
Women’s Group Announcement
We want to give special thanks to The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington for providing us with three years’ worth of funding for our Migrant Women’s Group, run by psychotherapist Sega Habtom.
Research shows that asylum seekers are five times more likely to have mental health needs than the general population, and more than 61% will experience severe mental distress. This donation means we can continue to support female Amharic, Arabic and Tigrinya-speaking refugees living in London by giving them a space to speak in their native tongue and talk about the daily pressures of their lives.
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Cultural Competence Workshops via Zoom
Delivered by Baffour Ababio, Caroline Adewole, Charles Brown or Kemi Omijeh.
These workshops draw on clinical examples and work as well as the intercultural experience to put forward the processes involved in working at the juncture of the client’s inner and outer experiences. The evocation of shame and avoidance in the dyadic or group encounter of intersecting differences and sameness will also be explored. “Any clinical encounter that does not take into account the client’s whole life experience and does not consider their race, culture, gender or social values, can only fragment that person.” (Jafar Kareem, co-founder of Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre). In the workshop Jafar’s quote will be applied to societal/individual assumptions with regards to racism and sexism. There will be an opportunity for participants to work on some of their own material from their practice.
Through case material and film attendees will dynamically work through concepts/themes and questions such as:
- > Institutional racism/domination/oppression. Participants will explore how clients from minority communities deploy strategies to cope with their varying levels of internal and external experiences of persecution.
- >This workshop aims to enhance participants’ self-awareness, empathic knowledge and understanding of other cultures and conceptualisation of identity formation. Attendees in exploring their own processes, whether from dominant or minority groups will be more attuned to the impact of their therapeutic engagements with their clients.
- > It will touch on the extent to which therapy/mental health organisations facilitate or inhibit the capacity of its practitioners to critically engage in conversations around cultural competency.
- >The workshop will allow for the exploration of how cultural competency can be applied in supervision. It will therefore look at the experience of supervision from both angles; as a supervisee and as a supervisor. The group work will discuss and reflect on what a culturally competent supervision might look like. We know that any therapeutic work to be of benefit to both practitioner and client requires a good enough thinking space, provided through supervision to facilitate the process.
- >Cultural competent work operates within the context of the external realities of the historic as well the present. Participants will look at the penetration of political shifts in the UK such as Brexit into the clinical engagements of practitioners. This conversation can be framed as the frontiers of culturally competent thinking.
Planned dates are:
- – July 23rd Saturday, 10.00 to 16.00 BST
- – Sept 10th Saturday,10.00 to 16.00 BST
- – Nov 19th Saturday, 10.00 to 16.00 GMT
For more information and to book a place, please click here.
Feedback from past participants who attended our workshops:
“Very warm and welcoming facilitator provided a safe boundaried space to speak”
“Thank you for an interesting course today. There was a lot of valuable discussion and ideas were laid out clearly. For someone who benefits from being seen as white I think it is always good to return to these issues and ideas, over and over again. Thank you for the opportunity to do so again today“
“Thank you so much, it was a very interesting and reflective workshop which I will take away, process and utilise in therapy sessions with students :)”
“Very skilled inclusive trainer and very good organisation”
“I really liked the style of facilitator – it was both safe and challenging”
“This was an excellent starting point for a very important area of consideration, not just in our work but in our wider lives”
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Watch the webinar on Racism, stigma and fear held on occasion of Black History Month
In honour of Black History Month, Keeping Well NCL and Nafsiyat presented a webinar on Oct 25th on Racism, stigma and fear and the barriers in accessing mental health.
This interactive webinar discusses the existence of multicultural Britain over the centuries and how it lay hidden and barely visible before our modern age, due to injustices and racism towards communities deemed ‘foreign’ and / or ‘other.’ The webinar was presented by Baffour Ababio, intercultural psychotherapist at Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre. He details the impact these injustices have had on the mental health care of Britain’s black and ethnic minority communities, including the assumption that non-Europeans would not benefit from talking therapy. The webinar includes reflections on how progress is being compromised by the persistence of racism, and a discussion on how these challenges might be overcome.
Baffour shares how Nafsiyat has challenged these assumptions and how they’ve worked through the barriers of fear and stigma to incorporate a wealth of cultural affirming practices into their unique model to inspire therapy provision and engagement across cultural and ‘racial’ borders.
Watch the webinar here:

Nafsiyat is launching a Cookbook to showcase all of the recipes within its community
From December onwards, Nafsiyat will be making a Cookbook to showcase all of the recipes within its community. We want to include everyone, and highlight the beauty in our diversity. Whether it’s a recipe handed down through generations, or something you made up – it could be a starter, a main or a sweet – and it can be as small or as large as you like!
