Ethnic Diversity in Counselling & Psychotherapy

We would like to invite you to our third collaborative workshop, which will be focusing on working within ethnic diversity in counselling and psychotherapy. This is the third in a series of four workshops.

We will introduce you to the Strathclyde Counselling & Psychotherapy Research Clinic and share some of our research findings in relation to ethnic diversity, explore these with you and exchange our experiences. Together, we will come up with some basic 'principles for practice' around working within ethnic diversity.

There will be plenty of time for questions and discussions. The workshop will be held on the University of Strathclyde campus in the heart of Glasgow city centre. We will be providing a light lunch and refreshments.

If you attend any of our workshops, we will invite you to take part in a follow-up study. The intent is to measure the impact the workshops have had on your practice and what you have taken away from them. Participation in the follow-up research is entirely voluntary.

Please note that registrations will close one week before the workshop date.

Principles for Good Practice: Ethnic Diversity

  • Individuality – recognise ethnicity as one aspect of identity and stay aware of both your own and the client's cultural frame of reference.
  • Self-awareness – pay attention to your own biases, assumptions, non-verbal communication, and limitations.
  • Cultural sensitivity – use sensitive, appropriate language, and attend to the spoken and unspoken cultural differences in communication, perspective, and expectations.
  • Openness & Co-creation - Stay open and curious in service of the relationship, not as a substitute for learning. Naming barriers to understanding and inviting the client's preferences and unique cultural frame of reference.
  • Safety, Congruence & Growth - Provide a safe, non-judgemental environment, for expression and exploration. Acknowledge your internal responses and barriers and engage honestly within supervision to identify areas for ongoing learning around diversity.
  • Compassion & Respect - Hold compassion and respect for both yourself and your clients' unique perspectives and humanity. Endeavour to find 'Unity in Diversity' and remember that oppression is systemic.

Principles collaboratively agreed upon by participants of workshop (Ethnic Diversity in Counselling and Psychotherapy on 03/02/2026).