CPASS Student Conference Agenda

10:45-11:05 – ACG culture and depression in China: Phenomenological Research from a Person-Centred Perspective

Presenter: Yi Hu

This phenomenological study intends to explore how ACG subcultural groups in China experience changes in their own feelings of depression as they interact with others in the group and with cultural products. Depression is a common disorder of the mind, and there are positivist studies that have explored some links between it and subcultures, but the mechanisms involved are unclear, and research on it lacks qualitative studies and a focus on the subjective experience of individuals. In this study, through semi-structured interviews with a Chinese ACG cultural group, it will explore how people experience changes in depression and reflect on the links between these changes and the subculture in which they live, as well as whether theories of person-centred counselling

11:05-11:25 – Belongingness and Identity for Young adults in Multinational Contexts

Presenter: Jiani (Nicole) Jiang

This study explores how transnational life experiences shape identity and belonging among young multicultural adults. Through a qualitative group interview with five university students from diverse cultural backgrounds, the research examines identity negotiation and inclusion. Ethical considerations include informed consent, confidentiality, and emotional well-being. Participants will share personal experiences in a semi-structured discussion, with debriefing support available. Findings aim to enhance understanding of multicultural identity development and inform counseling and educational practices that support individuals navigating complex cultural identities.

11:25-11:45 – The Influence of Same-Sex Peer Sexual Interactions during Secondary School on Chinese Male Adults' Sexuality and Identity Formation

Presenter: Haobai Xu

This study explores Chinese male adults' experiences, focusing on how they interpret interactions with same-sex peers during secondary school, particularly in relation to sexual behaviours, and how these experiences influence their identity and sexuality development. Using a combination of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and relational phenomenology, the study examines participants' subjective experiences while considering the impact of interpersonal relationships, socio-cultural factors, and researcher-participant interactions.

11:45-12:05 – Navigating the Third Space: Exploring Race, Culture, and Anger in Therapeutic Practice

Presenter: Tanishka Pillai

This paper explores how the intersections of gender, immigrant identity, and cultural conditioning shape the experience of a trainee therapist of colour. Drawing on my own identity as a woman, immigrant, and trainee therapist, I investigate how societal expectations—both from my upbringing in India and my immigrant experience in the UK—intersect and conflict within the therapeutic space. I critically examine the notion that emotions like anger, often viewed as negative or unprofessional, can serve as a transformative tool in therapeutic practice, especially for those whose histories are rooted in colonialism and the marginalisation of emotions. Using an autoethnographic approach that fictionalises my personal narratives, I explore how race and culture act as a 'third' in the therapeutic relationship, influencing both the therapist-client dynamic and the expression of emotions like anger. By embracing anger within therapeutic practice, I aim to challenge dominant discourses and offer a nuanced understanding of its role in healing.

12:05-12:25 – Lost Childhood, Lost Self: Existential Consequences of Early Trauma -autoethnography's Search for Identity and Meaning

Presenter: Pinru Jin

This autoethnographic study examines the cultural construction of "being sensible" (懂事, dǒng shì) in East Asian contexts, where children are expected to demonstrate submission, emotional restraint, and premature responsibility. While often praised, this trait can lead to psychological consequences, particularly in single-parent families, where role reversal forces children into emotionally burdensome positions. Drawing on Object Relations Theory, Attachment Theory, and Existentialism, this study explores the long-term effects of internalized responsibility, including identity loss, existential anxiety, and emotional avoidance. Autoethnography provides a nuanced lens to critically analyze these lived experiences within broader cultural and theoretical frameworks.

12:25-12:45 – The emotional experiences and coping strategies of Chinese international students in their experience of managing long-distance romantic relationships (LDRRs)

Presenter: Shuheng Li (Jacqueline)

Long-distance Romantic Relationships (LDRRs) have become increasingly common in the context of globalisation, and the emotional challenges of geographic separation are significant for international students (Stafford & Merolla, 2007). By focusing on an under-researched group of Chinese international students managing LDRR, this study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of their lived-in experiences and consider what role counselling and psychotherapy may play in supporting them in their current or past experiences of LDRRs. Therefore, the central research question is: “What difficulties do Chinese international students experience in maintaining and managing LDRR? And how might Counselling and Psychotherapy support them in their current or past experiences of such relationships in a Chinese cultural context?” This study adopts a qualitative research design and uses IPA to delve deeper into the subjective experiences of Chinese international students in their LDRR.

10:45-11:05 – Lost in therapeutic relationship: where is the boundary of two minds?

Presenter: Pei-Chieh Tsao

I will be presenting my research idea, background and the methodology I will be using. My research idea comes from my placement experience working with a client, which I experienced myself getting lost in the process, hugely affected by the relationship. Despite knowing the theory and existence of transference and countertransference, I was not able to distance or reduce the influence on me and my personal life. The research is mainly to understand this particular experience and how it means to me as a counselling trainee. Additionally, I would to share the difficulties or challenges I encounter if it applies.

11:05-11:25 – Yogic ideologies and Counselling Practice

Presenter: Mahika Bhojani

My study will be a focus on the impact of yogic ideologies on the every day lives of individuals. As an Indian having practised yoga from a very young age, I wonder about how the teachings/ ideologies of yoga implicitly play a role in my work as a psychotherapist. I aim to interview yoga practitioners and understand its impact on them and conduct  a relational study to see what it brings up for me 

11:25-11:45 – Don’t Let Them Eat Cake: A Critical Autoethnography on Power, Relationship, and Embodiment by a Lapsed Dietitian

Presenter: Meg Poultney

Dietitians are positioned within the healthcare sector as experts on food and its nutritional impact on the body. But to what extent does this profession promote the importance of food for its sociocultural, emotional, and relational value? What discourses about bodies does it perpetuate when it emphasises nutritional well-being? How might this experience of being positioned as “expert” impact those who are training in this profession? This critical autoethnography aims to explore these questions as the author reflects on her time studying dietetics and inquires on its legacy in her relationship to self and other in her current role as a counsellor-in-training. 

11:45-12:05 – How does the relational dynamic between a therapist and a client with traumatic brain injury (TBI) influence the clients healing and therapeutic process?

Presenter: Olivia Bruni

I plan to conduct my research through semi-structured interviews with adults (18 years or older) who have experienced a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and have undergone therapy for it. My goal is to understand their personal experiences with therapy, focusing on their relationship with their therapist during sessions. I am interested in learning what aspects of therapy were helpful, what may not have been helpful, and what they wish they had received during the process.

12:05-12:25 – Multilingualism and Emotional Expression in Counselling: An Autoethnographic Exploration

Presenter: Rui Xing

This dissertation will explore the impact of multilingualism on emotional expression from a counselling perspective, using a critical literature review and autoethnographic reflection. Drawing on theories of linguistic relativity and emotional regulation, the study examines how language choice shapes emotional experience, particularly in therapeutic contexts. The literature review highlights key debates and research gaps, while the autoethnographic component offers personal insights from the author’s multilingual counselling training. This research contributes to greater cultural sensitivity in counselling and encourages deeper understanding of the multilingual practitioner’s emotional experience.

12:25-12:45 – An exploration of the anxiety when Chinese novice listeners experience silence during the conversation with clients

Presenter: Guo Min

This study explores the anxiety experienced by Chinese novice listeners when encountering silence during conversations with clients. Cultural and social factors further influence the understanding of silence. In Chinese communication norms, silence is often associated with respect, hierarchy, and social harmony. However, in professional listening settings, this cultural convention may conflict with the expectations of the professional role, exacerbating uncertainty and self-doubt. Through a review of relevant literature and an examination of cultural influences, this study aims to explore how Chinese novice listeners understand and respond to silence, analyze the key factors contributing to their anxiety, and provide effective coping strategies to enhance their confidence and competence in client interactions.

