QPOC Mental Health Peer Support group

We are two queer and POC therapists excited to facilitate a new therapeutic space of connection and collective care for queer, Black, Brown & Global Majority people. We want to create an opportunity to come together and find solidarity in a group, to share, grieve, rage, listen, and simply be in community. 

Each gathering will have a theme. The theme of this event is Belonging: exploring what feels inclusive, exclusive and connecting as queer racialised people.

We’ll offer some gentle prompts and activities, however the conversation will be guided by the group and by what feels present in the room. 

The weight of racism, anti-Blackness, LGBTQIA+ and trans violence, and wider political and social conditions around us can leave us feeling heavy and disconnected from ourselves and one another. There is no expectation to arrive with the right words or a particular feeling, or to know anyone else attending. 

This is a community care and reflection space, rather than individual/group therapy or a crisis service. Although the gathering is facilitated by therapists, we are here to hold and guide the support group with our therapeutic practices, rather than provide 1:1 or group therapy.

The gathering will include:

Creating a group agreement
Introduction to the theme and structure of session
Small and whole group discussion
A short break
Space to reflect and share
A gentle closing

The space and timings

Doors will open at 6pm. The event will start promptly at 6.15pm and finish at 7.45/8pm and be held in Sellanraa, a newly opened café in Redland. The cafe will be closed to the public from 5pm. 

If you arrive between 6.00–6.15pm, there will be an opportunity to order a drink from the barista who will be available at this time. This is included with the ticket.

Sellanraa is an 8 minute walk from both Clifton Down and Redland stations. The address is 1b Chandos Rd, Redland, Bristol BS6 6PG

Tickets

8 tickets only are available on a sliding scale from £7-15. Please pay what you can. If you’re able to contribute more, your contribution helps us make lower-cost places available to others.

Who is this for?

This space is exclusively for people within the LGBTQIA+ community who are also Black, Brown and/or Global Majority. 

We want to create a space where our experiences can be shared and held with care, while recognising the particular impacts of racism, anti-Blackness and LGBTQIA+ violence within and beyond our communities. 

Accessibility

The venue is wheelchair accessible and has gender neutral toilets. The gathering will take place in a quiet, low-sensory space, with seating available throughout. There is also a separate room you are welcome to use if you need some time away from the group, and you can step out and return at any point.

We look forward to meeting you on the 24th x 

If you would like to get in contact with us about the event please get in touch on:
[email protected]

About us: 

Ru (she/her): 

I am a BACP accredited psychodynamic psychotherapist. My work has involved advocating for greater access to mental health support and education for women and girls from marginalised backgrounds across Europe, South East Asia, South America and East Africa. My clinical background is in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, supporting young people and families in school settings with a range of presenting needs. My approach is interpersonal and trauma-informed, with particular focus on systemic, anti-racist and decolonial practices. I currently work for a charity in Bristol offering psychotherapy to young people and families. 

Dana (they/them): 

I am an integrative psychotherapist in training, registered with UKCP, and completing doctoral research in existential psychotherapy. My clinical background includes work in queer mental health, self-harm and drug and alcohol therapy services, alongside facilitating mental health recovery groups for neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ communities. My approach is relational and informed by existential, anti-oppressive and disability-centred practice, with attention to how power, identity and our political contexts shape our lives.