The purpose of these sessions is to understand and apply an embedded approach to therapeutic practice, where context, identity, diversity, and universal equity are embedded by design (not as an add-on)鈥攔eferred to as 'Whole-Person' or 'Client in Context' Practice. This includes knowledge, awareness, and skills in embedding social and personal context, difference, and diversity 鈥榓s standard鈥� for all clients (as well as becoming more self-aware of your own whole context).听

The latest training competencies (SCoPEd, Jan 22) require us to incorporate aspects such as context, culture, difference, and diversity throughout the pillars of practice (e.g., development, theory, skills, and practice). To achieve an embedded approach, various aspects of 'self in context' must be included in a holistic, non-fragmented understanding of what it means to be human in the world. By intentionally embedding essential yet often overlooked and fragmented concepts鈥攕uch as identity, similarity, difference, diversity, culture, social context, power dynamics, antidiscrimination, intersectionality, neurodiversity, and stress-, trauma-, and harm-informed models鈥攊nto our understanding of both ourselves and our clients' experiences and relationships, we can foster fairer, more inclusive, and stronger practices. This training will introduce a 'whole view' of self/clients and provide a practical approach to embedding the concept of 'client in context' into our daily work with clients, including within supervision.听

The first session will outline the benefits and solutions of an embedded approach to the inclusion of context, identity/diversity, and universal equity, explaining why this approach is vital for enriched, robust, and inclusive practice. It will also introduce a broad bio-psychosocial-structural model, incorporating social determinants of mental health to understand the root causes of mental health. The second session will outline the main theories and concepts (such as stress, trauma, harm, adaptation, cultural stress, and cross-cultural empathy gaps) that need to be embedded throughout practice. This will help you begin integrating these ideas into therapeutic practice, including conceptualising clients鈥� difficulties. The third session will provide examples of how these ideas are embedded into self-development, theory, relationships, and skills, using a whole approach to practice that produces universal equity by design. It will also cover an embedded approach to the therapeutic relationship based on Petruska Clarkson鈥檚 five modes of the relationship, as well as a whole approach to accessibility, adjustments, and accommodations. The core curriculum transformation service and Train the Trainer services for training providers, developed under the anti-discrimination focus (#TADF) collaboration, will be introduced to help situate professional transformation (See tadf.co.uk).听

About the presenter

Mamood Ahmad is a therapist, author, trainer, and founder of the Anti-Discrimination focus (TADF). He has extensive experience in client mental health advocacy work, including the book 鈥榗lient perspectives of therapy鈥� and more recently in supporting counselling and psychotherapy training providers to embed difference and diversity as standard. He specialises in diversity studies, trauma, and antidiscrimination practice. He holds a private practice in Binfield, Berkshire since 2014.

Email:听admin@tadf.co.uk听Twitter: @ahmad_mamood. Web:听.

The main aims of the PDD

To help therapists integrate difference, diversity, and inclusion within self and practice using an anti-discrimination practice lens.

By the end of the PDD, participants will be able to

  1. To understand the benefits and solution for an embedded approach to the inclusion of context, diversity, and universal equity and why it is vital for enriched, robust, and fair practice.听
  2. To understand how 'context' (e.g., identity, poverty, environment) informs our understanding of the root causes of mental health
  3. To gain an appreciation for the main theories and concepts that need to be embedded throughout practice.听
  4. To gain a broad and practical understanding of how these ideas are embedded into self-development, theory, relationships, and skills, using a whole-approach to practice that includes universal equity by design.听
  5. Gain tools on how to open client narratives on difference, diversity, discrimination, and identity听
  6. Conceptualise clients鈥� experiences systemically based on social positions, identity, and personal history in relation to clients鈥� difficulties听
  7. Understand how an embedded approach facilitates universal equity by design and its implications on EDI听
  8. Situate their individual learning and next steps听
  9. Signpost to additional resources for an embedded whole person in practice approach.

Programme

This workshop is split into three sessions and each will be followed by a live Q&A session with Mamood Ahmad. The first session will begin at 09:30am and the event will finish at 1pm.

Please click here to view the programme (PDF 124KB)

Key information

Dates and location

Join us online on Tuesday 10 June 2025 from听9.30am until 1pm.

Also included in your booking, catch up on the recordings from the event until听11.30pm, Tuesday 8 July 2025.

Booking

Book your place online. After booking, you'll receive information via email on how to join the live event the day before.