Power, Politics and Helping – Who Are We and What Are We Doing?

This workshop is intended as a continuation of the theme of 2025 of issues around power. We and our clients/students sit in an increasingly complex and confusing world where there are a variety of different – and not always sympathetic – conceptualisations of what it means to be a helper. The incongruence of working within the medical model and the impact of the conversations (or lack thereof) around class, gender and difference create a tense and difficult climate for person-centred counsellors in particular. There are also differing views about whether or not what we do as counsellors can even be thought of as helping. What are we doing when we are helping – what are we being, who are we? What does helping do – and how is it related to the increasingly divided political atmosphere in wider society? How do we respond to challenges to the relevance of the approach? How do we look at our own power and our own place in the world and how we got there?

We are hoping to provide an opportunity and space to explore such questions and to look at where counselling, helping and the person-centred approach sit politically and in relation to power. We will include the chance to examine our own positions in relation to the person-centred approach, the politics of helping and why we do what we do. We hope this will also give space to include views from those who don’t necessarily see counselling in a political light; and an opportunity to explore the relevance of person-centred theory, and what it is like to work within the theory in an everchanging and turbulent world.

Barbara Malinen is a person-centred counsellor, supervisor and trainer working in Edinburgh. She is a member of the PCT Scotland Co-ordinating Group.

Terry Daly is a person-centred counsellor, supervisor and trainer working in UK and internationally for over 30 years delivering the person-centred approach.

This workshop is the fourth and final workshop of PCT Scotland’s 2026 programme. Each of these will be a stand alone event but the series as a whole is designed to develop, enhance and promote understanding of the Approach. Each of the presenters will be attending the workshops as facilitators of the group process. It is possible to attend any or all of the workshops.

The cost of each workshop is:

PCT Scotland Members: £50.00
Student members: £20.00
Non-members: £70.00
Student non-members: £30.00

For all enquiries and for bookings, please contact Barbara Malinen at bookings@pctscotland.co.uk

It is possible to join PCT Scotland and this will reduce the cost of the workshops as well as allow access to other benefits of membership. More information at www.pctscotland.co.uk

All of the events will be held at The Spark, 100 Wellington Street Glasgow G2 6DH. It is a dedicated training space close to both Central and Queen Street stations giving easy access to public transport.

Cancellation Policy

It will be possible to cancel your booking up to 15 days before each event. After that we will not be able to refund any tickets unless someone else is able to take your place.