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Conference 2025 recap: Therapeutic work in schools

Date published: 25.06.2025

This year's conference, Therapeutic Work in Schools, was rich with insight and reflection about the ever-evolving experience of adolescence, and our place in that journey as practitioners. 

Educators and clinicians joined the Brent Centre for Young People at Westminster School to discuss how to respond better to the challenges and opportunities facing today's adolescents. 

Our first presentation was from Rebecca Whittaker (BCYP Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist) and Ali Kosiner (BCYP Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist), who discussed their paper 'Containment within a school system: Exploring the process of working with high-need adolescents, risk and safeguarding'. Together they presented a working model for discussion, which was unpacked in reflective group discussions. 

After lunch, Dr Anthony Lee (Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist) presented Sarah Herman's (BCYP Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist, Assistant Manager of BCYP School Service) paper, titled 'Containers containing: Offering support to caregivers of autistic young people within a school setting.' Dr Lee discussed their experiences of facilitating support groups for caregivers of autistic young people, the themes explored, and outcomes achieved. 

Finally, Jana Duchonova (Senior Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist and Head of BCYP School Service), Fiona Henderson (Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist, Westminster School), Bobbie Cooper (Consultant Child & Adolescent Therapist, CAMHS), Esther Obiri-Darko (Child, Adolescent & Family Psychodynamic Psychotherapist, South Hampstead High School and Kent College), and Adam Kay (Senior Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist & Psychoanalyst, Head of Westminster Centre for Young People), facilitated a panel discussion with questions for the audience, pulling together themes of the day. 

It was heartening to witness the great conversations held throughout the day, including during the breaks.

As part of our commitment to continue these conversations beyond the conference, we have set up a WhatsApp group for those who work therapeutically in school settings. If you would like to be part of a supportive, collaborative network, please join here: Https://chat.whatsapp.com/H5XAfFk2uQv8ZxREX3AHen  

Thank you to everyone who attended and made the day so successful.