Erin Stevens

Thanks Frank ❤️

Love these awards. Brilliantly done.

❤️ go @shrinkatlarge.bsky.social

Thanks Joy. I'll not be there forever, so i hope those thoughts will be back at some point, but i guess it is time to see what can be done from the inside.

The news is now trickling into members' inboxes that I am one of the three successful candidates in the recent BACP elections. It was a difficult decision to stand, and frankly, the recent events surrounding governance led me to seriously reconsider whether change is possible, and whether I can be part of achieving it. After much deliberation, and conversations with colleagues and friends, I have made the decision to accept the position. It will be important for the incoming trustees to understand what has happened over the last few months (and years), so that we can understand what change is needed, especially around organisational dynamics and culture, to restore trust for members, and clients, and to address the harm which has undoubtedly occurred. I am so pleased that Bumi and Matt are also elected. They are fantastic people, and bring a wealth of knowledge and experience which I think will be brilliant for BACP, and by extension, for its members and those who need the BACP to meet its objectives. Congratulations to both of you – I am glad you are here. As part of the agreement I have signed, I have agreed not to comment on the BACP publicly without prior consent from the CEO or chair. This agreement comes into effect at the AGM on the 6th November. I want it to be really clear that I have signed that agreement, so my colleagues can understand why I am not making as many direct comments about what is happening in the organisation on social media. As many will know, I have never been reticent in expressing my feelings about what is happening in my membership body, and the change in my social media output is not indicative of any change in my proactiveness, or drive for positive change. Nor will it stop me listening to what members and clients are telling me, on social media or otherwise. I also promise not to disappear, not to become another invisible board member, and not to stop talking about the profession, its direction, its issues, and their impact on the…

Yeah I agree with you. There is something about being inattentive to power that pervades a lot of what is happening just now. Maybe they would say they need to check the successful candidates or get agreements in place or something, but it used to be voted AND announced at AGM 🤷‍♀️

I think it will be announced by email in the ebulletin later this month.

Yeah i saw someone do that then delete it. It seems to me quite silly to have this period of silence. Much better the way they used to do it.

BACP have put candidates in a position where we're not supposed to disclose the result till they announce it later this month 🫠

Government confirms Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson as the next EHRC chair Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson has confirmed that Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson will be appointed as the new Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

Against the recommendation of the Women and Equalities Commision, Labours Bridget Phillipson has confirmed Dr. Mary-Ann Stephenson as the new chair of the EHRC.

She deleted her account here once we all noted her following list was full of transphobes.

YouTube video by Erin Stevens - Harm in Therapy Counsellors Staffroom: Meet BACP Board Candidates 2025 Erin Stevens and Matt Cormack

Counsellors' Staffroom hosted a Q&A event for the BACP election with candidates Matt Cormack and me. It's now available to view here youtu.be/n5TpemRbyrs?...
Voting closes 15th August!

Meowslow's hierarchy of needs Pyramid of needs with food on almost every tier except the second top with reads "other cats to stay out of my garden"

Meowslow's hierarchy of needs

Thanks Joy ❤️

You can also meet me and fellow candidate Matt Cormack at the Counsellors’ Staffroom Q&A on Friday 18th July at 2.30pm. Free tickets here

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bacp-board...

BACP Trustee voting is open! if you are a BACP member, please check your emails and cast your votes! Remember you can email me on erinstevens4bacpboard@gmail.com if you have any questions for me.

Thanks so much. That's a really important facet of disability justice that therapists and the whole profession need to attend to.

Thanks Sara 🙏

I'm standing for the BACP board! Voting is 15th July - 15th August so if you are a BACP member, you can look for an email from Mi Voice with a link to vote around then. I'm interested in anti-oppressive practice & ethics and I'll be answering questions sent to erinstevens4bacpboard@gmail.com

This is such a great point, thank you so much for it.

YouTube video by Erin Stevens - Harm in Therapy The Harm in Therapy Series: Introducing the Therapy Harm Resistance Project

Introducing the Therapy Harm Resistance Project: a conversation with Natalie Russ is now available on YouTube!
youtu.be/Ne1NX48UoKk

Um therapy harm 🙃

When Therapy Causes Harm: A Webinar for anyone interested in Therapy Harm A one hour webinar including Q&A with Erin Stevens - a therapist working with clients who have been harmed and a survivor of therapy harm.

30th April I'm hosting a 1 hour webinar on therapy therapy, open to everyone whether client, therapist or just interested. I'll overview the fundamentals of recognising harm, leaving harmful therapy, complaints (UK) and seeking support. Tickets by donation.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/when-thera...

I know, it's feels like BACP have become much more open to Harm in Therapy and much more open to people like me in the last year or so. It's promising.

If you are a member of BACP you can listen to me being interviewed by Katy Georgiou for the latest Therapy Today podcast here
www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-r...

The recording of the Harm in Therapy for Queer Autistic Therapists workshop with me and Sonny Hallett @scrappapertiger.bsky.social , which was sold out for live attendance, is now available for purchase! Access here: www.erinstevens.co.uk/workshop-rec...

Front cover of April 2025 Therapy Today magazine. When therapy causes harm. Image of a therapist standing on a client's toe, which i take to be metaphorical.

I've been really pleased to hear from people who found this landing on their doorstep today. Finally, conversations about harm are becoming mainstream in the profession. I was grateful to be invited to participate in this issue & the corresponding podcast. If you are a BACP member check it out. 🙂

🙏 totally agree, survivor advocacy is a huge part of therapy harm activism. @sophieblackthorn.bsky.social is a brilliant activist survivor and writer, in case you don't know her. I'm really getting a sense of solidarity and community finally becoming more visible 🔥

When a patient—perhaps unknowingly—challenges the therapist’s ego, self-image or worldview, and the therapist feels threatened, the therapist might respond with bullying or belittling behaviours that serve to undermine the patient’s self-esteem and reinforce the therapist’s power and authority.

In PCA terms, for me therapeutic neutrality is UPR in action. It's the knowledge that my client isn't 'bad', 'wrong' or 'broken', they don't need me to change them, or to tell them what to do. It's about power. But it isn't about denying the impact of who we are or how we show up in the room.

My long-term therapist once said to me that I always get myself to where I need to be. He didn't create my ability to make choices, he simply made space for me to see that I can. It was this non-possessiveness, this therapeutic neutrality, that helped me develop my self-trust.