Jo Birch, Executive Specialist, BACP Coaching
On my way to the 17th Annual BACP Research Conference in Liverpool I could feel my excitement mounting as I read through the Abstracts and wondered how I would make the choice between such diverse and intriguing presentations. There were so many papers of interest.
I was also going ‘home’ to Merseyside – the place I spent most of my adult life and somewhere I hold very dear in my heart. Reflecting on the past reminded me that it has been some years since I attended the Research Conference and… moving to the future… I wonder about whether we will soon see work emerging that explores some of the issues for therapist-coach practitioners. I wonder how we, as the BACP Coaching Division can support practitioner research as well as that based within academia so that we have a rounded body of knowledge emerging about our field. Raising questions for myself seems particularly relevant to attending a Research Conference!
Whilst at the Conference I had a fabulously thought-provoking time. I was thrilled to be able to connect with John McLeod who I had last seen during my Masters year at Keele before he moved to Abertay University. I was glad to hear John say that there was much scope for research into coaching… and I think what a special and unique position we occupy as therapist-coaches. More questions emerged: how do we increase our own understanding; formulate and enter into lines of enquiry to generate a body of knowledge; support each other and our colleagues in undertaking research; and more.
My next exciting connection was with the head of a large charity as we began to uncover and explore a range of issues for the voluntary sector when introducing coaching within a range of services. The conversation was exciting and dynamic and connects directly with my passion for development of the third sector and in making coaching more accessible both to staff and service-users.
During the two days I had so many ‘favourite’ presentations including Susan Cousins from Cardiff talking about isolated practitioners especially those from BME communities; and Maggie Robson’s workshop ‘Reflective practitioners – budding researchers’. I felt like an ‘open bowl’ receiving the gifts around me - I think it will take quite some time to let myself sit with the ‘fullness’ and see what emerges.
The conference organisation was pure genius! It all flowed perfectly as far as I could see. Everything kept to time which allowed for presentations as billed. My only disappointment was that the Posters were two floors away and found this a little inconvenient and less accessible as I kept missing the presenters.
However my last word should go to Andrew Reeves, Research Journal Editor, by far the funniest man at the conference, and his excellent anecdotes which had us reeling with laughter – especially the excerpts from the Facebook page ‘Overheard in Liverpool’ which transmits the diversity, humour and warmth of the people of Merseyside... and reminds me of the importance of laughter.
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