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 Being Seen: visibility, invisibility & hypervisibility 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. 

The gathering will include:
• Creating a group agreement
• Introduction to the theme and structure of session
• Small and whole group discussions
• A short break 
• Space to reflect and share
• A gentle closing

The space and timings

The event will start at 6.30pm and finish at 8pm and be held in Sellanraa, a newly opened bookshop café in Redland. The cafe will be closed to the public from 5pm. 

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

If you arrive between 6.15–6.30pm, there will be an opportunity to order a drink from the barista who will be available at this time, free of charge. If you’re unable to arrive earlier, we'll send out an email with drink options and it will be ready for you when you arrive.

Tickets

8 tickets only are available on a sliding scale from £5-10. Please pay what you can. We don’t want cost to be a barrier to accessing the space. 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.

A note on the space

This is a community care and reflection space, rather than individual 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. 

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 16th x 

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 de-colonial 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 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.