Threads Across the Divide: Weaving Connections in a Fragmented World
19–20 June 2026
Mary Ward House, London (with online access available*)
In an era shaped by polarisation, echo chambers and increasing isolation, the work of connection has never been more vital.
This June, UKCP invites practitioners to gather for two days of exploration, reflection and dialogue, considering how psychotherapy responds to division — in society, in communities and in the consulting room. Together, participants will ask:
-
How can difference be held without reinforcing separation?
-
What enables meaningful dialogue across ideological and cultural divides?
-
How might the therapeutic relationship itself become an act of weaving — creating connection where fragmentation threatens to take hold?
Bringing together established thinkers and emerging voices, the conference will offer keynote talks, workshops and discussion spaces designed to inspire, challenge and energise practitioners at all stages of their professional journey.
Whether seeking fresh perspectives, practical insight or the stimulation of being alongside colleagues engaging deeply with these questions, this conference offers space to think — and to connect.
Confirmed Speakers
Paul Hoggett
Paradise lost? The estranged self and the longing for the ideal
The modern self is haunted by an imagined ideal world — one without time, loss or difference. Paul will explore the fundamental separations from nature, from our creaturely selves and from one another, examining their cultural and political implications, and considering possible pathways towards repair.
Paul is Emeritus Professor of Social Policy at UWE Bristol and co-founder of the Climate Psychology Alliance.
Nick Totton
It’s complicated: can we bridge different approaches to therapy?
Can common ground be found between evidence-based, technique-focused approaches and process-oriented, relational approaches? Nick brings these perspectives into dialogue, asking what new understanding might emerge when perspectives move beyond opposition.
Nick is a body psychotherapist, author and trainer with over 40 years’ experience.
Julie Stone
Ethical fixity and flexibility: whither ethics in a fractured world?
In divided times, moral courage and ethical duty can seem to pull good people — and good therapists — in different directions. Julie will consider whether certain ethical principles remain constant, or whether flexibility is required in a fractured world. She will also explore how trainees develop ethical wisdom and how a diverse profession can arrive at shared ethical positions.
Julie is UKCP’s independent ethics lead and Chair of the UKCP Ethics Committee.
Cyber trauma/online harm and its impact on human connections
Dr Catherine Knibbs
In a world increasingly shaped by technology, what does it mean to be harmed online – and how do we bring that into the therapy room? Catherine explores the risks of AI to client wellbeing, the role of technology in assessments, and why working with children demands a deeper engagement with digital spaces.
Catherine is a child and adult trauma psychotherapist, researcher and pioneer of cyber trauma theory. As CEO of Children and Tech, she has spent over 20 years at the intersection of child development, trauma and technology. A TEDx speaker and National Cyber Awards winner, she is a widely published author and respected authority on online safeguarding.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
‘I belong here. I belong’: existential explorations of our intersectional identities in counselling and psychotherapy
Dr Dwight Turner
In an increasingly polarised world, clients bring complex, layered identities shaped by fear, power and belonging. Drawing on intersectionality and existential theory, Dwight uses creativity and poetry to explore how practitioners hold clients’ many positions whilst also reckoning with their own.
Dwight is course leader on the humanistic psychotherapy course at the University of Brighton and a psychotherapist and supervisor in private practice. He is the author of three books, including ‘Decolonising Counselling and Psychotherapy’.The full programme — including additional speakers, workshops and session formats — will be announced in the coming weeks.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Online tickets will be released at a later date.