Guest Speaker Raj: Minding The Gap

Guest Speaker Raj: Minding The Gap

TA Therapy Ain't Just White – Episode: Minding the Gap with Raj Rai What happens when you enter a profession and rarely see yourself reflected within it? In this episode of TA Therapy Ain't Just White, Wendy and Robyn are joined by guest psychotherapist Raj, a British Indian integrative relational psychotherapist, for an honest and thought-provoking conversation about culture, identity, representation and belonging within psychotherapy training and practice. Together they explore what it means to be a racialised therapist in predominantly white therapeutic spaces, the challenges of navigating cultural invisibility, and the importance of finding community when your experiences are not reflected in the curriculum. Raj shares his journey into psychotherapy, his experiences as a British South Asian male therapist, and the ways he learned to bring his whole self into training spaces that often struggled to engage meaningfully with culture, race and difference. The conversation moves through themes of intersectionality, representation, whiteness as culture, cultural and racial identity, and the impact these have on both therapists and clients. Raj also reflects on the value of Transactional Analysis concepts, the accessibility of TA theory, and how ideas such as scripts, ego states and injunctions continue to influence his work as an integrative relational psychotherapist. This episode is a powerful reflection on what it means to mind the gap between theory and lived experience, between inclusion and belonging, and between the cultures we inherit and the professionals we are becoming. Whether you are a trainee therapist, qualified practitioner, or simply curious about the intersection of culture and psychotherapy, this episode offers an honest conversation about visibility, identity, community and the courage to bring your whole self into the room. Credits Music sourced from: Freemusicarchive.org "The Road" by KetsaLicensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) "Feelings" by 1000 Handz BeatzLicensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) Intro and Outro Voice: Robert, Birmingham Post-production, editing and transcription: Candice Nolan, Johannesburg

Surving Year 1: Growth, Doubt and Breakthroughs (Part 2)

Part 2 Show Blurb Following on from Part 1, the hosts of TA Therapy Ain’t Just White continue the conversation by exploring another side of psychotherapy training that often stays beneath the surface — the cost of becoming. In this second part, Mike, Wendy and Craig move beyond first-year reflections and unpack the hidden realities of Transactional Analysis training: the emotional cost, the financial pressures, the impact on relationships, time, identity and the people around you. Together they explore what happens when therapy training begins to shape not only the therapist you are becoming, but the person you are outside the training room too. From navigating marriages, friendships and family dynamics, to balancing supervision, placements, work, finances and personal therapy, the conversation explores the sacrifices, tensions and unexpected moments of growth that come with committing to this journey. The team also speak candidly about accessibility within psychotherapy training, representation within TA spaces, and the barriers many people from marginalised communities can face when considering whether this path is even possible. With honesty, humour and lived experience, the discussion opens up bigger questions: Who gets to become a therapist? Who sees themselves reflected in training spaces? And what changes when people begin showing up authentically and taking up space? The conversation also begins looking ahead. As TA Therapy Ain’t Just White moves into future episodes and into reflections on Year Two training, the podcast will be opening its doors to guests from different backgrounds and experiences. Together, the team will explore deeper conversations around placement work, supervision, culture, clinical practice, identity, growth and the realities of becoming a therapist while navigating life at the same time. Whether you're thinking about starting psychotherapy training, are already somewhere on the journey, or are simply curious about therapy through a more inclusive and honest lens, this episode offers reassurance that growth is rarely neat, change often comes with challenge, and none of us were meant to do it alone. A real conversation about cost, change, identity and becoming. Credits Music sourced from: Freemusicarchive.org “The Road” by Ketsa — Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) “Feelings” by 1000 Handz Beatz — Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) Intro and Outro Voice: Robert, Birmingham Post-production, editing and transcription: Candice Nolan, Johannesburg

SURVIVING YEAR 1: GROWTH, DOUBT AND BREEAKTHROUGH

Episode 6: SURVIVING YEAR 1: GROWTH, DOUBT AND BREEAKTHROUGH In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, the hosts of TA Therapy Ain’t Just White reflect honestly on the highs and lows of their first year of Transactional Analysis training — the parts no one fully prepares you for. From personal therapy and group process to placement experiences, identity shifts, vulnerability, and self-discovery, this episode explores what it means to keep showing up when the training starts working on you as much as the theory itself. The team share moments of doubt, growth, connection, and challenge, alongside the unexpected ways TA language begins to make sense of real-life experience and the work they were already doing before training. They also speak openly about race, belonging, safety in training spaces, and what it can feel like to find — or sometimes question — your place within the therapeutic community while learning to become a therapist. Whether you’re thinking about starting therapy training, already in your first year, or somewhere further along the journey and recognising parts of your own experience in this conversation, this episode offers reassurance that the discomfort, questions, and breakthroughs are all part of becoming. If you're curious about Transactional Analysis and want to explore training or resources further, you can learn more through organisations such as the UK Association for Transactional Analysis, the European Association for Transactional Analysis, the International Transactional Analysis Association, and the UK Council for Psychotherapy. A real conversation about growth, uncertainty, identity, and becoming. Credits  Music sourced from: Freemusicarchive.org  * “The Road” by Ketsa Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)  * “Feelings” by 1000 Handz Beatz under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)  Intro and Outro Voice: - Robert, Birmingham  Post-production, editing and transcription: – Candice Nolan, Johannesburg

