Working in the NHS as a psychologist or psychotherapist offers the hope of working in alignment with a social conscience. However, the chronic underfunding of the NHS coupled with uncontained large group dynamics and relentless shifting political climates has left a common experience of burnout and pockets of toxic work environments. As such, some clinicians have sought alternative work outside of government institutions.

For those of us who moved fully or in-part to private practice for these reasons and still wish to prioritize social conscience in our work, specific questions are then posed in terms of the type of service offered, the payment structure we use, who gets to access help, alongside questions in general about if/how psychological work in private practice can be socially conscious.

This workshop is an introduction to holding space for these questions: bringing in reflexivity to how we explore the ethics alive in our practices.

This is an online reflective practice space. There is a minimum 4 and maximum 12 spaces.

WORKSHOP OUTLINE:

Following introduction and hellos (approx 20 minutes) to connect and meet each other in our zoom room, there will be a presentation (approx 35 mins), and then the majority of the space will be taken up by group reflection (approx 65 mins).

The focus of the presentation introduces reflection on these themes:

• What professionally has happened, why are we here?
• What is social conscience?
• Raising our Consciousness
• Developing Structural Knowledge
• Strengthening Agency
• Sustainable Practice - Need for Creativity and Community

Dates and Timings of the session:

Monday 11th April 2022

10:00 am - 12:00 noon

Who is this event for?

This event is most suited to any qualified psychologists/ psychotherapist or mental health practitioner (such as clinical psychologists, counselling psychologist, psychotherapists psychiatrists, cbt therapist etc ) who work with psychological health in private practice, either full or part time. Those who are considering (either pre-qualified or qualified clinicians) moving to private practice are very welcome.