Trainee Clinical Psychologist Experiences of Brave and Compassionate Spaces

Abstract

Background/rationale: UK Clinical Psychology (CP) has faced criticism for upholding whiteness (Ahsan, 2020; Patel, 2021). Recent events, including the Black Lives Matter movement and a racist incident at a CP conference (Patel, 2023), intensified calls for reform. Brave and Compassionate Spaces (B&CS) invited separate caucuses for white and global majority (GM) trainees, alongside some mixed/joint spaces, focusing on racial identity and systemic whiteness. This research explores trainee experiences of the B&CS initiative. Methods: Experts by Experience were consulted throughout. Ten online interviews were analysed using Multiple Perspective Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. White space sub-sample (WS, N=5) and GM space sub-sample (GMS, N=5) were first analysed separately, then integrated (whole group sample, WGS, N=10) to develop a multi-faceted account of B&CS (Larkin et al., 2019). Findings: Four Group Experiential Themes were constructed for WS: 1. Setting up of B&CS was wanting 2. Relating with peers is crucial 3. Stuck due to the operation of white fragility 4. Evolving relationship with the work and learning feeling unfinished Five for GMS: 1. Valuing affinity group and facilitation but questioning splitting of cohort 2. Learning felt incomplete and missing nuance 3. Lacking in thought about the disproportional impact on GM trainees 4. Mistrusting course-team’s motivations and expertise 5. Re-membering experiences Three for WGS: 1. Planning of B&CS requires much deeper consideration 2. Connecting with peers and course-team is pivotal to how work is engaged with 3. Learning has both resonated and feels incomplete Discussion: This research contributes to literature on dismantling whiteness in CP. Findings revealed effective planning and compassionate facilitation were vital to B&CS. While B&CS offered a starting point, deeper integration into training, co-production, addressing disproportional impacts on GM trainees, and expert facilitation are critical to move away from experiences of performative anti-racism initiatives (Patel, 2023).