British Psychoanalytic Council

12/05/2026

The next The Society of Analytical Psychology conference is fast approaching - have you booked your place?

On Saturday 6 June 2026, this one-day hybrid conference will be held in the SAP Library and online to honour the work and legacy of Dr Michael Fordham (1905–1995) and to mark the 80th anniversary of the Society of Analytical Psychology.

Get your ticket:

On Saturday 6 June 2026, this one-day hybrid conference will be held in the SAP Library and online to honour the work and legacy of Dr Michael Fordham (1905–1995) and to mark the 80th anniversary of the Society of Analytical Psychology.

23/04/2026

We've just published the Spring edition of our flagship magazine New Associations 🌿

In Issue 48 of New Associations focuses on how we make meaning of our experiences, consciously and unconsciously. Contributors explore the themes of memory, group relations, burnout, hoarding and more in this thought-provoking collection of articles. Also, we celebrate the winners of the BPC Awards 2025 on the final page.

Issues are mailing out to all subscribers now, read your copy or subscribe today: https://www.bpc.org.uk/account/contribute/transact/?reset=1&id=15

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! From everyone at the BPC Team.

As a reminder, the BPC office will close at 5pm on 24th December 2025 and reopen at 9am on 2nd January 2026.

25/12/2025

Happy Holidays from everyone at the British Psychoanalytic Council. We hope you have a restful and restorative winter break.

As a reminder, The BPC office will close at 5pm on 24th December 2025 and reopen at 9am on 2nd January 2026.

08/12/2025

“What unsettles us now is the sudden presence of a machine that not only speaks but appears to be able to respond to our desires.”

In Issue 45 of New Associations, contributors explore themes around AI and technology through a psychoanalytic lens. Authors ask questions around the nature of relationships between humans and technology, and what advancements in technology mean for the future of intimacy and psychoanalysis more broadly.

Explore your copy now or subscribe for access: bit.ly/subscribetoNA

28/10/2025

The BPC Team attended the first session of the Commission for the Future of Counselling and Psychotherapy last week.

Discussions traced the systems, policies, workflows and structures in place in the current counselling and psychotherapy sector.

The contributing witnesses provided insightful and valuable testimonies that sparked fervent deliberations amongst the round table, including contributions from our representatives, BPC Chair Lee Smith and Professor Alessandra Lemma.

Find out more about the Commission here: https://www.bpc.org.uk/commission-for-the-future-of-counselling-and-psychotherapy/

20/10/2025

At this year’s AGM, we hosted a drinks reception for our Registrants and Member Institutions as an opportunity to gather colleagues and friends together and to celebrate the winners of this years BPC Awards. Each year, we ask our registrants to nominate the colleagues they felt deserved celebrating in one of our award categories.

The BPC awards are an important opportunity to recognise and celebrate outstanding individuals and organisations within our psychoanalytic community.

Visit our website to find out about this year's awardees:

The BPC gathered in Liverpool alongside the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) to stage a policy roundtable entitled: “The vital role of mental health in Get Britain Working”.

13/10/2025

The BPC gathered in Liverpool alongside the UKCP and BACP to stage a policy roundtable on: The vital role of mental health in Get Britain Working. The aim was to discuss the under-explored benefits of psychotherapy in assisting people, unable to work due to mental ill health, back into employment.

The BPC was represented by its registrar Dr Sally Beeken, who spoke about the importance of the unconscious. Quoting Freud, she commented that humanness is founded upon the capacity to work and love. Therapy can help the patient to develop in both these domains making the goal of employment more attainable.

Learn more on our website: https://www.bpc.org.uk/bpc-at-labour-conference/

23/09/2025

Throughout this year we’re releasing a series of interviews with BPC Registrants that are approaching or in retirement. These interviews reflect upon a variety of psychoanalytic journeys and as a result, communicate that no one psychoanalytic career is the same. Each story we unveil throughout the year highlights some fascinating milestones, professional challenges, institutional shifts and psychoanalytic revelations.

We've just released our fifth installment, where we speak to Mary Lister Ashby who began her career in mental health through a summer job as a cleaner in a psychiatric hospital. Mary’s varied career led her into consultancy and teaching roles as well as establishing her own private practice in Dorset. We also talk to Mary about how the personal challenges of illness, relocation and grief effected her professional life and decision to retire.

Delve into Mary's story on our website: https://lnkd.in/dnXqjjHh

19/08/2025

Interesting in joining the staff team at the British Psychoanalytic Council? We're now that our wonderful team mate is moving on to run their private practice full time.

We are looking for a part time Membership Officer to work 2 or 3 days a week, alongside our existing part time Membership Officer. Together, they will lead on administrative support of our membership functions. Reporting to our Office and Events Manager, the post holder will be responsible for the administrative functions that support the smooth running and ongoing success of the organisation around membership.

Apply here: https://lnkd.in/enCzAmNG

28/07/2025

"The privileged way we were given access to someone, how precious that was. So, I'm very grateful to reflect on that."

Throughout this year we’re releasing a series of interviews with BPC Registrants that are approaching or in retirement. These interviews reflect upon a variety of psychoanalytic journeys and as a result, communicate that no one psychoanalytic career is the same. Each story we unveil throughout the year highlights some fascinating milestones, professional challenges, institutional shifts and psychoanalytic revelations.

In our fourth installment, we speak to Valerie Sinason who went from an English literature degree into child therapy. Valerie later went on to work with adults alongside her PhD on disability and trauma before founding a clinic for dissociative studies. We spoke to Valerie about the constant learning, unlearning and relearning involved in working with the severely traumatised. Read below to learn more about Valerie’s fascinating professional life and entry into retirement and fiction writing.

Read here 👉 https://www.bpc.org.uk/my-psychoanalytic-story-with-valerie-sinason/