10:45-11:05 - Floating in the gaze: A Chinese woman's autoethnography of body and identity

Presenter: Nyree Li

Growing up in Chinese society and studying within Western academic systems, I have been deeply affected by societal beauty standards from adolescence, shaping my self-identity with significant beauty anxiety. Research by Levesque (2011) reveals the impact of beauty anxiety on individual self-identity, which resonates with my personal experiences. From passively accepting to actively conforming, and attempting to transcend these standards, I've realized that although I have successfully entered the academic field, this anxiety hasn't completely disappeared but has transformed into an obsession with academic achievements. This study employs autoethnography (Ellis, E.Adams, and P. Bochner 2010), incorporating narrative and critical reflection to analyze personal experiences within a broader socio-cultural context. Through autoethnography, I critically reflect upon these personal experiences and psychological changes. I document the development of beauty anxiety and its transformation into academic pursuit ambitions. Additionally, I analyzed the reconstruction of self-identity during my Master's in Counseling Psychology. In terms of cultural text analysis, I explore how social media and the beauty industry shape contemporary female beauty standards through mainstream media, platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), Weibo, and popular culture.

11:05-11:25 - How Culture Shapes Beauty Standards for Hong Kong Women

Presenter: Ka Yu Kylie Lam

This study explores the relationship between perceptions/experiences and beauty standards among Hong Kong (HK) women, specifically examining cultural, psychological, and societal influences. Beauty is deeply intertwined with self-worth, social expectations, and success, leading to widespread internalization of rigid ideals. Through a phenomenological approach, this research investigates how HK women navigate beauty norms, balancing conformity and individuality. Reflexivity is crucial, as Western frameworks often impose Eurocentric ideals on non-Western contexts. I aim to relate these local voices with Counselling Practice to explore culturally relevant practices, advocating for more nuanced mental health support that acknowledges the complexities of beauty perception in HK.

11:25-11:45 - Skin and all that it holds 

Presenter: Irene Daniel

I grew up knowing my skin was dark, but the world made sure I also knew it was dirty. The media told me dark girls are unattractive, in need of fixing. So I bought the whitening creams—only to see no result. Colourism in India is tangled with casteism and racism, sold through Bollywood, ads, and jokes. My skin lost me friends, earned me names—"Coal," "Kaali," "Garbage." In the UK, it carried new weight, the fear of being seen as unclean. The fear of being seen as dirty in a space where whiteness is default. The way the white woman looked at my father with disgust as we ate in the park reminded me: this does not end. But this was also the skin that held my brown client, the one who looked at me and said, “I felt at peace when I saw your skin.” This psychosocial inquiry moves through my body, through the ways skin holds history, pain, and connection. 

11:45-12:05 - Unveiling Beauty: A Psychosocial Inquiry into East Asian Women’s Experience of Beauty Anxiety in the Context of Taiwan

Presenter: Maggie (Wei-Ling) Chen

This study explores how Taiwanese women experience and internalize beauty anxiety under social, cultural, and political forces. Using a psychosocial approach, it examines how unconscious processes and societal norms shape self-perception. Drawing on Judith Butler’s performativity theory and Object Relations perspectives, the research investigates the ambivalence between desire and pressure in beauty norms, revealing appearance anxiety as a manifestation of power, social control, and gendered expectations, rather than an individual concern.

12:05-12:25 - An autoethnography of body image and facial anxiety: I don't like what I am look like

Presenter: Yueling Shi

In today’s world, where social media is widely used, an increasing number of people are influenced by the content they see online. Xiaohongshu (Little Red note), a social media platform that is particularly popular among young women in China, has become a space where a vast amount of content is shared daily. Among these posts, a significant portion features individuals sharing their weight loss journeys and showcasing their body transformations. As a result, many young women are influenced by such content on social media, leading them to feel dissatisfied with their own body image. My research topic is anxiety and depression caused by social media (xiaohongshu) among young women under Chinese context. I will adopt an autoethnographic approach, drawing from my own personal experiences to explore the issue of body image anxiety. By analyzing several key events in my life related to body image concerns, I aim to examine how social and cultural influences contribute to the spread of body anxiety through social media and how young women internalize these anxieties as a result.

12:25-12:45 - A Cultural Mosaic: An Autoethnographic Exploration of the Impact of a Multiracial Third Culture Identity on the Internalization of Beauty

Presenter: Ally Fukada

Utilizing an autoethnographic approach, my research intends to investigate the multiracial Third Culture identity and its influence on a female's internalization of beauty, using the following question to guide my research: How does a multiracial Third Culture Kid (TCK) identity influence the females’ internalization of beauty? Through the lens of a social constructivist paradigm, my research will investigate how racial and cultural factors impact a female’s internalization of beauty. I will further discuss how the unpacking of the multiracial Third Culture identity may help expand the cultural competency of the counseling and psychotherapeutic space. 

10:45-11:05 – Feline Friends: An Autoethnographic Study of Cats and Their Psychological Benefits on High School Students in China

Presenter: Ziyin Zhang

This autoethnographic study explored the psychological benefits of cat companionship for Chinese high school students, drawing on my personal experiences recorded in diaries. From an interpretivist perspective, the study examined how interactions with cats provided emotional support, alleviated stress, and fostered resilience during challenging periods. By combining personal narratives with psychological frameworks such as attachment theory and symbolic interactionism, this research highlights the unique role of pet cats in supporting adolescent mental health within the Chinese cultural and educational context.

11:05-11:25 – Bonds Beyond Absence: Sustained Human-Cat Connections and Psychological Adaptation During Loss and Separation Abstract

Presenter: Shanshan Gao

The emotional bond between humans and their pet cats has deepened in modern society. However, whether due to permanent loss through death or temporary separation caused by life circumstances (such as studying abroad or work relocation), this attachment undergoes changes, affecting the owner’s psychological adjustment (Field et al., 2009). This study adopts an ethnographic and narrative interview approach to explore how cat owners maintain Continuing Bonds after experiencing loss or temporary separation and to analyze the role of these bonds in psychological adjustment (Packman et al., 2011).  The key research focuses include: (1) the different ways owners maintain Continuing Bonds in various contexts, (2) the differing impacts of loss and temporary separation on attachment, and (3) how Continuing Bonds facilitate or hinder psychological adjustment. The findings of this study aim to enhance the understanding of human-animal relationships and provide practical insights for psychological counseling and support related to pet loss and separation.

11:25-11:45 – The Psyche in Psychotherapy: A Quantum Leap

Presenter: Nicole Fouché

The intersection between quantum mechanics and psychology has long been an area of speculative exploration, yet the potential for a “quantum leap” in understanding the human psyche in psychotherapy is emerging as an avenue for clinical innovation. This paper explores the integration of quantum principles, such as entanglement, with psychotherapeutic practices and theory to create a shift in how we understand and engage with the subconscious mind. By examining the psyche through a quantum lens, drawing on psychodynamic principles, I propose that the mind operates in interconnected ways that mirror the behaviours in quantum systems. This paper introduces new therapeutic modalities that embrace the complexity and fluidity of human consciousness.

11:45-12:05 – Exploring the Experience of Second Language Usage in Inner Speech: An Autography of a Chinese Young Adult with International Background

Presenter: Dongzhao Liu

This essay aims to explore the experience of second language usage in inner speech. Second language usage is usual in the globalization environment. However, the pattern with which the author employed mostly the second language for self-comfort and reflection in inner speech, rather than his mother language, indicates more to explore. Since language usage may be highly related to the environment, the essay may seek to explore assumptions behind it. With the awareness that I will be re-created with the process, I will cautiously relate to psychodynamic theory and personal-center theory, while sitting with discomfort and diffraction that may emerge.

12:05-12:25 – India Syndrome

Presenter: Snigdha Mohta

India Syndrome describes the psychological crises some Western travelers face in India, often linked to unrealistic expectations. This dissertation examines the phenomenon through the experiences of two of my friends who traveled to India, questioning whether it stems from genuine psychological distress or Western romanticization. By analyzing their journeys and cultural perceptions, I challenge dominant narratives and explore how media and travel culture shape these experiences. Ultimately, this study questions whether India Syndrome is about India itself or the way the West continues to perceive it.

12:25-12:45 – The Fear of Becoming a Bad Kid: Depression and Self-Identity Construction

Presenter: Siyu Lai

This autoethnographic study looks at how depression affected my sense of self, especially through the fear of no longer being seen as a "good kid." I reflect on how internalizing the pressures posed by family and society shaped my self-worth, and how depression forced me to confront the gap between who I was and who I thought I had to be. This study offers a personal lens on how identity and mental health are shaped by cultural expectations.