In order to submit your recipe, please click and fill in the Google form below, and tell us the story associated with it. Does this recipe remind you of home? Does it remind you of being on holiday? Do you make this recipe with other people? We want to know what makes it special for you.
It would be great to match each recipe with a person and a story, but it’s completely understandable if some want to remain anonymous, and we would still love to showcase those recipes.
To submit your recipe, please follow the link below:
https://forms.gle/XkBzBiioYXyJiYQs5
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Nafsiyat is recruiting an Administrator
Job title: Administrator
Salary: £22,000, pro-rata
Hours: 5 days/week (specific days/times to be negotiated)
Annual Leave: 20 days + public holidays
Accountable to: Clinical Administration Manager
Base: Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre
Unit 4 Lysander Mews, Lysander Grove, London N19 3QP
About Nafsiyat
Nafsiyat exists to reach those who are systemically failed elsewhere in society, isolated by skewed power dynamics which underly, and/ or intensify, the experience of mental ill health. Nafsiyat was established in 1983 by psychotherapist Jafar Kareem as a grassroots, community-based response to the need in North London-based BAME communities. We were the first therapy centre in the UK to take account of the cultural background of the patient and therapist and recognise its importance in therapy. We exist to ensure that the diverse religious, cultural, and ethnic communities in London can access culturally sensitive psychotherapy and counselling services; we also provide therapy in over twenty languages. Our staff and volunteers come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Job description
We are looking for a proactive person with a friendly, can-do attitude to assist with data entry, general office administration and some evening/weekend front of house. This is a great opportunity to learn about intercultural therapy and interact with clinicians within your role as an administrator.
The primary purpose of the post is to:
- – Accurately transfer data from paper/digital formats into various database systems
- – Daily collection and inputting of data, and maintenance of databases
- – Reviewing data for deficiencies or errors, correcting any incompatibilities and checking output
- – Keep accurate and up-to-date records and maintain clear filing systems, on database and spreadsheets
- – Research and obtain further information for incomplete data
- – Provide reports, as requested, on therapy activity using various databases and spreadsheets.
- – Updating systems with details from patient registration forms
- – Contact clients regarding appointment bookings via email, telephone, post and in person
- – Liaise with clients and clinical staff
- – Support clinical staff in maintaining client files and filing paperwork
- – Perform front-of-house duties (answering phone/door, taking messages, etc.)
- – Work alongside Admin Team & Clinical Administrator in guiding clients through the process of receiving counselling
- – Perform other administrative tasks as needed
PERSON SPECIFICATION
- – Experience of accurately entering data into a database
- – Ability to carry out calculations and collate statistical information
- – Organised, methodical and capable of extremely accurate work
- – Ability to work on own initiative with a problem-solving approach to the work
- – Strong verbal communication skills
- – Strong written communication skills
- – Experience drafting letters and emails
- – Excellent numeracy and IT skills
- – Strong Microsoft Excel skills
- – Clear and polite phone manner
- – Eye for detail and accuracy
- – Team working skills
- – Experience working in the charity sector
OTHER INFORMATION
Equal opportunities
The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to Nafsiyat’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
Health & safety
All employees are subject to the Health and Safety at Work Act. The post holder is required to pro-actively comply with their duties as described in Nafsiyat’s Health and Safety Policy.
Confidentiality
All employees are required to work in a confidential manner in all aspects of their work with due regard to Nafsiyat‘s Code of Ethics and practice, data protection and other relevant policies.
Safeguarding
Nafsiyat is committed to safeguarding adults at risk and children, and we require all staff and volunteers to share and demonstrate this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the requirements of the person specification and will be subject to pre-employment checks including a health check, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
HOW TO APPLY
Please send a current CV and tailored covering letter (no more than 2 pages) explaining how your skills and experience match the requirements for this role to recruitment@nafsiyat.org.uk by 5pm on Friday 15th April 2022.
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Nafsiyat is recruiting a Workshop Leader
Role: Workshop Leader
Organisation: Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre
Remuneration: Workshop Leaders are paid at a rate of £300 per full-day workshop. Fees are payable on invoice after the workshop session has been delivered.
Travelling expenses: for events not held online or at Nafsiyat’s Centre in Archway, these are to be agreed in advance and will be reimbursed
Hours: approximately 10hrs, including workshop delivery, pre-training meeting with client, and all other administration and communications
Location: Unit 4 Lysander Mews, Lysander Grove, Archway, London N19 3QP / online / elsewhere
Reports to: Clinical Lead
Responsible for: Delivering cultural competence training and workshops
Job Overview
Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre provides one day learning and participation workshops in intercultural therapy/cultural competence. Nafsiyat’s workshops provides creative opportunities for psychotherapy, counselling, and clinical psychology institutions to engage with intercultural principles and cultural competence.
