South West Counselling and Psychotherapy Conference 2025

THERAPY IN TRANSITION - Working Relationally in the AI Era

Join us on 14th June 2025 for a one-day conference at the Exeter Rougemont Hotel by Sunday in Exeter, Devon, where we will explore the evolving landscape of therapy, the impact of technology on the sector, and how we can continue to work relationally in an AI-driven era.

Join us to hear the latest insights from keynote speaker Dr Graham Music who has over 25 years' experience as a Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist at the Tavistock Centre. Graham is joined by Ana Lund, Matt Hill and James Barnes. You will also have the opportunity to take part in a break out session.

This event is designed for counsellors, psychotherapists, students, and those with a keen interest in mental health.

Included in your booking:

• Refreshments and lunch
• Approximately 5 hours of CPD presentations
• Choice of one breakout session
• A certificate of attendance to download for CPD purposes
• Selected presentation slides

Further speakers and workshops to be announced soon – but places are limited.

Meet our speakers:

Dr Graham Music, psychotherapist, trainer, author and supervisor.

Talk title: Respark: Working with clients who seem shut-down and hard to engage

Graham Music was Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist at the Tavistock Centre where he worked for over 25 years, and he has been an adult Psychotherapist for over 35 years.

Formerly Associate Clinical Director of the Tavistock Clinic’s Child and Family Department, he has developed many innovative programs, including setting up services in over 40 schools and a range of services working with the aftermath of child maltreatment and neglect.

His clinical specialty for decades been understanding and working with trauma. He supervises and teaches nationally and internationally and has a particular interest in linking cutting-edge developmental findings with therapeutic practice. His publications include Womb Life (2024), Nurturing Natures: (2023, 2016, 2010), Respark (2022), Affect and Emotion (2022, 2001), Nurturing Children (2019), The Good Life: (2014) and he co-edited From Trauma to Harming Others (2022).

https://nurturingnatures.co.uk/my-story/

Ana Lund, PhD., BA., MBACP

Talk title: How Relational Neuroscience Rethinks Attachment: Application in Psychotherapy

Ana is an integrative psychotherapist with a foundation in Transactional Analysis and a member of BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy). Ana holds a PhD in science and has spent a number of years working in a science lab.

Ana is passionate about bridging the gap between neuroscience and psychotherapy and finding ways to do this well. She is always thinking about the ways to leverage the latest neuroscience insight into an effective practice of psychotherapy for helping clients lead happier and more fulfilling lives.

Ana enjoys connecting with fellow therapists through informal discussions, workshops, constructive debates on social media, and her blog. She also spends lots of time trying to learn and understand the relevant neuroscience and connect the two worlds together.

Ana is currently co-writing two books on neuroscience and psychotherapy. One book is a brain guide for therapists and the second book is on neuroscience of attachment (to come out in 2026 and 2027, respectively). Ana is also an avid meditator and uses mindful meditation as a primary source for self-care.

You can find Ana's blog Neuroscience & Psychotherapy on substack https://substack.com/@neuroscienceandpsy, including the many thought provoking (and passionate) discussions about some fundamental questions from this field.

http://www.neuroscienceandpsychotherapy.com/

Matthew Hill, Director of Technology Innovation, Rethink Mental Illness

People First: Shaping the Role of Artificial Intelligence as an ally in the Future of Therapy

Matt Hill is a technology leader with a deep commitment to people-first approaches in care and support services. Though not a clinician, Matt has spent over a decade working in mission-driven charities focused on mental health, homelessness, and social exclusion. He began his career in a small, grassroots mental health organisation and has since held roles across the sector, bringing a passion for ethical, human-centred technology to some of the UK’s most pressing social challenges.

He is currently Director of Technology at Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK, two of the country’s leading mental health charities. In this role, he champions the responsible use of artificial intelligence to support staff, improve care quality, and ultimately create more space for the relationships that matter most.

Matt also brings a personal connection to this work, with lived experience of being affected by mental ill health and serious mental illness within his close family. It’s this personal investment that drives his belief in technology as a tool to improve quality, and to ultimately enhance - not replace - human connection in care.

James Barnes, MSc., MA., MBACP

Humanistic and Relational Healing: the foundation of our profession and what AI will never be able to do!

After studying psychology philosophy in the UK & the US, James trained as a psychotherapist in San Francisco. He has a psychotherapy practice in Exeter and works with clients remotely.

He has a deep interest in the intersection between the person-centered approach and relational psychoanalysis. James writes articles on mental health and psychotherapy on such platforms as Aeon magazine and Mad in America, regularly provides workshops and CPDs and can be found speaking at events in the UK and abroad.

James is involved in the broad movement to ‘de-medicalise’ emotional and psychological distress.

Meet our breakout tutors:

Dr Graham Music, psychotherapist, trainer, author and supervisor.

See his profile above

Heather Jenkin, MA.,BSc., DipSW.,PTUK Accred., MBACP Accred

Heather originally trained as a social worker at Exeter University and went on to specialise as a child and adolescent therapist. She has over 20 years of experience in working with children who have experienced complex developmental trauma.

As well as lecturing for Iron Mill, Heather runs her own practice, where she offers creative therapy to children and adolescents, adults and DDP informed therapy to children and carers. She also works with EPIC Solutions as their Play and Creative Arts Therapist as well as providing clinical supervision to other therapists.

Heather specialises in working with children who are hard to reach and who exhibit high risk and challenging behaviours. She enjoys finding creative ways to engage children and young people, for instance sensory based creative therapy using fire, water, animal assisted therapy and a range of creative materials, alongside the appropriate therapeutic modality to fit the child's therapeutic journey.

Marc Wallach, MPhil/ MA., Dip Biodynamic Psychotherapy, PGCE

As well as teaching on the Advanced Diploma in Counselling at Iron Mill, Marc has his own therapy practice offering Biodynamic Psychotherapy to adults.

Marc’s real passion is bringing the body into the therapeutic process. He believes the stories of our lives are literally held in the body and show themselves in our posture, breathing, muscles, and relationships. He enjoyed his diploma so much, that following completion, he went on to be an assistant trainer for the London School of Biodynamic Psychotherapy.

Marc has been a school counsellor, works at a school for children with emotional and social issues. His work is further informed by a lifelong passion of martial arts which helps to work with the innate startle pattern.