10:45-11:05 – The Effects of Regular Engagement in Visual Arts Creation on One’s Anxiety: A Case-Study

Presenter: Camryn E. Guthrie

This case-study aims to answer, “How does regular participation in visual arts creation affect one’s experience of anxiety?” It will provide an in-depth analysis of how an individual makes meaning of this interaction. The study includes three weekly meetings; each will incorporate a component in which the researcher and participant create artworks inspired by an anxiety-based prompt, followed by a semi-structured interview. A combination of IPA and arts-based analysis will be used to understand the data. While the scope of this study is small, it could spur future research aimed towards identifying the mechanisms by which artistic creation impacts anxiety.

11:05-11:25 – Impact of Dance Movement Therapy on Social Anxiety in individuals from collectivist culture

Presenter: Aditi Singhai

This auto-ethnographic study explores the impact of Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) on social anxiety in individuals from collectivist cultures. Drawing from my lived experience of growing up in a joint family system where interdependence and conformity were central, the research investigates how embodied practices like DMT can help process anxiety rooted in cultural conditioning. Through reflective narrative, memory, and somatic insight, the study examines how DMT facilitated emotional regulation, body awareness, and nonverbal expression. While not generalisable, this work offers a nuanced, first-person perspective on the therapeutic potential of DMT in culturally shaped experiences of social anxiety.

11:25-11:45 – Art Under Pressure: Exploring the Lasting Psychological Impact of Instrumentalized Early Art Education on Chinese Students

Presenter: Zhengyue (Bethany) Wang

This research aims to explore how participant perceive their early art experiences in China, particularly within the context of their instrumentalization—goal-oriented, structured, and rigorous training in drawing, dance, musical instruments, or other art forms.  It seeks to gather diverse perspectives, enrich discussions on China’s structured early art education, and explore the personal meanings and potential psychological influences associated with this phenomenon. What initially motivated them to start learning art, and how do they define their relationship with it? As they grew and environment changed, did their mindset and connection to art evolve? This study invites participants to participate in a semi-structured, in-depth interview lasting 1.5 to 2 hours, where they are encouraged to openly share their unique story about artistic experiences within the framework of art education in China.

11:45-12:05 – Emotional Tides: An Autoethnography of Emerging Identity Tensions and Reconstruction of Chinese International Students During Cultural Festivals

Presenter: Xuejing Ma

This autoethnographic study explores how festivals function as emotional magnifiers that reveal the multiple identity negotiation processes experienced by Chinese international students in the UK. While identity negotiation occurs subtly in daily life, festivals — particularly Chinese New Year and Christmas — create temporal and emotional “concentration points” where identity conflicts become clearly visible. Through reflective journaling, visual documentation, and narrative analysis, I investigate dimensions of identity negotiation, including cultural and relational identities, tracking development from fragmentation through negotiation to integration. Methodologically, these significant festivals serve as “critical incidents” that crystallize identity awareness and emotional experience. This research contributes to understanding identity processes in cross-cultural environments and offers implications for supporting international students in counselling contexts.

12:05-12:25 – Punk as Therapy: Exploring the Transformative Power of Punk Culture in Cultivating a Therapeutic Presence

Presenter: Lulu Adams

This study examines the therapeutic benefits of punk culture through an autoethnographic lens, exploring how its ideology, music, and community foster self-acceptance, resilience, and authenticity. Through personal narratives and critical reflection, I investigate how punk’s rebellion, DIY ethics, and radical self-expression promote emotional openness and deeper connections. This research highlights how punk culture provides space for catharsis, identity formation, and acceptance of differences, shaping a therapeutic presence beyond traditional frameworks. By blending personal experience with cultural analysis, it reveals how subcultural participation fosters self-discovery, emotional well-being, and inclusivity, challenging conventional views on therapy and personal growth.

12:25-12:45 – The Effect of Choral Singing on Wellbeing

Presenter: Katie DiMauro

My research question is “How do participants in an upper-voice choir interpret and make sense of the impact that choral singing has on their wellbeing?” I wish to discuss the effects a secular upper-voice choir (a choir comprised of women and non-binary people) has on its participants, particularly 20-50 years of age, and their daily lives. Through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, I will investigate the perceived psychological, social, emotional, and embodied impacts choral singing has on participants. I hope to explore group singing as a legitimate and accessible tool to aid in general wellbeing and ease daily life challenges.

10:45-11:05 – Contratherapy: Liberatory Praxis for Otherwise Worlds

Presenter: Jonathan Lee Massmann

Contratherapy begins with the question: should we abolish therapy? Taking the challenge to see "what our therapeutic practices are producing" and re-producing, Contratherapy seeks to critically examine many of the basic assumptions of psychotherapeutic theory, arguing that many of these assumptions both foundationally stem from and actively reinforce oppressive social orders. Drawing on liberation psychology, post/decolonial theory, poststructuralist philosophy, and Black radical thought, Contratherapy seeks to unveil and unsettle the oppressive forces running through psychotherapy which produce us as docile, fixed, and subjugated subjects - in the aim of bringing about otherwise "psychotherapies", and otherwise worlds.

11:05-11:25 – Suffering and Healing in Islam and Counselling: A Decolonial Autoethnographic Perspective

Presenter: Lina Ameziane El Hassani

In this autoethnographic study, I explore the intersections between Islam and counselling through a decolonial lens, examining how Islamic perspectives on suffering, healing, and well-being challenge or complement Western therapeutic models that often prioritize individualism. By integrating my personal experiences with Islam and healing, I highlight faith-based and collectivist approaches to mental health that offer alternative ways of understanding well-being. This study aims to contribute to both academic discourse and practical applications by advocating for counselling practices that align with the spiritual and cultural values of Muslim communities, fostering a more inclusive and culturally responsive approach to mental health.

11:25-11:45 – An Exploration of Difference in the Counselling Room as an Arab Muslim

Presenter: Yara Yousef Al Nafea

Language is more than a medium of communication; it is a vessel of history, culture, and identity. If and when counsellors dismiss the power of language, they risk neglecting the very identities that shape a client’s sense of self. With this in mind, for Arab and Muslim clients, therapy can feel like stepping into a space that does not fully recognize their way of being, a place where the language of healing is shaped by Western ideals, leaving little room for identities interwoven with faith, family, and collective belonging. This research is a deeply personal exploration of what it means to navigate this space as someone who exists between cultures, between tongues, and between worlds. I am essentially exploring the following: In what ways do Western counselling frameworks and a Western therapeutic space, inadvertently neglect Arab and Muslim identities, and how does this impact their healing and ways of being? How can autohistoria-teoría serve as a decolonial methodology to challenge dominant narratives in counselling and amplify marginalized voices?

11:45-12:05 – Decolonial Perspectives on Silence in Cross-Cultural Communication: An Autoethnographic Study of Chinese International Students

Presenter: Xinyu Li

This study employs an autoethnographic approach to deconstruct the phenomenon of silence among Chinese international students through a decolonial lens. It challenges Western-centric paradigms that pathologize silence as a "communicative deficiency," instead reconceptualizing it as a dynamic cultural practice imbued with strategic agency. By interrogating silence's multilayered cultural significations and its performative dimensions in cross-cultural contexts, the research illuminates how silence operates as negotiable cultural capital in identity (re)formation processes.

12:05-12:25 – Father-Daughter Relationship in the Counselling Room: A Psychoanalytically-Informed Reflective Practice Autoethnographic Inquiry

Presenter: Zijing Guo

This study began with the uncertainty and unease I felt while working with a male client as a trainee counsellor. As I explored this feeling, I realized that my relationship with my father has shaped the way I was as a counsellor, especially when working with older male clients. Inspired by autoethnography, I adopt writing as inquiry within this framework, integrating Confucian culture, Fairbairn's object relations theory, and Benjamin's gender theory to analyse the formation of my relationship with my father and how it manifests in my therapeutic work.

12:25-12:45 – The construction of anxiety from social expectations and power

Presenter: Xiaotian Yao

Based on Fairbairn's theory of object relations and humanistic Rogers19 propositions in order to explore the impact of different social expectations on the anxiety of a new generation of groups as a result of a changing social rights system. Through the method of autoethnography, the authors analyse how social expectations conflict with self-perceptions, generate psychological tensions and affect self-identity and interpersonal interactions by using personal experiences of combating anxiety in the process of growing up. This paper aims to explore the complex interaction of power imbalance, social environment and psychological processes.

