OTSA Annual Counsellors' Conference 2026

As the world shifts and education evolves under pressure, let’s come together for creative challenge, thoughtful dialogue and renewed professional energy. This year's 19th Annual Conference for Counsellors will provide a day of enriching professional development and discussion.

The conference is suitable for all professionals working with young people, both inside and outside of school settings.

We invite you to join us!

Keynote Address with Becca Howard Burrell

Reconnection: therapeutically soldering the broken links in young people's psyche

Becca Howard Burrell is the Head of Student Wellbeing, Engagement and Counselling at Oxford Brookes University. Prior to this role, she worked in film and television production after studying English and Theatre at Warwick University. She then taught English, Theatre and Media Studies in London and Oxford secondary schools and pupil referral units before training as a therapist in 2005, qualifying in 2008. She has worked as a school counsellor in Eynsham, Oxford and Burford schools, and joined Oxford Brookes University in 2013 as a Solution Focused Therapist and Specialist Mentor. Since 2021, she has managed the counselling team and now oversees university-wide initiatives to improve student mental health, with her service supporting over 1000 students annually.

Morning Workshops

1. Continuing to connect: working against the tide of the constructed airbrushed life (Becca Howard Burrell - see above)

2. Waiting and the gap between the good, the bad and the ugly (Shona Reed-Purvis is a counsellor, systemic psychotherapist and registered systemic supervisor and family therapist currently working for CAMHS)

3. Music, Maths, Meltdown! Exploring neurodiversity in a boarding school setting (Gee Whitlock is an integrative counsellor who has worked in several independent schools. She is a School Counsellor at Stowe School, a boarding and day school, in Buckinghamshire)

4. Relating in times of withdrawal: thinking differently about Emotional Based School Avoidance (Having worked in a range of educational settings, Angelique Camoenié now works as the Lead School Counsellor and supervisor at Gosford Hill School, Kidlington and in private practice)

Afternoon Workshops

1. 'Please Miss!' Exploring the role of giving and receiving permission in our therapeutic relationships with young people and also in modelling self-care (Susie Ward is senior counsellor, supervisor and safeguarding lead, working with 11-25 year olds at StepForward in East London, having spent 15 years as a counsellor in university, secondary and primary school settings)

2. Top hats and terrible tales: confusion around children in care (Dr Rebecca Bolam is a Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist who works in a specialist CAMHS team for children in care)

3. 'Who am I?' Working with international students as they explore the edges of their identities: examining notions of culture and belonging for day and boarding students (Charlie Henry is Lead School Counsellor at d’Overbroeck's Oxford, Counsellor at Radley College, trainee supervisor and integrative arts-based therapist)

4. Working in the unwanted: working inside systemic failures - what's it all about and how to respond? (Debbie Lee is the Lead Counsellor at King Alfred's Academy in Wantage and has a wealth of experience in working with young people, staff and parents)

At the time of booking, you'll be asked to choose one morning and one afternoon workshop. If someone is booking on your behalf, please make sure they know your choices in advance.

Programme cost

Early Bird Tickets - £109 per person, and £134 per person thereafter

Payment

Payment is required at the time of booking by credit card, debit card or Paypal. Unless otherwise stated, a ticket gives admission to one person at face-to-face and online events.

Refunds

No refunds will be given with less than 30 days notice.

In the event of a refund request, please note that the Humanitix booking fee of 4% plus 0.30p per ticket is not refundable.

To keep our event fees as low as possible, we are not able to issue invoices for payment by cheque or bank transfer and we are not able to reserve places without payment.

We strongly recommend that you take out 'event ticket insurance' which may cover the cost of your fee should you be unable to attend the event.