girls in the UK
Hello everyone, I’m Natalie – returning to BWTOCuk this year with a provocative 45-minute workshop, set to challenge your thinking around the representation of Black women and girls within music therapy.
Drawing on examples from the media and politics, I will explore notions of ‘healthy’ and ‘misaligned’ representation, and will pose the question: ‘Is representation enough to erase racism, institutional racism and everyday racism?’
I look forward to being with you in the space.
What to expect:
An introduction to music therapy practice and training in the UK. An exploration of the representation of Black women and girls within music therapy and training in the UK.
Music samples.
Media references.
Group discussion.
By the end of this workshop, you will have:
An understanding of key issues within music therapy practice and training in the UK.
An awareness of the need for ‘healthy representation’ of Black women and girls in the UK.
An understanding of the impact of ‘misaligned representation’ of Black women and girls in the UK.
Natalie is a registered Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) practitioner – a qualified music therapist in private practice, based in Nottinghamshire, UK. Natalie is also a primary school teacher, private tutor, music therapist for Music Works – a UK registered charity – and a performing musician. Since completing her MA in Music Therapy at the University of South Wales, UK, her work has been predominantly with children and young adults with special educational needs (SEN).
She also supports children in mainstream schools who have experienced trauma. Passionate about Culturally Sensitive Music Therapy, Natalie believes that music therapy should be accessible to all – all cultures, all backgrounds. Her approach puts the client’s needs at the forefront, working with their cultural references. Her instrument is keyboard/piano and she has performed in churches, concerts, and accompanied gospel choirs.
For BWTOCuk24, Natalie offered a 30-minute Studio: ‘Music Therapy: Embracing Cultural Language’. Natalie also co-facilitated a 45-minute Salon with colleague Leah Inman, entitled: ‘Unsilencing Our Identities: Making Culture and Heritage Key in Music Therapy Practice’, accessible at: 2024 Black Women Therapists Online Conference: ‘Challenging the Strong Black Woman Archetype’–Onlinevents
Hello, I’m Joy. I’m returning to BWTOCuk this year with a renewed message: for too long, Black women therapists have struggled with owning their full power – as healers, businesswomen and industry leaders. We downplay our achievements, shrink our success with phrases like, ‘I’m just working’ or ‘I only have a few clients’, and we shy away from the title of CEO. Well, Black Women Therapists, it’s time for us to claim our iconic status, as Black Businesswomen.
For BWTOCuk25, I’m offering you a 45- minute session that promises to challenge the traditional self-care narrative. I like to say that: self-care isn’t just about bubble baths and yoga. It’s about radical self-ownership; standing in your full authority as a therapist and a businesswoman; merging your professional identity with your personal power, without guilt, hesitation or self-doubt.’ My session will shake you up, challenge your thinking, and push you into a new era of confidence and power. Because you are not ‘just’ a therapist – you are a Black Therapist Businesswoman. If you’re ready to realise this – come join me!
Joy Langley is a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited psychotherapist, emotional intelligence coach and speaker, based in Buckinghamshire, UK. She is author of the mental health handbook ‘Navigating Stress: How to Find Calm During Stressful Times’ (2021, Welbeck Balance).
Joy believes life is about learning to navigate the positive and the negative challenges, and growing from the experience. She claims that her therapeutic background literally saved her life – helping her to rebuild confidence, self-worth and determination. Managing her own business has been a key to her journey. Joy says: ‘Being an entrepreneur isn't easy, but I wouldn't give up the independence it affords me, to work for anyone else’.
For BWTOCuk24, Joy offered a 45-minute Salon, entitled: ‘Are You Minding Your Own Therapy Business?’ Accessible HERE
joy@joylangley.com
https://www.joylangley.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenjoylangley/
BLACKWOMENTHERAPISTSUK
SPEAKERS Parallel Sessions 2
GloriaBoadi
MA,MBACP(Accred.),NCS(Accred.)
Counsellor,Psychotherapist,
Supervisor,SystemicPractitioner
The Skin We’re In A Mindful Approach to Health, Beauty and Environment
Hello, I’m Gloria. I’d like to welcome you to BWTOCuk25 with a thoughtprovoking seminar that puts our bodies on the map.