10:45-11:05 – Inhibited Bodies and the True Self: Rediscovering Embodied Knowing through Creative-Relational Inquiry

Presenter: Kazandra Pangilinan

This study is a return back to play – an attempt to reconnect with the body’s lost wisdom and spontaneity beneath the layers of discipline, order, and control instilled in childhood. Through creative-relational inquiry, I turn to childhood photographs and my earliest memories to explore how play was shaped by controlled boundaries rather than spontaneous expression. Using nostalgia-tinged reflections and storytelling, it explores how the discipline and structure of my upbringing fostered bodily inhibition, seeking to understand how societal and cultural conditioning shapes the relationship between body and self – and how, in remembering, I might rediscover the playful freedom of intuitive, embodied knowing.

11:05-11:25 – Space between the ‘spiritual’ and ‘academia’: A decolonial, collective spiritual biography to explore encounters and silences with the ‘spiritual’ of tutors and trainees in the counselling training programme at University of Edinburgh

Presenter: Benika Narang

This research works with the methodology of a decolonial, collective (spiritual) biography to explore the existence/non-existence of experiences of spirituality in the academic training setting. I set out to explore the ontology and epistemology of spirituality as experienced in an embodied way (using body, art, memories, and other ways that would be explored in the process) by tutors and trainees on the counselling course. It seeks to disrupt dominant academic narratives of what’s tangible and legitimate as knowledge as reproduced by the lens of coloniality where spirituality being often left fragmented and often silenced from mainstream academia. I aim to explore the consequences of this silencing on my being and existence. I explore epistemological ways of spiritual knowing of the collective, from a decolonial lens, as emerging from the relatedness of the collective than set out before. I locate my own positionality as a Brown, immigrant, colonized, spiritual, cisgendered woman and psychotherapist, to situate myself in the collective as a subject of my own research than keeping myself away. I hope collective biography to find voice and access to the spiritual in an academic space, blurring the boundaries of personal and professional self. 

11:25-11:45 – Narrating the Birth of Grief: The Role of Writing in Processing Traumatic Birth Experiences Among Postpartum Women

Presenter: Stephanie Priestley

The journey of childbirth is often celebrated as a joyous and transformative event. However, for many women, this journey is fraught with trauma, loss, and unacknowledged grief. My proposed research seeks to explore how expressive writing can serve as a therapeutic tool for women navigating the emotional aftermath of traumatic births. Using phenomenological inquiry this research aims to focus on those who fall through the gaps of support. Individuals who have experienced births deemed ‘not traumatic enough’ medically and those who fall victim to damaging societal narratives around childbirth which aim to silence their experiences.

11:45-12:05 – One for the Journey - a creative storytelling exploration of eco-anxiety in children

Presenter: Joana Avi-Lorie Esteves Craveiro de Oliveira

‘One for the Journey’ aims to investigate how fictional stories can impact narratives children have about the climate crisis which contributes to their eco-anxiety. Through a creative storytelling exploration of eco-anxiety and other eco-emotions, a group of children (9-12) who self-report struggling with negative emotions about the state of the climate and environment, will help me shine a light on the potential of fictional stories to balance other narratives – present in news, education and social settings – in the processing and communicating these difficult emotions.

12:05-12:25 – Making-Kin Through Collage: Exploring Therapist Materiality in the psychodynamic encounter

Presenter: Amy Hansen

This presentation explores how collaborative arts-based methods might enact relational, material, and affective ways of knowing therapist embodiment. Drawing on feminist new materialism and posthumanist ethics, it frames collage-making as a method of making-kin — a practice through which the biopossibilities of therapist bodies are sensed, composed, and made-with others. My research explores therapist materiality, in its fleshy, hormonal, affective, and relational dimensions. Specifically asking how therapist materiality comes into being, acts and what it does in the psychodynamic encounter.

12:25-12:45 – Encounters with Stories within the Therapeutic Space

Presenter: Ria Iyer

What happens when the process of meaning-making in therapy expands beyond the self to include the storied other? Traditionally, therapy focuses on self-expression and individual storytelling as a path to healing. But we are relational beings and our stories unfold with, through, and against others. This research interrogates what happens when meaning-making expands beyond the self, incorporating relational storytelling as an act of both healing and academic disobedience. Drawing on narrative therapy, critical theory, and creative-relational inquiry, I consider how storytelling functions as resistance against rigid therapeutic structures, institutional power, and inherited narratives. How might therapy become a shared, co-creative space for transformation through a continued encounter with stories?

13:40-14:00 – An Autoethnographic Study on Navigating Career Expectations as the Eldest Daughter in a Traditional Patriarchal Family in Indonesia

Presenter: Winda Fabiola Mallasac Situmorang

This autoethnographic study explores the career decision-making experiences of the eldest daughter in a traditional patriarchal family in Indonesia. Framed within Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) and Expectancy-Value Theory (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002), the research examines the tension between personal aspirations and familial expectations. Using memory work and reflective narratives, it highlights the emotional labor of navigating career autonomy within a collectivist society. The study contributes to counselling research by providing culturally grounded insights for practitioners working with individuals balancing personal goals and familial duties in similar socio-cultural contexts. Findings will inform culturally responsive counselling approaches.

14:00-14:20 – An Autoethnographic Exploration of a Taiwanese Self-Identity

Presenter: Yuann Hsu

I hope that through writing and text analysis, I can deeply explore the process of my own culture and identity as a Taiwanese studying in the UK. The research direction focuses on the impact of "Taiwan" and "China" on the author myself. Through the author's own experience and context, feeling the conflict and confusion of identity, and exploring how inter-ethnic ideologies and cultures shape individual self-identity.

14:20-14:40 – An Autoethnographic Exploration of How Chinese People Get Alone With Emotion

Presenter: Shuyuan He

Chinese people have a cultural tradition of suppressing emotional expression. Emotional suppression is not beneficial for individual mental health and may also harm interpersonal relationships. However, in certain situations, moderate emotional restraint is often used by Chinese people as a strategy to show politeness, and it may help maintain relationships. This paper will use my own experiences as material, including interactions with my parents and friends, to explore how Chinese people get alone with their emotions, and how emotions affect relationships. This paper aims to explore how to better get alone with emotions in the context of Chinese culture, and provide a reference for how counselling could help Chinese clients develop a healthier relationship with their emotions.

14:40-15:00 – Leaving to heal(?): A Greek nurse's autoethnographic journey through moral injury and migration

Presenter: Garyfalia (Lenia) Maravelia

This autoethnographic study explores the phenomenon of moral injury and its role in Greek nurses' decisions to migrate to the UK and examines the psychological and emotional toll of studying nursing and working in the Greek healthcare system in a period of deep financial insecurity. Through reflective narratives and imaginary dialogues with Florence Nightingale (the founder of modern nursing), I investigate how professional and ethical distress, dominant discourses about nursing and stereotypes that shape nurses’ professional identities and experiences contributed to my decision to leave Greece and seek a new professional identity abroad and whether migration alleviates or perpetuates psychological wounds. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the psychological struggles of healthcare professionals who experience systemic moral injury, offering insights relevant to Counselling Practice practitioners working with migrant professionals.

13:40-14:00 – What is it like to experience healing from childhood emotional neglect while training as a therapist?

Presenter: Shreya Singh

This research will explore my personal lived experience of recovering from childhood emotional neglect through training and practicing as a trainee therapist. The methodology for the research will either be an autoethnography or Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Grounded in constructivism, this research treats healing as a subjective, non-linear journey, emphasizing meaning-making through embodied experience. The philosophical stance of this research is that knowledge is constructed by a person’s perception and interpretation of reality. The social context of language, culture and social class influence perception and interpretation of this reality. The ‘data’ I will use will be personal reflections drawn from journaling I have done through training, and reflective insights from engaging with music through this healing journey. This study does not claim a universal theory on healing, but offers a personal narrative of "healing through helping," providing hope for wounded healers navigating their own transformative journeys.