Nafsiyat’s workshop programme include public events for individual professionals as well as offers to teams of clinicians attached to institutions. All our work is based on developing awareness around race and culture inequities through an intersectional lens. The workshop content has been designed by experienced Nafsiyat staff based on Nafsiyat’s decades of delivering intercultural therapy and as a previous psychotherapy training provider in conjunction with University College London.
We are looking for a training and workshop leader to deliver Nafsiyat’s cultural competence workshops to an increasing number of beneficiaries locally and nationally. Our medium of delivery is currently virtual and as covid-19 restrictions are lifted, we envisage going forward with a combination of virtual and in person offers.
The trainer and workshop leader will demonstrate knowledge and experience in intercultural delivery and its intersectional implications and a strong track record and a capacity to communicate these principles to groups of professionals.
Any appointment will be subject to satisfactory DBS clearance at the Enhanced level plus two satisfactory references.
About Nafsiyat
Nafsiyat exists to reach those who are systemically failed elsewhere in society, isolated by skewed power dynamics which underly, and/ or intensify, the experience of mental ill health. Nafsiyat was established in 1983 by psychotherapist Jafar Kareem as a grassroots, community-based response to the need in North London-based BAME communities. We were the first therapy centre in the UK to take account of the cultural background of the patient and therapist and recognise its importance in therapy. We exist to ensure that the diverse religious, cultural, and ethnic communities in London can access culturally sensitive psychotherapy and counselling services; we also provide therapy in over twenty languages. Our staff and volunteers come from diverse cultural backgrounds
Key Responsibilities
1. Deliver Nafsiyat’s bespoke cultural competence workshops (online and live) as required.
2. Manage administrative tasks required by Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre.
3. Adhere to health and safety standards.
4. Maintain effective communication with Nafsiyat’s training team and its Clinical lead.
5. Available to meet with potential beneficiaries to provide pre-training briefing of the workshop.
6. To represent and uphold Nafsiyat’s standards and ethics.
7. To maintain a record of the process of workshops delivered and to produce workshop reports as required.
8. Be competent at using IT systems and delivering online workshops competently.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Qualifications and experience:
- – Diploma/MA/MSc in counselling and psychotherapy
- – Registration/accreditation with UKCP/BACP
- – A minimum of five years’ post-qualification experience as a counsellor/psychotherapist
- – Training in clinical supervision
- – Experience as a clinical supervisor
- – A thorough grasp and understanding of intercultural principles
- – Experience of teaching and facilitating
- – Knowledge and understanding of group dynamics
- – An understanding of delivering workshops in race and culture
- – A critical awareness of the interconnection of institutional, interpersonal, and internalised oppression
- – An understanding of how these processes of inequities operate at an institutional and systemic level
- – Evidence of continuing professional development
Skills and abilities:
- – Excellent interpersonal skills, both written and verbal
- – Excellent people management and negotiation skills
- – Computer literate
- – Motivated
Knowledge:
- – Extensive knowledge of Nafsiyat’s Intercultural therapy and transcultural therapies.
OTHER INFORMATION
Equal opportunities
The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to Nafsiyat’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
Health & safety
All employees are subject to the Health and Safety at Work Act. The post holder is required to pro-actively comply with their duties as described in Nafsiyat’s Health and Safety Policy.
Confidentiality
All employees are required to work in a confidential manner in all aspects of their work with regard to Nafsiyat‘s Code of Ethics and practice, data protection and other relevant policies.
Regulated Activity
Nafsiyat is committed to safeguarding adults at risk and children, and we require all staff and volunteers to share and demonstrate this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the requirements of the person specification and will be subject to pre-employment checks including a health check, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
Other
In the course of delivering workshops for Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre you may be approached by our client(s) verbally or in writing, to provide Nafsiyat’s materials or consultancy services. Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre must be notified of any approaches of this kind.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a CV and cover letter (no more than 2 pages) detailing your suitability for this position according to the person specification, stating when and where skills and experience were gained.
