Will Docherty
About My Work
My practice is shaped by a decade of frontline experience in the third sector, working in contexts where change is both deeply valued and deeply challenging. Practitioners are often asked to hold people’s pain while also supporting them towards different ways of living. Navigating this space between what is hoped for and what is possible, can create emotional and relational demands that are not always visible. Although the work is often framed around action and outcomes, my experience has shown me that it is, at its core, deeply relational.
Over time, I became increasingly drawn to the moments where people could slow down and make sense of what they were carrying. That naturally led me into reflective practice. I now facilitate groups across many roles and levels, and this work has deepened my understanding of the pressures and emotional currents that shape everyday practice.
I work in a way that helps the group to become the resource. Practitioners hold so much knowledge and relational skill, and reflective practice gives space for this to be shared and recognised. I support people to think together, to stay with uncertainty and to use the strength of the group to make sense of what they’re carrying.
Experience
My experience sits mostly within addiction and recovery services, and more recently with people facing multiple and overlapping needs. Much of this work has involved being alongside individuals navigating homelessness, mental and physical health difficulties, substance use, domestic abuse and violence, and the wider impacts of trauma and social exclusion.
Along the way, I’ve supported people through 1:1 and group work, programme development, team leadership and training in compassionate, relational practice. One of the most significant influences on my practice has been working in co-production with a team with lived experience. Creating programmes and approaches together kept me close to the truth that, beneath the pressures of change and outcome, this work is ultimately about staying connected in relationship.
I’m currently training in psychotherapy, which continues to deepen my practice and my commitment to reflective work
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I currently deliver reflective practice on a long-term basis within organisations including Change Grow Live and YMCA.
Qualifications
MSc in Psychotherapy (in training) ​
Level 3 Counselling Skills
Level 2 Counselling Skills
BA(Hons) in Criminology & Psychology
Training
Head, Heart & Hands Model of Reflective Practice
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
Motivational Interviewing
Trauma Informed Practice