14:00-14:20 – Ethical Dissonance or Harmony? A Qualitative Exploration of Non-Western Therapists Use of UK Code of Ethics

Presenter: Eliza Abraham

This study examines the experiences of non-Western trainee counsellors as they engage with the BACP and COSCA ethical frameworks for the first time. Western ethical codes emphasize autonomy, confidentiality, and individual responsibility, whereas collectivist cultural values often prioritize relational harmony, family involvement, and shared decision-making. Implementing semi-structured interviews, this study explores how trainees interpret and navigate these ethical codes and make sense of ethical dilemmas in their client work. Can they integrate these guidelines smoothly, or do they face internal and external conflicts? Through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), I aim to uncover these lived experiences in depth.

14:20-14:40 – Unheld: what care is given to trainee counsellors in developing their practice

Presenter: Ansley N Davenport

Throughout my training to become a counsellor, I have been met with, what feels like to me, an extreme lack of care. My experience has largely left me feeling less like a human and more like an object that is continuously being tested to see just how much it can take. My hope for this project is to take a closer look at what is lost when trainees aren’t offered a safe enough space to develop their practice in. What kind of counsellors are produced and in turn how that goes on to affect our professional practice. 

14:40-15:00 – Exploring the Shades of Shame: An Autoethnographic Study of Its Impact on My Identity and Practice as a Trainee Counsellor

Presenter: Junyan Wu

This autoethnographic study explores my lived experience of shame and its impact on my identity and practice as a trainee counsellor. Rooted in Confucian traditions, shame serves as a powerful social control mechanism and child-rearing strategy in China (Fung 1999; Fung & Chen 2001). Drawing from cultural, sociological, and familial perspectives, I reflect on how I internalise and interpret shame through external norms, which in turn shape my self-worth. As a trainee counsellor, I examine how this internalised shame influences my client work, particularly in boundary setting and professional identity. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of therapists' experiences of shame and self-awareness while fostering a more compassionate counselling practice.

13:40-14:00 – Repetition of Trauma and Reconstruction of Self-Worth: An Autoethnographic Study

Presenter: Yuchen Jiang

My research aims to explore, through autoethnography, how childhood family conflicts (such as parental “divorce threats”) have influenced my interpersonal relationships outside the family (e.g., the breakdown of close friendships) via psychodynamic mechanisms (such as the internalization of object relations). Furthermore, it examines how these experiences have shaped my patterns of intimate relationships in adulthood (such as partner selection and interaction styles). My research also integrates person-centred theories (e.g., Rogers’ concept of conditions of worth) to analyse the process of reconstructing self-worth. 

14:00-14:20 – Understanding 'Understanding' in a Chinese-Westernised Mother-daughter Relationship: A Collaborative Writing Inquiry

Presenter: Qixin Zhu

This research aims to explore what the departure of the daughter brings to the mother-daughter relationship. To be specific, I want to explore how the experience of studying abroad influences my relationship with my mother. We are now in different time zones, unable to talk offline…Do these new experiences create more space for both of us to understand each other, or do they pose more barriers? My mother and I will write collaboratively to explore how our communication during my studying abroad refreshes our understanding of “understanding” from both the mother’s and the daughter’s perspectives.

14:20-14:40 – Locked Inside, Looking Out: An autoethnographic study on Separation Anxiety and Trauma from Early Boarding Experiences

Presenter: Xinyi Wang

This study will explore the long-term impact of childhood separation trauma through an autoethnographic lens, focusing on my early boarding school experiences and evolving perceptions of trauma. It will structure around three perspectives—Childhood Self, Client Self, and Researcher Self—it will employ phenomenology to capture early emotional distress, constructivism to analyze reinterpretation through psychotherapy, and critical hermeneutics to examine broader socio-cultural influences. By tracing trauma as a dynamic, evolving phenomenon, I hope this study can contribute to understanding how self-perception and meaning-making shift over time within personal and cultural contexts.

14:40-15:00 – Impact of narcissistic traits in parental caregivers on later life mental health within Edinburgh’s Polish community: A composite case study

Presenter: Nina Tyblewska

My research will seek to explore adult mental health in the Polish diaspora in Edinburgh, specifically looking at the later life impact on children who grow up with parental caregivers displaying narcissistic traits that developed in the context of their own intergenerational war trauma. In creating a composite case study I will look to narrate individual and shared experiences with the ambition that this can support the current conversations of the importance of counselling trauma and war trauma survivors and their children. I will approach my research from a constructivist approach developed with inspiration from a postcolonial perspectives.

13:40-14:00 – Minority Stress in Bisexual Students: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Presenter: Felicity Ning

In this talk, I explore how sociocultural contexts shape minority stress among bisexual university students in China and the West. Using qualitative methods, including autoethnography and interviews, I examine how family expectations, social norms, and identity visibility impact psychological well-being. While minority stress theory has been widely applied in LGBTQ+ research, I discuss its limitations in capturing bisexual-specific and cross-cultural experiences. Through this, I engage with academic disobedience by challenging rigid, Western-centric approaches and advocating for a more culturally informed understanding of bisexual minority stress.

14:00-14:20 – From Fujoshi to Financial Fuel: The Transformation of BL from Women’s Fantasy to Male Profit

Presenter: Yijin Chen

This study examines the transformation of Boys’ Love (BL) from a female-centered fantasy into a commercialized, patriarchal system. Originally a space for female expression, BL has been reshaped to benefit heterosexual male actors and influencers. Using an autoethnographic approach, this research explores how female agency in BL has shifted, balancing empowerment with exclusion. While past studies focus on the female gaze, this study fills the gap by analyzing BL’s commercialization and its impact on heterosexual women’s struggles within patriarchy, contributing to discussions on women’s psychology and their marginalized position in a heteronormative society.

14:20-14:40 – A Psychosocial Inquiry into Male Self-harm Using Critical Autoethnography as a Method

Presenter: Ethan Bird

Dominant, yet archaic and unhelpful, discourses frame self-harm as an entirely personal crisis and an exclusively feminine practice. Juxtaposing my lived experience and historical analysis, I reunite the male, self-harming individual with their context and deconstruct those dominant narratives that obscure, and interact with, my reality. Using critical theory and intersubjective psychoanalytic concepts, I explore how self-harm must be understood psychosocially, lest we never move past its mischaracterisations and their negative effects. I argue self-harm can manifest as resistance to one’s social conditions, and can become a political action against patriarchally ascribed gender roles, irrespective of the self-harming individual’s gender.

14:40-15:00 – ‘Body as Home’: Lived Experiences of Migration, Home, and the Body for Non Cis-Gendered Self-Identifying American Adults

Presenter: Greta Goetz

The aim of this transnarrative inquiry is to explore the lived experiences of non cis-gendered adults who have migrated from the United States to Scotland, in regards to topics of home, migration, the body, and the experience of ‘body as home.’ These topics will be explored through transgender theory by centering the voices of non cis-gendered participants and by focusing on the embodied aspects of knowledge creation. My hope is that from this research, counsellors working with non cis-gendered adults may have a deeper understanding of the complexities that topics of home and the body may hold for their clients.

13:40-14:00 – An Autoethnographic Study on the Contradictory Emotions of Test Anxiety

Presenter: ZhenTing Chen

This autoethnographic study explores the contradictory emotions associated with test anxiety, particularly the tension between the desire for academic achievement and the fear of examinations. Test anxiety is a prevalent issue among teenagers in China, with many individuals who have taken the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) experiencing its long-term effects. In this study, I reflect on my personal experiences of test anxiety, focusing on its formation, its influence, and the strategies I have employed. To provide a more therapeutic perspective, my reflections are analyzed within the frameworks of person-centred theory and psychodynamic theory.

14:00-14:20 – Hysterical Hearts: A psychosocial inquiry into medically unexplained symptoms

Presenter: Beca Sammon

Hysteria is anachronistic, spurious, sexist. Hysteria is also enigmatic and subversive: it disobeys anatomy and troubles borders between mind/body, psyche/social, and personal/political. What can hysteria tell us about our world today? And is being hysterical such a bad thing? Using my lived experience of medically unexplained symptoms and psychoanalytic, feminist, and new materialist theories, I explore what it means to experience these symptoms in the body of a white, female, queer, Global North subject. I argue that the ‘talking body’ of the hysteric demonstrates how subjectivity is embedded within sociopolitical realities, and I explore the political potential of becoming more hysterical. 