For this session, we will engage in mindfulness exercises to tune into our bodies and reflect on essential questions, such as: ‘When was the last time you felt truly happy or connected?’ We will look at health research and statistics, and discuss how work, stress and income influence health outcomes. Above all, we will examine ways to reclaim autonomy. Prepare to be informed, motivated and inspired!
I will close the seminar with a deep breathing exercise and a collective oath to honour our bodies.
What to expect:
Stats on health, stress, trauma and our environment.
Health quiz.
Body mapping exercise.
Group discussion.
Mindful breath work.
A collective oath to honour our bodies.
Through discussion and activities, we will:
Discover how work, stress, trauma and finance influence health outcomes.
Reflect on differing perceptions of our bodies.
Learn the importance of prioritising our health and well-being.
By the end of this workshop, you will have:
A greater appreciation for our bodies.
Increased knowledge of disparities affecting our health.
Mindful tools for prioritising our health and well-being.
This 90-minute session will be recorded.
Gloria is a Psychotherapist, Counsellor and Supervisor with over 13 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and groups thrive. She holds an MA in Counselling from Goldsmiths College, London and is qualified as a Systemic Practitioner from The Prudence Skinner Clinic, St. George’s Hospital. Gloria is an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and the National Counselling Society (NCS).
Gloria is also a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS), the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN) and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Union (PCU). Within her practice, Gloria creates a safe and motivating space for clients to face challenges head-on.
She is also certified to support individuals with sight loss and works with RNIB, championing inclusivity and growth.
In addition to this work, Gloria is one of the master facilitators trained by Dr Isha McKenzie-Mavinga in a ‘Black Empathetic approach to therapy and the challenge of racism’.
Gloria’s expertise spans workplace stress, anxiety, complex presentations, and transcultural issues. She has experience across diverse settings, including schools, prisons, GP surgeries and EAP’s.
She currently works in private practice in Greenwich, London.
Saying 'No' as an Act of Self-Care How to Maintain Boundaries with Compassion and Grace
Hello everyone, I’m Rita. I’m so glad to be joining you for this year’s BWTOCuk. With this 90-minute seminar, I’d like to offer you the opportunity to explore the impact of over-extension within our professional and personal lives, including the impact on our mental health and emotional well-being. I also intend to champion the setting of boundaries for self-respect and self-care, and how to do this with a generous serving of compassion and grace.
Join me to discover.
What to expect:
An outline of factors leading to over-extension for Black women in the UK. An exploration of the impact of over-extension on our health and well-being. Guidance on setting boundaries for self-care and self-respect. Discussion and small-group work.
Gloria is a Psychotherapist, Counsellor and Supervisor with over 13 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and groups thrive. She holds an MA in Counselling from Goldsmiths College, London and is qualified as a Systemic Practitioner from The Prudence Skinner Clinic, St. George’s Hospital. Gloria is an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and the National Counselling Society (NCS).
Gloria is also a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS), the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN) and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Union (PCU). Within her practice, Gloria creates a safe and motivating space for clients to face challenges head-on. She is also certified to support individuals with sight loss and works with RNIB, championing inclusivity and growth. In addition to this work,
Gloria is one of the master facilitators trained by Dr Isha McKenzie-Mavinga in a ‘Black Empathetic approach to therapy and the challenge of racism’. Gloria’s expertise spans workplace stress, anxiety, complex presentations, and transcultural issues. She has experience across diverse settings, including schools, prisons, GP surgeries and EAP’s. She currently works in private practice in Greenwich, London.
Embodied Legacies Reconnecting Black Caribbean Women
with Ancestral Wisdom
Hello to all. I’m Rayann, pleased to be returning for BWTUK25. I’m inviting you to consider the intergenerational wisdom and resilience of Black Caribbean women of the Windrush era. We’ll do this through storytelling, reflection and shared insights, utilising approaches that are rooted in cultural heritage whilst addressing contemporary self-care needs.
What you can expect to gain from this session: You will leave with a deeper understanding of how ancestral resilience shapes our well-being. Practical insights and reflective approaches will be shared, so that you can learn to honour your body, through a culturally-rooted approach to self-care.
What to expect:
Introduction – an overview of research on Black Caribbean mothers and daughters from the Windrush era, highlighting resilience and cultural strength relevant to body respect.
Discussion – ‘Ancestral Narratives and Body Memory: how trauma, resilience, and strength are passed through generations’.
Reflection – you will be invited to draw on your memories of a significant woman in your lineage, to reflect on your inherited resilience, self-care and community bonds.
