“The Reflective Mentoring course was life changing!
Working with Dr Phill to identify a focus for it was like somebody peeling away layers of an
onion skin to get it what the core issue was. So, my issue was setting up an LGBTQ youth
choir when I was professionally in the closet, so far in the closet, I was probably in Narnia.
Dr Phil made me really reassess my position as a LGBTQ woman in the workplace.
Dr Phil has a way of working with you, which makes you really think and reflect in great
depth to identify the problem you’re facing, the target that you have, what it’s all about and
the barriers.
He nudges you to identify the nuggets that you’ve hidden under layers of detritus and really
hones in on what needs to change to make change happen.
Personally, for me it started with LGBTQ badges on my lanyard, and now I’m out and Proud
and happily challenging things that I find un-acceptable in a way that I would never have had
the confidence to do before. 
I now accept that I am an LGBTQ role model in the service that I work with and to the young
people and families that I work with. 
Dr Phil is insightful, challenging, kind and wise. The organisational support from Liz was
amazing.

As a final point, in our first meeting he said to me that I would need to be more visible as a
LGBTQ woman, and that was something at the time I found very challenging, now I’m more
comfortable in my own skin than I’ve ever been before. As I said, it was life changing.
I can’t recommend the course highly enough. If you get a chance to work with Dr Phil do it!

Val Weston, BEd Hons NPQH
Lead Inclusions Officer and Schools Outreach Worker, Swindon Music Sevices
July 2023

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