14:20-14:40 – The Impact of Gaokao-Related Stress on Students' Psychological Well-being

Presenter: Weidong Wang

This study explores the psychological effects of Gaokao-related stress on students, focusing on its sources, coping mechanisms, and long-term effects on mental health. The study uses qualitative interviews with Gaokao test takers between the ages of 18 and 25 to examine academic, family, and social pressures. Apart from the immediate emotional toll, the study takes long-term psychological effect of Gaokao-related stress under consideration. This study intends to guide teachers, parents, and students on enhancing psychological support systems to assist them better control test stress by means of greater understanding of these events.

14:40-15:00 – The Empty Room- An Autoethnography of Grieving the Loss of My Paternal Grandfather

Presenter: Jasnoor Marwah

Drawing inspiration from Nina Lykke’s (2022) assertion that “it is important to immerse oneself in mourning and to insist on slow scarring rather than quick healing,” I wish to do exactly that through writing—an outlet that feels most appropriate when I am burdened by voices urging me to “move on”, “hold onto good memories”, and focus on the many demands of my degree. Using autoethnography, I intend to explore my lived experience of grieving the loss of my paternal grandfather—a figure who was more like a parent to me—while being away from home and my shared community, all within the demanding context of my psychotherapy training.

13:40-14:00 – Interoception in Counselling: A Critical Exploration into the Role of Interoception in Counselling Practice, Theory and Self-understanding

Presenter: Anna Emmaline Biddle

Through critical reflection on my experience as a neurodivergent counselling trainee, I examine the role of interoception in my daily life, counselling practice, and engagement within the MCID course. I investigate how my low interoceptive attunement influences my conception of self individually/intrapersonally, interpersonally with clients and notable others, as well as within the wider socio-politically informed discourses of the counselling profession and theory. I plan to utilize a post-modernist, mixed methods approach to explore how I, and perhaps others with similar (dis)abilities and experiences, interpret the interaction between our internal and external worlds.

14:00-14:20 – Unveiling Internalized Misogyny: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Self, Family, and Culture in Chinese Society

Presenter: Long Zhixin

This research delves into the issue of my internalized misogyny based on my own experience in the context of Chinese society. My aim is to offer hope to Chinese women grappling with internalized misogyny and to draw widespread attention to this issue in the field of Counselling Practice. I intend to employ autoethnography as my methodology and the interpretivism paradigm to perform my research in order to highlight the relationships between my internalized misogyny and my familial environment, and traditional cultures. Most importantly, I perform a self-analysis with the aid of some relevant psychological theories, including Rogers’ s condition of worth concept, object relations from psychodynamic theories. My hope is to provide readers a deeper understanding of the subtle and complex psychological processes regarding internalized misogyny in a broader social context.

14:20-14:40 – Feeling My Body: An Autoethnographic Study on Bodily Awareness and Connection

Presenter: Kuanzheng Tian

Felt sense is an important part of counselling work in person-centred and psychodynamic approaches. This autoethnographic study aims to explore my subjective experience of feeling disconnected from my body. This study will examine this topic through multiple lenses, including personal experience, socio-cultural factors, and reproductive policies. I will further reflect on how this phenomenon manifests in my work as a counsellor and how I engage with bodily awareness in my practice with clients.

14:40-15:00 – Exploring the Struggle to Trust Oneself: An Autoethnographic Study Using Fictionalized Client Narratives

Presenter: Hongyu Liu

This study explores the struggle to trust oneself, examining its links to self-esteem, cultural background, and parenting influences. Using a constructivism-interpretivist paradigm, it employs autoethnography to integrate personal reflections and fictionalized client narratives. Rather than analyzing clients, the study focuses on how working with them has shaped the researcher’s understanding of self-trust. By examining countertransference, cultural influences, and self-exploration in therapy, this research highlights the role of narrative, emotion, and culture in psychological experiences, offering insights into the therapist’s evolving understanding of self-trust in psychotherapy practice.

13:40-14:00 – Visual Journaling as a Self-healing Tool among Chinese University Students: A Creative-Relational Inquiry

Presenter: Xiani Jia

This paper aims to explore how visual journaling can influence postgraduates’ mental health, and in what way it can be adapted to the Chinese context. In this research, visual journaling is defined as a form of creative art that combines words and images (Mokhtar 2019; Redmond 2023, 87), and i will focus on the effects of visual journaling as a self-help tool rather than its application in a therapeutic setting. There are already some research on applications on visual journaling among western populations, but visual journaling has received insufficient attention in China. I will conduct a workshop to introduce visual journaling and invite Chinese undergraduate/postgraduate students to practice it for a month, and do follow-up interviews with some of the participants. I will combine my own experience of visual journaling with participants' experience in data analysis to gain more insights into this topic.

14:00-14:20 – What Do You Do with What You Disobey? An Autohistoria-Teoría on Identity, Fragmentation, and Dialogue in Times of Bridging

Presenter: Juliana Ramírez Muñoz

In this study, I use autohistoria-teoría to explore the relationship between experiencing fragmentation in the self and constructing an identity around dialogue and bridging differences. Drawing from 12 years as a peace and dialogue practitioner in Colombia and my background in economics within a technocratic elite, I explore how bridging internal tensions has influenced my identity around bridging. I reflect on how tensions in the self can create opportunities for disobedience and critically examine the social and political potential of staying with these tensions as a form of spiritual activism.

14:20-14:40 – Choosing My Lips: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Comfort Object Dependence in Left-Behind Children

Presenter: Shanzi Chu

This study explores why left-behind children develop attachments to comfort objects and what these objects mean to them. Using an autoethnographic approach, it examines the author’s experience of relying on lips as a unique comfort object, analyzing how prolonged caregiver absence influences comfort-seeking behaviors. Integrating psychological and socio-cultural perspectives, this research highlights comfort objects’ role in emotional security, attachment compensation, and self-regulation. By offering a first-person perspective, this study contributes to understanding the emotional lives of left-behind children and encourages further discussion on childhood attachment and self-soothing mechanisms.

14:40-15:00 – Thematic Analysis of Disabled People's Lived Experiences

Presenter: Claire Haynes

This study aims to investigate disabled people's experiences of the everyday; their experiences of stigma, support, relationship to others and relationship to spaces. As a work of insider research, the study will recruit participants who self-identify as disabled or having a disability through pre-established networks. By gaining deeper insight through means of thematic analysis, this research aims to examine how disabled individuals engage with counselling and identify ways to improve accessibility and support within therapeutic spaces.

15:25-15:45 – Self-Love in Indian Women

Presenter: Sneha Bhadauria

This is an auto-ethnographic study that will focus on self-love among Indian women, including personal experiences and observations within my family and society. Using a reflective point of view, I study how the women in my family, specifically mothers, prioritise the needs of other family members ahead of themselves, and this concept has its origin in cultural expectations and historical records. It will include observations from historical data and my observations to consider how Indian women rarely prioritise self-love and self-care. It will also inspect the relationship between self-love and motherhood and highlight how caring about others often causes self-neglect.

15:45-16:05 – ‘She in a Small Place, I in a Big World’ - Social Mobility and Psychological Struggles of Small Town Girls

Presenter: Yihao Duan

This study explores the psychological struggles and identity shifts of small-town girls navigating social mobility in the face of meritocratic pressure and social comparison. Raised in environments where academic success is seen as the key to upward mobility, these girls often find themselves caught between two worlds—detached from their hometown roots yet struggling to fully integrate into urban or international settings. Using autoethnography, this research examines how meritocracy shapes self-worth, how social comparison intensifies pressure, and how female friendships serve as both a source of support and competition. By intertwining personal narratives with psychological and cultural theories, this study uncovers the emotional cost of social mobility, the ways young women renegotiate their identities, and the resilience they develop while constructing a new sense of belonging. The findings contribute to broader discussions on social mobility, gendered expectations and mental well-being in transitional spaces.

16:05-16:25 – Young People’s Experiences of Academic Self-Worth: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Presenter: Aocheng Luo

This study is going to explore how young adults between 22 and 30 years old from Mainland China and Western regions perceive their academic value. The focus of this investigation is how different factors, which include cultural differences, personal and social influences, shape participants’ perceptions of academic success, failure, and self-worth. Participants will be recruited through university networks and social media, and data will be gathered via semi-structured interviews. Participants will share their related experiences with interviews, and the IPA method will be used to analyse those experiences and the feelings of the researcher.

