Lynette Harborne, Chair

I am a BACP accredited psychotherapist and supervisor and a UKCP registered psychotherapist. I am in private practice as a psychotherapist, supervisor, spiritual director and trainer and am a member of the Human Development team in a Roman Catholic Seminary.

My initial working background was in the hotel and catering industry, followed by teaching in further education. My work with adolescents and adults raised my awareness of the value of counselling and events on my own spiritual journey resulted in my seeking both personal therapy and spiritual direction. Having experienced at first hand the benefits of both, I embarked on a course leading to a Diploma in Humanistic Counselling, then on to an MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy and subsequently supervision training. I also have a Life Coaching qualification.

Whilst I identify myself as a Christian with Anglican roots, I am committed to exploring with my clients their inner journey in whatever direction or of whatever nature that may be, hence my interest in writing the BACP Information Sheet on Working with Issues of Faith, Spirituality or Religion.

During the past 6 months I have very much enjoyed being a member of the APSCC Task and Finish Group investigating the relationship between counselling and spiritual direction. I have a particular interest in raising awareness of ethical issues in spiritual direction as well as the importance of supervision for practitioners.

I want to focus on encouraging a holistic approach to therapy, paying attention to spiritual issues and, with this in mind, I am currently exploring possibilities of more formal training and experience in a multi-faith environment to develop my understanding of other faith traditions.

I have also written articles on counselling and spirituality from an Islamic perspective published in the Healthcare Counselling and psychotherapy journal and the Therapy today magazine

I feel that by allowing spirituality and/or God to flourish within psychotherapeutic spaces we as practitioners can tap into a resource that can enhance the process of healing and ‘recovery' for many of our clients. As I continue to develop my spiritual competence as a person and therapist I would like to contribute to developments within this area, and hence believe that becoming a member of the APSCC executive committee enables me to contribute towards this area and influence developments.

Salma Khalid

I have worked in adult mental health for Pennine Care Mental health Trust as a Psychological Therapist for 8 years. I have a special interest in developing mental health services for south Asian communities. In addition to this I am very passionate about understanding and integrating spirituality and religion into the field of psychological therapies. I have recently completed my MA in counselling studies at the University of Manchester in which my dissertation explored the impact of spirituality and religion on the psychotherapeutic space for Muslim counsellors. This work also explored the impact that Islamphobia has had on therapeutic relations. I believe that psychological therapies need to further integrate religion spirituality and politics into theory and practice

As a therapist I have worked extensively both within primary and secondary care mental health services. I am currently working within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in addition to this I also providing clinical supervision to the mental health practitioners within Heywood Middleton and Rochdale PCT.

I have received formal training and am hence qualified to deliver the cultural competence training model ( PTT model) developed jointly by the Centre for Transcultural Studies in Health, University of Middlesex, Care Services Improvement Partnership. This model tackles cultural competence in a dynamic and comprehensive way whilst steering away from reinforcing stereotypes and pathologising communities. The training programme encouraged self-reflection and the gaining of self-knowledge and focuses on working on the ‘self' rather than the ‘other'.

Gillie Jenkinson, MA

My interest in joining the Exec is because I want to participate in the ongoing dialogue on religion/spirituality and counselling/psychotherapy. Whilst I think it is important to acknowledge the positives it is also essential to recognise the shadow side of religion/spirituality as well as counselling/psychotherapy. There are many who have been harmed who do not have a voice and have not been understood.

A bit more about me: I am a Director of Hope Valley Counselling Limited and specialise in offering counselling and psychotherapy to those who have left cults or coercive relationships/groups and those who have been abused. I am the co-ordinator for EnCourage Survivors of Cults and Abuse, a UK Charity. I am a trained counsellor and psychotherapist with an Advanced Diploma in Pastoral Counselling and an MA in Gestalt Psychotherapy. I am accredited and registered with UKCP and am a MBACP. I served two internships at Wellspring Retreat Centre for survivors of cults and spiritual abuse, Ohio. I have many years experience working with survivors of rape, sexual abuse, and cults, as well as with clients with other issues. I am a trained Supervisor (Diploma in Supervision).  I facilitate an ex-member support and education group in London and regularly speak and train on recovery issues.

I have presented my research, "What helps Ex-cult members recover from an abusive cult experience," at the BACP Research conference (2006) and International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) Conferences in Madrid (2005) and Denver (2006); also a number of papers in the UK and overseas on cult pseudo-personality. I presented at ICSA New York Conference (2010) and Barcelona (2011) with published author Sue Parker Hall on ‘Anger, Rage, Pseudo-Personality and Cults'. I have two papers published in Cultic Studies Review; ‘An Investigation into Cult Pseudo-Personality: What Is It and How Does It Form?' (2008) and ‘Cult Pseudo-Creativity vs. Creativity in Recovery' (2010). I have co-authored a chapter entitled ‘Pathological Spirituality' with Dr. Nicola Crowley for a medical text book entitled ‘Spirituality and Psychiatry' published by RCPsych Publications (2009) in UK. I am ICSA Today Magazine's Mental Health Editor - www.icsahome.com

Valda Swinton (co-opted member)

My interest in counselling was born out of my Christian faith, as my spirituality began to impact my day to day encounters. It was my experience of listening to individuals in a faith context that initiated my first training in pastoral counselling. Since I completing that initial training in 1989, I went on to complete an undergraduate degree in Social Psychology at Loughborough University followed by an MA in Counselling at Keele University. It was while studying for my MA at Keele University that I was drawn to the idea of counselling training rather than just one to one work. Once I completed my MA I worked in a number of counselling agencies and as a visiting lecturer at a Further Education College. In 1996 I joined University College Warrington (Warrington Collegiate Institute) as a Lecturer in Counselling teaching on the Counselling, Social Work and Undergraduate Programmes. Then on 11^th of September 2001, I attended an interview for my present post at the University of Chester, where I am the programme leader for the MA in Clinical Counselling. I am a BACP registered practitioner and was a Counsellor in a G.P. Surgery for 11 years. I currently have a small private practice in both counselling and supervision. I recently completed my professional doctorate in counselling from the University of Manchester with William West; my interest being the spiritual dimension in counselling training.

Manda Moyo-Ncube (co-opted member)

I am a Psychotherapist. I work in an integrative way. My main approach is based on Transactional Analysis (TA) principles of valuing each individual and recognising their capacity to think and problem solve in order to make healthier choices in life.  I have trained in a number of therapeutic and counselling modalities. I am also an Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Practitioner, a Reiki Healer (Level 2), and a Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN).

I have worked in mental health since 1980 in various settings in the NHS and Private settings, including in General Psychiatry Units, Out Patients, Specialist Eating Disorders Units, Addiction Units, Adolescence Units, Community Mental Health Team for People with Serious and Enduring Mental Illness.

I work with professionals from other disciples e.g. I carry out assessments for other professionals and authorities (such as Social Services, Solicitors, Courts and Tribunals). I take an empathetic and positive approach to peoples' personal, cultural and religious traditions.

In 2008/09, I did extensive training resource development and training delivery with/for Black Majority Churches, including the relatively new emerging African Churches in the UK as part of the Delivering Racial Equality in Mental Health Initiative. I have a specific interest in the interface between an individual's faith, spirituality and wellbeing.

I am a member of the BACP, and am on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Register as a Registered Mental Nurse.

I am fluent in English, SiNdebele, and Zulu. I have a good working knowledge of Xhosa and Swati.

Dr Peter Gubi