O C T O B E R 2 0 2 4

NEWSLETTER

Hi all!

I hope you are all keeping safe and well! I don’t know about you but it takes me weeks to get used to these dark mornings and early nights. My motivation decreases this time of year and my snooze button gets used way too much!

We have another packed newsletter with some great articles and opportunities to get involved in!

The exciting news has to be the Humber Therapy Conference 2025! Tickets

on sale Mon 4th November at 10am! What a fantastic line-up we have for you.

Check out a very personal article by Kathie Hostick on ethics and a poignant piece by Anita Holland on her new TAJ Article and recent conference workshop.

Ben Bradshaw

Newsletter Editor & Social Media Support

Hull Core Theory Year Training Weekend

Admin Update

ECPT Room 1 getting painted in W/C 18th November

We had 25 Books donated by the very kind Irena Kurowska – Thank you so much for donating to help increase our student resources!

Students Reps – the next meeting is 7th November 6:30 on zoom – a thank you to the student ref committee and an open invite for people to join and attend – contact Admin for more info.

Student Reps – A message from Jo Gibson

If you don’t want to join a committee but still want to have an influence over the training, why not become a Student Rep. We are looking for at least one student from each year group to represent their training group at our student rep meetings. By becoming a student rep you will attend 3 meetings a year. By attending these meetings you will be able to claim 2 hours CPD for every meeting. This would equal 6 hours of CPD throughout the year.

Student Rep meetings area a chance for your training group to be represented at these meetings and it is an opportunity to discuss your student experience and have some input into the training for the future years. During these meetings we have discussed and made changes and improvements to many areas within training such as the training handbook, admin team attending the first training session to familiarise students with the website and many more.

Ideally, we would like 2 student reps from each training group, that way hopefully we can have at least one member of each training year present at each meeting. The meetings take place online and really are a chance for your experience to be heard and to put the views of you training group forward. If you are interested in becoming a student rep please let your tutor and student support know so you can be added to the meeting invite for the next meeting.

Student Support Service

Here is a testimonial from a student accessing the student support service: I approached Student Support in my Core Theory year. I was feeling totally lost & didn’t have a clue where to start with my first essay. I emailed student support & they were really quick to get back to me & offered a face to face appointment at Beverley Road with Jo. Jo was absolutely fabulous. She was really reassuring &

gave lots of pointers of how to start my essay & how to structure it. It was a huge help for me & I passed my first essay. I wouldn’t hesitate to contact them for advice & support again & recommend them everyone in my group. Thank you for your support.

The student support team are present at all student rep meetings and can be contacted by emailing studentsupport@ellesmerecentre.uk

Ethics Committee – A Reflective Article by Kathie Hostick

Ethics and me; A personal perspective on being complained against.

I have recently rejoined the ethics committee which I have to say has been a pleasure and an eye opener. There are a number of things that have already come into my awareness that have been helpful to consider as the director of a training establishment.

I guess this has prompted me to consider the purpose ethics serves for us all, whether we are qualified practitioners or still in training. How do we as an organisation balance our Ellesmere

community ethos of individual style, preference and identity of the independent professional, with the boundaries and principles of our ethical code and professionalism.

I personally value ethics as a resource. It supports my integrity, provides me with professional and moral guidelines and offers a template for how I apply my own principles and values to the work I do. Whilst I have seen it used in certain arenas as a big stick used to control people, and have even been part of an ethical system like this in the past, I have since learned to use it more positively, as a means by which I can consider my actions, motivation and focus for interventions and delivery, whether as a therapist, supervisor or trainer.

I believe most of us in this field have positive intent and will inadvertently make mistakes or get things wrong for people. Our ethical code will help us reflect on these experiences and if we implement the code with transparency, discussion and reflection it can provide fertile ground for learning.

My transition to this belief happened almost 10 years ago, when for the first time in 30+ years of mental health work, I received a complaint from a client within my private practice. This was

several months after the therapy had finished and I was astounded and mortified that anyone

could question my genuineness and integrity. When called to account for my actions through the complaint process, I could see I had most definitely made mistakes with this client. I had made assumptions and missed them in a number of ways. At the same time, I did not believe I had been unethical. This belief was supported by my supervisors and clarified by the ethics committee, but this did not stop it being a painful process for me and I am sure the client.