16:25-16:45 – Family Structure and Personality Development: The Impact of Female-Led Families on Mental Health in the East Asian Educational System

Presenter: Yifan Wang

This study explores psychological resilience and emotional expression among individuals raised in the Chinese education system, which is highly exam-oriented and often suppresses emotions. Using an autoethnographic approach, I analyze my own experiences, contrasting my emotional openness with the struggles of many East Asian peers. My resilience was shaped by my grandmother’s strength and my mother’s emphasis on emotional expression. This study examines how family, education, and culture influence resilience and, crucially, how these insights can inform mental health interventions to help individuals from East Asian backgrounds improve emotional regulation and well-being in high-pressure academic environments.

15:25-15:45 – Culture as (dis)orientating: Retroactive perception of lived corporal punishment

Presenter: Laya Wahbeh

I am interested in the way in which the role that transitioning into the ‘culture’ of Western therapeutic frameworks may have in (dis)orientating the perception an individual may hold of their childhood experiences. I would like to specifically explore the relational interaction of cross-cultural therapists and non-western individuals who have experienced self-ascribed childhood/adolescent corporal punishment. My research approach is inspired by Sara Ahmed’s queer phenomenology and narrative inquiry. I will use this to inform and construct my findings and analysis. I anticipate that this will allow for the exploration of the narratives/meaning-making of individuals who have experienced corporal punishment in non-Western cultures, and how Western therapy impacts that.

15:45-16:05 – Writing Through Grief: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Loss in the Context of Grief Counselling in China

Presenter: Ziying Zhong

The study aims to examine the effects of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IP) on the treatment of late-life depression in Chinese older adults through the use of autoethnographic exploration of my own experiences as an inexperienced practitioner. The research in geriatric psychiatry in China mostly focuses on depression in terms of diagnosis and medication, leaving an underexplored approach on psychotherapy and its impact. Compared to psychodynamic therapy, which requires retrospection of life experiences, IP is more inclined to directly solve present problems and interpersonal problems. This study will review the researcher's own experience in dealing with interpersonal issues (grief and loss, role transition) and use it as a lens through which to view society's response to this issue in an attempt to connect with older adults' feelings about it and apply this to counselling work with older adults.

16:05-16:25 – The Disembodied Counsellor? Navigating Counselling Training as a South-Asian Muslim Woman

Presenter: Laila Rasul

This research explores disembodiment in counselling training through a critical autoethnographic lens, centering on my lived experience as a South-Asian Muslim woman. It examines how culture, religion, colonialism, and institutional expectations shape the perception of embodiment. While Western psychotherapy emphasizes bodily presence, cultural and religious narratives often impose bodily restraint. Through reflections on colorism, body-shaming, religious doctrine, and gendered expectations, this study questions whose bodies are validated in therapeutic spaces. It highlights the tension between personal history and professional expectations, challenging dominant paradigms of embodiment in psychotherapy training.

16:25-16:45 – Neither/Nor, Both/And: Geographies of Mixed-Race Identity, Shadow Work, and Therapeutic Becoming

Presenter: Holly Elizabeth Jurca

My inquiry delves into the experience of being neither, yet both - persistently seen, yet invisible. Living in homogenous places has produced a fragmented self, a fluid identity shaped by the cultural and social. Drawing on autohistoria-teoría (and Anzaldúa), I trace how geography, relational ruptures, and racialised belonging shape my becoming as a mixed-race trainee therapist. As I navigate the tension of the in-between I inhabit, I will use performative meta-reflexivity to explore how the professional training intersects with my personal history of marginalization, peering into the consciousness my body and the world produces.

15:25-15:45 – The experiences of East Asian Mothers Caring for neurodivergent Children in the UK: An IPA study

Presenter: Xuan Li

This study aims to explore the experiences of East Asian mothers who are caring for a neurodivergent child, which includes experiences of being a mother, and relationships. East Asian culture is hugely influenced by Confusian value, which emphasizes on mother' role in educating children. High levels of stress have been identified in mothers of neurodivergent children, which can be heightened by their role as main caregiver. The study is interested in how mothers perceive and interpret their parenting experiences, and if mothers feel able to access support within the UK.

15:45-16:05 – How My Parents' Authoritarian Parenting Shaped My Emotional Landscape

Presenter: Xinyi Cao

This autoethnographic dissertation grounded in humanistic psychology and psychodynamic theory, investigates how my father’s authoritarian parenting cultivated emotional detachment and diminished emotional awareness within China’s collectivist cultural context. Through reflective narrative analysis, I examine the tension between Confucian familial expectations and suppressed individuality, exposing how punitive control mechanisms (e.g., shame-based discipline) internalized a rigid superego and fragmented my authentic self. The findings emphasize the interplay between cultural values and authoritarian parenting in shaping intrapsychic fragmentation, offering insights for addressing intergenerational trauma in Chinese clinical practice.

16:05-16:25 – The Subtle Influence of Parental Emotional Education on Intimate Relationships: An Autoethnographic Study

Presenter: Haishan Ouyang

Emotional communication and conflict resolution are shaped by early parental influence. This study explores how parental emotional education implicitly affects individuals’ emotional patterns in intimate relationships. Using an autoethnographic approach, I analyze my own experiences to examine how these patterns are internalized and reproduced. The study also considers their manifestations in romantic relationships and friendships. By reflecting on childhood observations, this research provides insights into the intergenerational transmission of emotional communication, contributing to psychological counselling and emotional education by fostering self-awareness and healthier relationship dynamics.

16:25-16:45 – Alzheimer's impact on familial relationships in the United States

Presenter: Annalee Tuttle

This paper explores and examines the strain Azheimer’s can have on a family unit. Specifically how this state of being changes how families relate and interact with each other. This is done in the context of the United States of America, drawing on some aspects of the culture around dependency and the healthcare system. The exploration will be done through personal letters written to my grandmother, a person with Alzheimer’s. The letters will cover a number of topics surrounding Alzheimer's, including the issue of caregiving and caregiver burnout, governmental assistance and hospice care, as well as westernized culture and the value of independence.

15:25-15:45 – Revisiting Intimacy: An Autoethnographic Study of Family, Power, and Relational Patterns in China

Presenter: Lingyi Kong

This autoethnographic study explores the intergenerational influences on intimate relationships, examining how cultural expectations and gender roles shape relational experiences. Through personal reflection and theoretical analysis, I investigate recurring patterns in navigating closeness, autonomy, and emotional security. Utilizing feminist theory and relational psychology, this research delves into power structures, societal norms, and personal agency in shaping relational choices. By integrating personal narratives with academic inquiry, this study aims to contribute to counselling psychology by deepening the understanding of relational dynamics, resilience, and the negotiation of selfhood within intimate relationships.

15:45-16:05 – Navigating the Complexities of Erotic Transference and Sexual Feelings in The Therapeutic Relationship: Female Trainee Counsellors’ Experience Working with Male Clients Through a Person-Centered Lens

Presenter: Bianca Brassard-Peck

The research question I would be answering is, 'Does working with male clients affect the therapeutic relationship as a person-centered female therapist?'. I will be investigating this through interviews with trainee counsellors who have worked with male clients in the past. I will be examining the topic mainly through person-centered theories. However, with recent research around erotic transference, I will be discussing more about it as well.

16:05-16:25 – Finding a Voice in Psychological Counselling: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Lesbian Emotional Abuse

Presenter: Xiaomin Wang

This autoethnographic study explores the emotional harm experienced by lesbians in intimate partner relationships, drawing from my personal experiences as a lesbian and examining the influence of Chinese cultural background on personal cognition. Using person-centered and psychodynamic theories, the study traces my experiences while incorporating relevant literature to understand why lesbians may be more vulnerable to emotional harm, such as emotional indifference and mental control in relationships, and why they may struggle to escape it. The study aims to provide insights for counsellors working with queer individuals, particularly within the context of Chinese culture, who face similar emotional challenges in relationships.

16:25-16:45 – Navigating Identity and Sexuality: An Exploration of BL Media’s Role in Shaping Lalas’ Subjectivity and Its Implications for LGBTQIA+ Counselling

Presenter: Angelia (ShuXin) Luo

This paper explores how lalas (Chinese lesbians) engage with Boys’ Love (BL) media and how this engagement relates to their identity formation and subjective experiences. Using semi-structured qualitative interviews, the study explores participants’ personal narratives including motivations, perceptions, and interpretations around BL. It situates these individual accounts within broader social and cultural contexts, highlighting the diverse ways in which BL influences personal meaning and community belonging. Findings contribute to a deeper understanding of lesbian women’s media consumption in China, aiming to inform queer perspective and guide culturally sensitive counselling practices for LGBTQIA+ individuals in China.