Sharing Circle – a voluntary sharing of your personal insights, fostering community connection and collective strength.
Close – I will close with a grounding affirmation, celebrating body respect and resilience, and rooted in culture and heritage.
This 90-minute session will be recorded.
Rayann is Founder and CEO of the Thelma Matilda Alves Foundation, a UK mental health charity providing a vital platform for the support and empowerment of Black women in the UK.
Another key area of focus for Rayann is as a PhD student investigating the experiences of Black Caribbean mothers and daughters who migrated to the UK during the Windrush era (1950s to 1960s). For BWTYK24 Rayann introduced the work of the Thelma Matilda Alves Foundation and offered practical insights into establishing and supporting similar initiatives.
Hi, I’m Ngozi, and I’d like you to consider the following: as Black women in the UK, working in therapy and other related helping professions, we navigate training systems that often prioritise Eurocentric perspectives. During this process, our cultural and professional identities may be devalued and dismissed. Many of us experience discrimination during training, supervision and placements. We may be advised to ‘tone down’ our styles of communication or to reconsider our areas of expertise and research.
These racialized experiences have profound effects on our confidence, career progression, and sustaining private practice. I’d like to invite you to unpack the systemic barriers you face during training. In our session, I’ll introduce clear strategies for reclaiming agency, decolonizing your therapeutic practice, and building a thriving career in the helping professions. See you there.
What to expect:
An outline of factors leading to over-extension for Black women in the UK and the impact on our health and well-being.
Guidance on setting boundaries for self-care and self-respect during training and placement.
Discussion and small-group work.
By the end of this workshop, you will have:
An understanding of racialized training experiences and how systemic bias and racial microaggressions can shape Black female therapists’ professional journey.
Practical strategies to integrate culturally aligned therapeutic approaches, whilst navigating Eurocentric training models. Tools to empower your transition from training to a financially viable, fulfilling practice.
This 45-minute session will be recorded.
Ngozi is a Transactional Analyst psychotherapist and social worker. She focuses on helping Black women heal from workplace abuse and racial trauma. She is the CEO of the anti-racist workplace mental health platform Happiworkers and the Founder of The Black Woman's Rest Revolution, which aims to transform our approaches to anti-racist practice and mental health. Ngozi champions rest as radical resistance against systemic oppression.
She channels her expertise into creating culturally sensitive workplaces and holding leadership accountable, empowering Black women to prioritise rest as essential to their liberation and renewal. Ngozi is currently completing her doctoral research at the Tavistock on Black women's leadership strategies.
You can find her TEDx talk: The Shocking Reality of Black Women in Leadership | Ngozi Cadmus | TEDxKingsCollegeLondon Websites: https://happiworkers.health/ https://theblackwomansrestrevolution.com/
MatthewJohnston
MBACP(Accred)Counsellor
Bridging the Gap Why Some Black Women Choose a Black Man Therapist
Ever wondered why some Black women choose a Black man therapist? Perhaps this is you. Well, then, have you considered what prompted you to make this choice?
Hi, I’m Matthew and in this 45-minute session for BWTOCuk25 I want to share the reasons why Black women seek support from me, as a Black man therapist. I’ll be opening a window onto my therapeutic practice and personal experiences, inviting you to consider the relationships between Black women and Black men therapists.
Together, we’ll explore the various ways in which Black women seek opportunity for healing, support, and empowerment within the therapeutic space, reflecting on the cultural, emotional, and societal dynamics that shape these connections. Do join me.
Matthew is an MBACP (Accred.) Psychotherapist with 12 years experience of working in different settings, including local authorities, schools and universities and private practice Initially trained in Person-centred psychotherapy, Matthew has also studied other modalities, such as CBT, Solution Focussed brief therapy and Transactional Analysis (TA), and he adopts techniques and perspectives from these where appropriate.
He currently works with young people, adults and couples in Nottingham, UK, and offers online psychotherapy to people across the UK. A large proportion of Matthew’s clients are of African and Caribbean heritage. He feels that working with Black and BIPOC clients in different settings, and across different age groups, has meant he has had to develop a generational approach to what impacts mental health for Black and BIPOC individuals and families.
Working with Black and BIPOC women clients is a part of Matthew’s work and has been been pivotal for his practice. He views Black and BIPOC women as being highly motivated to make positive changes in their lives through psychotherapy