At the time I could not imagine the richness of this experience and would not have foreseen that it could be beneficial. I have to say, other than my personal therapy and the 2-year, infant observation I did on my CYP training, it was probably the most amazing and challenging process I had experienced in my psychotherapy adventure.

I sent a reflective piece into the UKATA ethics committee who responded with a request for me to join them due to my openness and my willingness to reflect and take responsibility. This was certainly affirming and spurred me on to share my learning in training, conference workshops and a keynote speech. It also became the theme for my MSC in psychotherapy. Doing this highlighted how little material there was available on this subject.

The lack of material out there is one of the reasons I choose to share my experience and show my vulnerability as it hopefully dispels some of the myths around ethics. Another reason is that I believe vulnerability is my place of connection, whereas hiding in shame is a disconnect. If we can be vulnerable in considering our mistakes, over-stepping’s, line crossings and intrusions, then we can use the positive structure of ethics to inform us in being more effective therapists.

Another hope would be that I can encourage people to be more inclusive of ethics within their practice, supervision, training, discussions, debates, presentations, assignments etc.

Whilst I can’t imagine a complaint will ever feel good when we receive it, with a different frame of reference as to its relevance, it can be a humbling and valuable encounter within our professional world.

Being professional whilst open and vulnerable, is my approach to being a member of the ethics committee and my experience has been reciprocal. Even when passions may be high or we have different ideas and opinions, the philosophical base of our Integrative and TA modality provides the foundation and starting point for conversation and exploration. This is the basis for what we as a committee put out there. Our intention is to share our thinking and invite discussion and we hope that is your experience.

Kathie Hostick (Director of training)

Email us at ethics@ellesmerecentre.uk

Secure your place for just £280 (Inc VAT) – Pay in 3 Installments

An Article by Anita Holland

Some Exciting News!

As many of you may know, self-promotion isn’t typically my style, but some achievements are just too exciting not to share – and this is one of them!

A few years ago, my colleague Paula Smythe and I were deep in conversation about an article by Heitzler and Soth “The Trauma Quad”. Their article sparked within us a deep curiosity and led to countless conversations about trauma and the impact of the external bystanderwithin clinical practice. Together, we came to believe that the behaviour of the bystander isn’t just external—it can be internal, impacting how we process trauma. This led to an intriguing question: What is the antidote to the bystander position? Inspired by what initially felt like a very bold, daunting and crazy idea of writing an article, we set out to develop our concept of the “Actively Courageous Self”—a part of ourselves that we believe is all too often overlooked especially in the face of trauma.

Just as our ideas began to take shape however, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, putting our thoughts and plans on hold. When we finally picked our ideas back up again, neither of us could have quite anticipated the long journey ahead, which was filled with expected challenges, countless revisions and intense moments of frustration. But I am so glad we persevered, as our article, “The Contactful Quad: An Effective Tool for Working with Trauma” has finally been published in the TAJ. I am incredibly proud of what Paula, and I have achieved.

In our article, we explore the relationship between the external and internal bystander, and how this can inadvertently strengthen survival mechanisms that show up in the therapeutic relationship. Building on established concepts such as the drama triangle, the winner’s triangle, and the trauma quadrangle, we introduce the idea of the “Actively Courageous Self”, a concept we hope will resonate with you and your clients. If you fancy reading it, here is the link!

Full article: The Contactful Quad: An Effective Tool for Working With Trauma https://doi.org/10.1080/03621537.2024.2397753.

Timisoara, Romania 18-21st October 2024 Transactional Analyst Professional Role & Theme

So, I am clearly on a roll contributing to this newsletter!

Earlier, this month, I had an incredible time at a conference in Timisoara, Romania, connecting with our TA colleagues. I fell in love with the country, the people, and the extraordinary warmth they share with one another. I experienced Romania as a culture rich in romance, not just in the traditional sense, but in the genuine care they have for each other.