Email: recruitment@nafsiyat.org.uk; Deadline: 5pm, Tuesday 29th March 2022
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Nafsiyat is recruiting a Group Therapist
Job title: Group Therapist
Salary: £30,000 (pro-rata)
Annual leave: 33 days inclusive of public/bank holidays (pro-rata)
Hours: 7hrs per week, day/times to be negotiated
Accountable to: Clinical Lead
Base: Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre / Home working
About Nafsiyat
Nafsiyat exists to reach those who are systemically failed elsewhere in society, isolated by skewed power dynamics which underly, and/ or intensify, the experience of mental ill health. Nafsiyat was established in 1983 by psychotherapist Jafar Kareem as a grassroots, community-based response to the need in North London-based BAME communities. We were the first therapy centre in the UK to take account of the cultural background of the patient and therapist and recognise its importance in therapy. We exist to ensure that the diverse religious, cultural, and ethnic communities in London can access culturally sensitive psychotherapy and counselling services; we also provide therapy in over twenty languages. Our staff and volunteers come from diverse cultural backgrounds
Job purpose
You will need to be a qualified experienced psychodynamic counsellor accredited with BACP, or psychodynamic/psychoanalytic psychotherapist registered with the UKCP, and have 3-5 years post qualification experience that includes working with groups. We are looking for an experienced Group Therapist to undertake therapy sessions with diverse groups of clients. You need to have an interest in working with client groups and be stimulated by the daily challenges this work brings.
The primary purpose of the post is to:
- – Provide group therapy for clients
- – Provide assessments
- – Participate in the running of the clinical service
- – Participate in running trainings/workshops
- – Participate in internal supervision group
- – Deliver psycho-educational groups
- – Maintain the highest clinical and ethical standards
- – Maintain the highest clinical administration standards
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Qualifications and experience
- – Significant experience in the role of group psychotherapist, including experience of specialist psychoanalytic group psychotherapy in institutional settings, within the NHS or other public/ voluntary sector services.
- – A qualification in the practice of group analysis with a recognized training organization.
- – A Post graduate Diploma in group psychotherapy or an /MA/MSc is desirable.
- – Registration/accreditation with UKCP/BACP.
- – A commitment to working psychodynamically/psychoanalytically/interculturally.
- – A minimum of 3-5 years’ post-qualification experience as a counsellor/psychotherapist.
- – Experience of delivering group interventions within a community therapy service.
- – Evidence of continuing professional development.
Skills and abilities:
- – A thorough grasp and understanding of intercultural principles.
- – Excellent interpersonal skills, both written and verbal.
- – Excellent people management and negotiation skills.
- – Computer literate.
- – Motivated.
Knowledge:
- – Knowledge and understanding of group dynamics.
- – Extensive knowledge of Nafsiyat’s Intercultural therapy and transcultural therapies.
- – A critical awareness of the interconnection of institutional, interpersonal, and internalised oppression.
- – An understanding of how these processes of inequities operate at an institutional and systemic level.
OTHER INFORMATION
Equal opportunities
The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to Nafsiyat’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
Health & safety
All employees are subject to the Health and Safety at Work Act. The post holder is required to pro-actively comply with their duties as described in Nafsiyat’s Health and Safety Policy.
Confidentiality
All employees are required to work in a confidential manner in all aspects of their work with regard to Nafsiyat‘s Code of Ethics and practice, data protection and other relevant policies.
Regulated Activity
Nafsiyat is committed to safeguarding adults at risk and children, and we require all staff and volunteers to share and demonstrate this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the requirements of the person specification and will be subject to pre-employment checks including a health check, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a CV and cover letter (no more than 2 pages) detailing your suitability for this position according to the person specification, stating when and where skills and experience were gained.
Email: recruitment@nafsiyat.org.uk; Deadline: 5pm, Tuesday 29th March 2022
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Listen to the podcast on COVID-19 and the BAME Community
In this podcast, listen to Rabeya Khatun, a bilingual psychotherapist who works at Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy centre, explore the impact COVID-19 continues to have on people from black and minority ethic groups.
Listen to the podcast here:

Nafsiyat is recruiting a Turkish speaking Counsellor
Job title: Turkish Speaking Self-Employed Counsellor
Fees: £20/hr (£25/hr if accredited member of BACP or UKCP).
We pay one-and-a-quarter hours for a 50min session, to cover admin time.
We pay two-hours for a 50min assessment, to cover admin/writing time.
