We recognise that systemic and institutional racism has played a part in how racialised people have experienced learning in white majority cultures. We will strive to address any racism, xenophobia, islamophobia and anti-semitism we see or are informed of, whether this is intentional or not. We challenge ourselves to face our embedded racism and will encourage others to do the same, even when this is uncomfortable.

We understand disability can be visible and invisible, temporary or permanent as well as fluctuating. We connect with the Expanded Social Model of Disability which recognises how society disables certain people. We have ensured the venues we use for the residential modules are wheelchair-accessible. We recognise that the needs of neurodivergent people in education and learning are often not met and will make adjustments to our material and delivery to try to meet the needs of all people on our course. Please let us know any requirements you have before or during the course.

As specialists in GSRD therapy, we adhere to the Memorandum of Understanding which seeks to prevent conversion therapy. https://pinktherapy.org/mou2/ While MoU2 does not specifically acknowledge diverse relationship structures, its principles apply to counter therapist bias and prevent '“attempts to bring about a change of [relationship style], or seeks to suppress an individual’s expression of [relationship style].”

The current U-turn from the government in deliberately failing to protect trans, non-binary, and gender-queer people is a human rights abuse. We know that ‘gender-critical’ views are a protected characteristic under the Equality Act. However, we believe that the term gender-critical is inaccurate as therapists holding these perspectives only appear to be critical of trans identities, rarely cisgender identities. For this reason, we refer to ‘trans-critical’ views rather than ‘gender-critical.’ We would invite conversation about the nuances of working with cis, trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive identities so that we can all work ethically and therapeutically with clients.

Gender fluidity exists, has always existed, and always will and we start from this stance to elevate and progress understanding of gender from an affirmative stance.  We are open to receiving feedback if we fail to address cisnormativity or trans-hostility.

We will strive to recognise and address sexism, misogyny, homophobia, biphobia, queerphobia, polyphobia, and other narrowing or norming stances that problematise, invisibilise or delegitimise human identities and lived experiences that need to be valued, celebrated, and protected. Normative values are both covert and overt and we recognise that learning to live in non-oppressive ways takes work and always involves others.

We want to create an environment that invites openness and spontaneity and does not police, shame, or correct. For a learning culture to be safe enough and rich enough to inspire learning there needs to be room for error and mistakes. Alongside a commitment to challenge and take responsibility for speech and behaviours which can harm others, intentionally or not. We invite people to consider their positions of privilege and to be open to feedback from those with lived experiences of ‘power over’ due to sexist, queerphobic, heteronormative, and mononormative cultures and experiences.

Dual relationships are more likely to occur in smaller networks such as queer, trans, kink, polyamorous, and swingers’ communities. Therapists aware of social justice issues can also be politically active and you might encounter some overlapping relationships at Opening Up courses, including with us as your course tutors. If you think that a client/ex-client, supervisee, ex-lover may be interested in this CPD you are welcome to let us know so we can talk with you about reducing any compromising overlap. 

We will do what we can to limit unwanted crossovers in our courses. We do this by sharing (with permission), the names of the people who are attending the CPD modules. If you recognise a name, we can then identify how the people involved would want to respond. One person may decide to delay taking the course for a year or take another module (online or residential) so they can be involved separately in this CPD.

With a queer, feminist, decolonising lens we invite people to engage with deconstructing mainstream ideas about what ‘professionalism’ and ‘boundaries’ constitute and who they benefit. We are clear that boundaries are always a part of any human relationship and how they are named, negotiated, enacted and maintained is important to engage with. The terms power over and power with will be addressed and considered in our modules. Ethics within therapeutic, peer, and training relationships will be actively reviewed as each unique situation arises.