Bogdan

An Article by Anita Holland

From the very first contact with Bogdan Bălescu, who meticulously organized our visit, we experienced exceptional warmth, professionalism, and dedication. Bogdan’s efforts to ensure every detail was perfect set the tone for our entire stay. When I arrived with Janine Piccirella and Linda O’Hern, Bogdan greeted us at the airport with a huge smile and a warm embrace, joined by his friend of over 20 years, Alex. Their genuine welcome immediately made us feel at home in their beautiful country. Throughout our stay, Bogdan and Alex were incredibly hospitable, reflecting the kindness of all our TA colleagues. Everyone went above and beyond to ensure we felt at home— not just as colleagues, but as friends. Nothing was too much trouble, and the spirit of kindness was woven into every interaction, making our trip to Romania so much more than a professional experience.

The conference itself was exceptional. Each presenter offered new insights and inspiration, setting the bar high, for the 3-hour workshop I was co-presenting with Janine and Linda on Philosophy, Ethics, and Role, and for my own 1.5-hour workshop “The Contactful Quad” (in case you haven’t heard, I have just had an article published in the TAJ!). I think it is safe to say we each had a truly enriching experience in Romania and would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in the conference, including the hard-working interpreters.

Outside of the conference, we had the opportunity to explore the beautiful city of Timisoara. The weather was lovely, and the sun was shining – for those of you that know me well you will know I just love it when the sun comes out! At night, Timisoara is vibrant and comes alive with delicious food and wine. We enjoyed a good laugh, and the company of Bogdan, Alex and our TA friends. I can’t wait to return.

An Article by Anita Holland

Janine’s words resonate deeply with Linda and I:

Connecting with colleagues and friends in Romania was an enriching and nourishing experience. The warm welcome and care we received as fellow TA practitioners felt heartfelt. I am grateful for all that we co-created during our time together. I experienced a sense of international belonging that embraced our uniqueness and encouraged curiosity.

The conference was truly enriching, filled with learning, laughter, and love. I am certain I will return to attend future conferences and explore more of Romania.

As we each reflect on our wonderful experience in Timisoara, we hope to return the incredible hospitality we received and extend a warm welcome to our colleagues from Romania at our upcoming conference – I am sure you will all agree, building and maintaining connections is important for us all!

Anita Holland PTSTA, ECPT Associate Senior Trainer

A message from Cherry – Accreditation Lead

Hi all,

I hope everyone is well.

As you will be aware, there are hourly requirements to complete throughout training and accreditation and we regularly receive questions from students about this. As a training organisation Ellesmere are provided with some guidance from UKCP which is specific and some areas we have more flexibility to decide what we feel would work best for our training.

We have produced a guidelines document which is on the members website to enable our students to be familiar with the requirements to complete this e diploma training. This document has recently been updated to hopefully clarify some of the queries that have arisen lately. Please have a look at the document to familiarise yourself with the hourly requirements of your course.

The document can be found on the members website>student support>FAQs>Student Resources>What therapy hours or clinical hours can I count towards my qualification>link Guidelines to counting hours.

You can also find here – https://ellesmerecentre.uk/useful-documents/ on the updated ‘Guidelines for Counting Hours’ document.

Best wishes Cherry

Accreditation Lead

CYP TA101: Introduction to TA Concepts & Practical Applications in Child-Focused Settings

Sat 1st Feb – Sun 2nd Feb 2025 09:15 – 16:00 (Both days)

ECPT, Holderness Road, HU8 9BA

£185 (Inc.VAT)

This workshop offers a comprehensive introduction to the core concepts of Transactional Analysis, highlighting their effectiveness when working with children and young people. It is ideal for professionals working with CYP, as well as for counsellors looking to expand their skill set in supporting younger clients

For further information and to book visit

www.tickettailor.com/events/theellesmerecentre/1443352?

Clinical Placement Opportunity

Clinical Placement – Humberside Police

An opportunity will become available in early 2025 for a 12 month clinical placement with Humberside Police, based at their Courtland Road site in Hull.

The placement offers 1 place for an Advanced Student and will involve being based within the Occupational Health & Wellbeing Team for 1 full day (Monday only) per week during office hours for the 12 month period. During this placement you will have the opportunity to

undertake health screenings, assessments and therapy with a broad range of Police employees, including police officers and staff from all areas of the organisation.

