Plenary 2: Identity & Belonging - the importance of faith and race in the 'therapy room'

Plenary Description

A description of this plenary session will be added soon...

Biographies

Rabbi Charley Baginsky

Rabbi Charley Baginsky is the UK’s most senior female rabbi. She is Co-Lead of The Movement for Progressive Judaism, Britain’s largest Jewish movement by number of communities. Her work includes exploring identity, belonging, interfaith relationships and how communities navigate difference and polarisation.. She is a regular contributor to Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4 and a signatory to the Drumlanrig Muslim-Jewish Reconciliation Accords.

Dr Rachel Abedi

Dr Rachel Abedi is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist with a background in CAMHS, schools and the third sector. She has taught on various post-graduate courses at the Tavistock & Portman, and is a doctoral research supervisor. The focus of Rachel's research and practice is how intersectional aspects of identity - particularly faith - affect mental healthcare for children. The significance of faith identity is rarely fully considered in mainstream trainings and practice, despite the consequences of ignoring or making assumptions about faith when working with families. This has a particular impact on Muslim families, mainly due to socio-political attitudes towards Muslims, racism, poverty and stigma, which combine to create a sense that therapy is ‘not for us’.

In 2022, Rachel began piloting free, collaborative, community-based child psychotherapy services for children and young people of Muslim heritage background aged 2 - 25, hoping to build trust in communities and offer accessible, effective treatment. She went on to found The Reflection Project, a charity developing this work across London and beyond. TRP’s 14-strong multidisciplinary team currently delivers services including therapy, parent work, workshops and training for child mental health professionals.

Rachel regularly contributes to conferences, publications and research to discuss the TRP model and the need to consider faith identity in mainstream trainings and service delivery.

Other panellists will be added soon...