15:25-15:45 – Separation Anxiety and Protest in a Chinese Cultural Context: An Autoethnographic Study

Presenter: Yue Xu

This study explores separation anxiety and protest behaviours within the framework of psychodynamic theory and attachment theory, using autoethnography as the research method. The research focuses on the emotional and psychological mechanisms underlying separation experiences across different life stages—adulthood, adolescence, and childhood—within a Chinese cultural context. Through personal narratives, I aim to investigate how separation anxiety manifests in relationships and is shaped by cultural and familial influences. The central research question guiding this study is: How does separation anxiety, particularly separation protest, manifest across different stages of life in a Chinese cultural context, and what psychological mechanisms underlie these experiences?

15:45-16:05 – Searching for Sal: An Autoethnographic Walk Through One’s Struggle to Find Resilience

Presenter: Sal Donnelly

This autoethnographic study aims to explore my relationship to the concept of resilience, while also being curious on how it has led me to pursue a career in counselling. As I take a walk through memories of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, I conceptualize my experiences as relative to how I perceive resilience as well as my own struggle to foster it. I will utilize both person centered and psychodynamic theories to guide me to a deeper understanding of myself and how I’ve come to my current place in life.

16:05-16:25 – Living Elsewhere: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Emptiness, Procrastination, and Compulsive Behaviour through a Counselling Practice Lens as an Asian Female International Student

Presenter: Jingru Chen

This autoethnographic study explores the relationship between emptiness, procrastination, and compulsive behaviors through a therapeutic and cross-cultural lens. While a sense of emptiness is frequently encountered in clinical settings, it remains poorly understood due to inconsistent definitions and varying interpretations of its role in psychological distress. As an international student and an individual with lived experience of depression, I am particularly interested in how emptiness manifests in procrastination and compulsive behaviors, shaping emotional well-being and daily functioning. By integrating personal reflections with Counselling Practice literature, this study aims to deepen the therapeutic understanding of emptiness and its connections to self-sabotaging behavioral patterns. The findings aim to contribute to counselling practices by offering insights into how individuals, particularly those navigating cultural transitions, experience and make sense of these psychological challenges.

16:25-16:45 – Echoes of Loss: An Autoethnographic Journey Through Grief and Mental Health

Presenter: Yuqing Wen

This autoethnographic study explores the long-term psychological impact of bereavement, focusing on the experience of losing my grandmother and its effects on my mental health. Raised by my grandparents while my parents worked in the city, my grandmother was a central figure in my childhood. After her passing, I found myself unable to openly express grief due to cultural and familial norms, leading to suppressed emotions. Months later, I experienced anxiety, depression, and panic attacks, forcing me to confront my unresolved grief. Through personal narratives, this study examines the lingering effects of loss and the silent weight of unspoken sorrow.

15:25-15:45 – Unraveling Self-Worth: A Personal Reflection on Socio-Cultural Influences and Parental Upbringing

Presenter: Yi-Hsuan Chan

My research topic explores how the socio-cultural context and parenting style shape one's perceived self-worth. I will use autoethnography as my methodology, drawing on my own life experiences as the central thread to examine this topic. My research does not include other participants, as all content is based on my personal experiences and interactions within my social and familial environment. The narratives included are told entirely from my perspective. I will apply person-centred and psychodynamic theories to analyze how my self-worth has been shaped over time.

15:45-16:05 – Living with the Unresolved: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Mental Health Beyond Therapy Room

Presenter: Yilin Xu

This study focuses on an inquiry into adapting to and managing psychological conditions in daily life, rather than exclusively pursuing a 'cure'. This study will adopt an autoethnographic approach, with the researcher serving as the sole participant. The research aims to contribute to the debate on "how mental health is managed in everyday life" by providing vivid personal experiences outside the therapy room as empirical evidence. I will document my experiences of struggling with mental health and use these narratives to critically engage with the dominant discourses on pathologization and mental health.

16:05-16:25 – Re-Seaming The Fractures: Making Therapeutic Use of Self, Shame, and Shadows as a Queer Counsellor of Faith

Presenter: Sian Troote

Utilising poetry and writing as a method of inquiry, this reflective practice account unfurls the author's own personal reckonings with self-trust, self-doubt, and self-fear as a beginner therapist in training, tracing the roots of a troubled-Self back to the impact of adverse religious experiences/ religious trauma on her own 'Self Concept' (Rogers 1951). Drawing on a constructivist-interpretivist onto-epistemology and psychodynamic theory, this author investigates the role of meaning-making in the embodied experience of the 'shadow' self, intersubjectivity, and power dynamics within the therapy room, exploring how one makes safe, ethical, and therapeutic use of one’s Self as a ‘wounded healer’.

16:25-16:45 – Impact of chronic Illness on my sense of self and the body

Presenter: Saumya Singh

I would like to inquire into my experience of my and my body’s experience of the chronic illness that has been with me since the age of 2. I have chosen the method of critical ethnography, and I would like to critique systems that have impacted the way I have perceived myself and my body. The thread of my research is giving voice to my body, so this why I will also be using my body to co-create knowledge with my mind. I will be using body journaling with my reports of every time I have been discharged.

15:25-15:45 – Jumping Into the Fog: A Creative Inquiry into Experiences of Wordlessness After Sexual Assault

Presenter: Isabel Skye Robertson

This study inquires into the experience of ‘wordlessness’ that occurs after sexual assault by exploring the role of language in how sexual assault is experienced. Wordlessness describes the neurobiological and social silencing of survivors which can impact their self-narratives. This qualitative study seeks to jump into the wordlessness by using silenced ways of knowing, such as feminist and Indigenous perspectives, and engages methodologically with writing as inquiry by inviting participants to take part in creative writing expressions to explore how this wordlessness is experienced and how the more-than-human entity of language can make meaning in the silence.

15:45-16:05 – Talking With Horror Films: Decolonizing Intersubjectivity Through Autohistoria-Téoria

Presenter: Joao Pedro Sobrinho Ramos

My dissertation will use a decolonial self-inquiry method (autohistoria-teoria) to discuss my journey of self-accepting my masculine identity through my relationship with horror films and the horror genre. I will discuss my own experience of being socialized into a masculinized gender, how this was internalized as a 'monster' within myself, and discuss how applying empathy to the viewing experience of horror movies allowed me to direct that empathy inwardly at myself and eventually arrive at a queer, non-binary identity. I hope to provide a case study for counsellors of how to empathize and accept socially monstrous qualities when working with men of all ages. 

16:05-16:25 – Decolonizing the Self: An Autoethnography of Cultural Dilemmas in the Experience of Chinese International Students

Presenter: Xinlei Huang

This autoethnographic study explores how race, culture, language, and gender hierarchies produce a Chinese international student’s embodied sense of “smallness” in Western academic and social spaces. Analyzing double-entry diaries and visual narratives, it traces colonial power dynamics in classroom interactions, linguistic marginalization, and cross-cultural relationships. Framed by decolonial theory, the research reframes trauma—fear, self-blame, avoidance—as systemic effects of cultural hegemony rather than individual failings. By linking these struggles to colonial legacies, it proposes healing through renegotiating transnational identity and centering non-Western epistemologies in everyday practices of survival and belonging.

16:25-16:45 – The Stories That Made Me: Reclaiming Hindu Myth Through a Queer Decolonial Lens

Presenter: Unnati Bhardwaj

This autoethnographic study explores my ever-evolving relationship between Hindu mythology and queer identity formation, challenging colonial erasures and rigid theological narratives. Using auto-historia-teoría, I examine how mythological storytelling—through oral traditions, media, and contemporary queer reinterpretations—has shaped my self-concept as a queer Hindu individual. Situated within queer decolonial thought and analyzed through psychodynamic and person-centred counselling perspectives, this research reframes mythology as a meaning-making tool in identity development. By intertwining personal narrative, theory, and myth, this study resists dominant psychological and religious frameworks, reclaiming storytelling as both epistemology and a site of healing.