Hours: Approximately one or two days per week initially
Accountable to: Clinical Lead
Base: Online home working / Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre
Unit 4 Lysander Mews, Lysander Grove, London N19 3QP
About Nafsiyat
Nafsiyat exists to reach those who are systematically failed elsewhere in society, isolated by skewed power dynamics which underly, and/ or intensify, the experience of mental ill health. Nafsiyat was established in 1983 by psychotherapist Jafar Kareem as a grassroots, community-based response to the need in North London-based BAME communities. We were the first therapy centre in the UK to take account of the cultural background of the patient and therapist, and recognise its importance in therapy. We exist to ensure that the diverse religious, cultural and ethnic communities in London can access culturally sensitive psychotherapy and counselling services; we also provide therapy in over twenty languages. Our staff and volunteers come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Job purpose
We are looking for Turkish speaking self-employed bilingual/multilingual counsellor to join our intercultural clinical team.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
- – Fully qualified BACP/UKCP accredited psychodynamic counsellor or at advanced stage of accreditation/actively pursuing accreditation (proof of hours accrued thus far)
- – More than 3 years post-graduation experience
Desirable
- – Experience of working with groups, families, and couples.
- – Knowledge of other languages
OTHER INFORMATION
Equal opportunities
The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to Nafsiyat’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
Health & safety
The post holder is required to pro-actively comply with their duties as described in Nafsiyat’s Health and Safety Policy.
Confidentiality
Counsellors are required to work in a confidential manner in all aspects of their work with regard to Nafsiyat‘s Code of ethics and practice, data protection and other relevant policies.
Regulated Activity
The duties of this post constitute a ‘regulated activity’ in accordance with the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012s and subject to an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and ‘barred list’ check.
HOW TO APPLY
Please send a current CV and tailored covering letter (no more than 2 pages) explaining how your knowledge, skills and experience match the requirements for this to recruitment@nafsiyat.org.uk by 5pm Thursday 6th January 2022.
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Nafsiyat is recruiting an Administrator
Job title: Administrator
Salary: £22,000, pro-rata
Hours: 4 days/week (specific days to be negotiated)
Contract length: Permanent part-time
Accountable to: Clinical Administration Manager
Base: Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre
Unit 4 Lysander Mews, Lysander Grove, London N19 3QP
– Potential for online home working
About Nafsiyat
Nafsiyat exists to reach those who are systematically failed elsewhere in society, isolated by skewed power dynamics which underly, and/ or intensify, the experience of mental ill health. Nafsiyat was established in 1983 by psychotherapist Jafar Kareem as a grassroots, community-based response to the need in North London-based BAME communities. We were the first therapy centre in the UK to take account of the cultural background of the patient and therapist and recognise its importance in therapy. We exist to ensure that the diverse religious, cultural, and ethnic communities in London can access culturally sensitive psychotherapy and counselling services; we also provide therapy in over twenty languages. Our staff and volunteers come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Job description
We are looking for a proactive person with a friendly, can-do attitude to assist with data entry, general office administration and some front of house. This is a great opportunity to learn about intercultural therapy and interact with clinicians within your role as an administrator.
The primary purpose of the post is to:
- – Accurately transfer data from paper/digital formats into various database systems
- – Daily collection and inputting of data, and maintenance of databases
- – Keep accurate and up to date records and to maintain clear filing systems, both IT and paper based.
- – Provide reports, as requested, on therapy activity using various databases and spreadsheets.
- – Updating systems with details from patient registration forms
- – Contact clients regarding appointment bookings via email, telephone, post and in person
- – Liaise with clients and clinical staff
- – Support clinical staff in maintaining client files and filing paperwork
- – Perform front-of-house duties (answering phone/door, taking messages, etc.)
- – Assist the Clinical Administrator in guiding clients through the process of receiving counselling
- – Perform other administrative tasks as required
PERSON SPECIFICATION
- – Experience of accurately entering data into a database
- – Ability to carry out calculations and collate statistical information
- – Organised, methodical and capable of extremely accurate work
- – Ability to work on own initiative with a problem-solving approach to the work
- – Strong verbal communication skills
- – Strong written communication skills
- – Experience drafting letters and emails
- – Excellent numeracy and IT skills
- – Strong Microsoft Excel skills
- – Clear and polite phone manner
- – Eye for detail and accuracy
- – Team working skills
- – Experience working in the charity sector
OTHER INFORMATION
Equal opportunities
The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to Nafsiyat’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
Health & safety
All employees are subject to the Health and Safety at Work Act. The post holder is required to pro-actively comply with their duties as described in Nafsiyat’s Health and Safety Policy.
Confidentiality
All employees are required to work in a confidential manner in all aspects of their work with due regard to Nafsiyat‘s Code of Ethics and practice, data protection and other relevant policies.
Regulated Activity
The duties of this post constitute a ‘regulated activity’ in accordance with the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012s and subject to an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and ‘barred list’ check.
HOW TO APPLY
Please send a current CV and tailored covering letter (no more than 2 pages) explaining how your skills and experience match the requirements for this role to recruitment@nafsiyat.org.uk by 5pm on Thursday 6th January 2022.
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