The successful applicant will be fully integrated within the Wellbeing Team and you will have the opportunity to be further involved and learn more about the everyday functions of

Humberside Police by visiting and spending time within other areas i.e. Traffic, Firearms etc.

This placement is based within a very supportive team where you will have the benefit of a mentor, regular supervision and training opportunities.

Applications for this placement are being opened now as the successful applicant will be subjected to the Police National Vetting process which can take up to 10 weeks.

Interested students are invited to make contact with Hayley Jackson (Placement Co-ordinator)

hayley j ackson@ellesmerecentre.co.uk information.

Closing date 8th November 2024

Hayley Jackson

to express their interest and obtain further

Student Placement Co-ordinator & Associate Trainer

Newcastle Updates

Updates from Peel Advanced Year 2 group:

The Advanced Year 2 group have had a great start to the new academic year. In September we were joined by a new group

member, Paul Lowe, and our learning topic was Phenomenology and Field Theory.

In October we were “panning for gold” – looking for treasure in Relational Transference! We had great individual presentations by Aron and Dom, who each brought a client case study and

overlaid some theoretical aspects to the great work they have been doing in their placement.

Updates from Peel in general:

It has been a busy month at Peel, we gave out goodie bags to passers-by on World Mental Health Day, as well as setting up a Book Bank outside our doorway. Nicole was able to observe the behaviour of people passing by the book bank, which changed as the first day went on from suspicion to tentative browsing and eventually to someone taking a book! One of our therapists Alice also wrote a blog piece on OCD to raise awareness on OCD Awareness Week. So lots going on, engaging with the community and raising awareness of all things mental health.

Humber Therapy Conference Update

All of the speakers and workshops have now been announced and what a fantastic offering we have!

More information will also be

included on the Conference Event page once tickets are on sale!

Keep an eye on our socials for regular updates – Links here: FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM

LINKED IN

Buy at tickettailor.com/events/theellesmerecentre/

ECPT Certificate in Transactional Analysis TA101

Trainer: Kathie Hostick (UKCP Accredited)

3 rd and 4 th  MARCH 2025

10:00 to 16:30

ECPT HOLDERNESS RD

In this two day workshop we will look at the philosophy, theory and application of Transactional Analysis as a tool of social psychology, development and communication in both personal and professional settings. Cost: £185 Inc VAT

Supervision Circle

GROUP SUPERVISION DAY

WITH GEMMA WARDELL – UKCP PSYCHOTHERAPIST, TRAINER AND SUPERVISOR

17th JAN

09:30 AM to 16:00 PM

£90

6 Hours of Supervision can be counted towards qualifying hours

Visit ellesmerecentre.co.uk to book!

Diploma in Supervision

Enroling now for Jan 2025

VENUE: THE ELLESMERE CENTRE, 861 HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL, HU8 9BA TRAINER: BARBARA CLARKSON TSTA

Non-Residential Year with 6 sessions of online training and 4 days face-to-face training.

For further information visit ellesmerecentre.co.uk or email admin@ellesmerecentre.co.uk

ECPT Supervision Diploma – Students Testimonials

“Your superlative written materials were / are also a highlight. Extremely well written, clear, comprehensive, with theory, examples, exercises. It’s a fantastic catalogue of reference material. Probably better than anything else of its kind that I’ve ever seen.”

“Your excellent facilitation and containment skills were also a highlight. Humorous, welcoming, wonderful at conveying safety and inclusion while also thorough, deep, responsive. Obviously you really know your stuff.”

“It suits my life commitments to have had so much online and then a one-off intensive. It also meant I met people from all over, not just those within regular travelling distance. A great cross-fertilisation of people from different regions and class backgrounds.”

“I can’t think of anything that I would want to change.”

“The residential really was a highlight. It was great to be amongst a group of therapists again, as an equal, in person.”

Space2BHeard

Quality Inspiring AccessibIe

Course Aims

To gain knowledge of adoption and its histor ical context in the UK.

To understand legal processes in adoption and special guardianship.

Adoption and Mental health and key messages from research.

To develop an ethical and professional presence.

To have an awareness of the challenges in adoption support including transference and countertransference.

To develop skilIs to support aII those affected by adoption and SGOs