From Skeleton Racer to Psychotherapist

Episode 5: A Story of Identity, Resilience & Reinvention What happens when your whole identity is built on performance… and then, in a moment, everything changes? In this episode, we sit down with Jordan — a qualified psychotherapist with a story that stops you in your tracks. From a childhood filled with sport to competing at an elite level, Jordan’s life was built on speed, discipline, and pushing limits. Selected for a world-class Olympic programme, she was on track for the Winter Games — racing headfirst down ice tracks at extreme speeds, chasing excellence at the highest level. And then, without warning… everything changed. At just 23, Jor'dan suffered a brain haemorrhage. What follows is not just a story of recovery — but of identity being completely stripped back. From elite athlete to relearning how to walk, hold objects, and rebuild from the ground up… physically, emotionally, and mentally. But this isn’t where the story ends. It’s where something new begins. In this powerful and honest conversation, we explore: * The hidden impact of losing your identity overnight * What resilience really looks like when everything falls apart * How sport shapes mental strength — and how that carries into therapy * The journey from survival… to purpose * And how Jor'dan found her way into psychotherapy — not by accident, but through something deeper We also step into her work as a therapist, exploring how integrative approaches, attachment, and early experiences shape the way we see ourselves — and how awareness creates choice. This episode is raw, reflective, and deeply human. Because sometimes the life you thought you were building… is only the beginning of who you’re meant to become. 🎧 Listen now — and you might start to see your own story differently. CreditsMusic sourced from: Freemusicarchive.org“The Road” by Ketsa — Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)“Feelings” by 1000 Handz Beatz — Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) Intro and Outro Voice: Robert, Birmingham Post-production, editing and transcription: Candice Nolan, Johannesburg

Culture & The Functional Ego State - Meet Your Inner Crew

Culture & The Functional Ego State - Meet Your Inner Crew What if the way you think, react, and relate… isn’t just you? What if it’s shaped by generations before you — by culture, by survival, by voices you didn’t even realise you inherited? In this episode, we explore the Functional Ego State in Transactional Analysis — not just what it is, but how it lives in you. From the nurturing voice that comforts you…To the critical voice that holds you back…From the part of you that learned to adapt just to belong…To the version of you that still longs to be free. But this isn’t just theory. Through honest and reflective conversation, we unpack how culture shapes the way we show up — especially within the context of navigating the our cultural backgrounds to the culture we are in today, where unspoken rules, expectations, and hierarchy quietly influence how we think, behave, and express ourselves. We explore the tension many people carry:Between “fit in, follow the rules, trust authority”…And the quieter pull toward individuality, expression, and thinking for yourself. Along the way, we begin to notice: * How cultural messages become internal voices * How adaptation can protect us… but also silence us * Why the “Free” part of you might not feel so free * And how the Adult ego state helps you pause, reflect, and choose differently And we sit with one powerful question: 💭 How much of your voice is truly yours… and how much has been inherited? This episode isn’t just about understanding ego states — It’s an invitation to notice them in real time. 👉 Who shows up when you’re under pressure? 👉 What part of you is leading your decisions? 👉 Are you responding from awareness… or from adaptation? Stay grounded. Stay curious. Stay you. Credit Music sourced from: Freemusicarchive.org“The Road” by Ketsa (CC BY 4.0)“Feelings” by 1000 Handz Beatz (CC BY 4.0) Intro and Outro Voice: Robert, Birmingham Post-production, editing and transcription: Candice Nolan, Johannesburg Resources: * TA Today — Stewart & Joines * https://counsellingtutor.com/counselling-approaches/transactional-analysis/what-are-ego-states/ [https://counsellingtutor.com/counselling-approaches/transactional-analysis/what-are-ego-states/] * https://www.navgati.in/the-blue-beneath-the-red-how-my-anger-substituted-my-fear-and-sadness/ [https://www.navgati.in/the-blue-beneath-the-red-how-my-anger-substituted-my-fear-and-sadness/] * https://youtu.be/oPJtRDul0do [https://youtu.be/oPJtRDul0do]