In Loving Memory of Josephine
‘Josephine was one of those people who was unmistakably moral, honest, serious, friendly, kind, loving, resilient, extremely clever, speaking with no malice. She had a great ability for a sense of proportion and patience and adapted to people's limitations comfortably. She was hard-working, original, with a sensible feeling for priorities. At The Refugee Therapy Centre we often speak her name, as we have beautiful memories. Josephine was much loved and highly respected at the Refugee Therapy Centre.
Josephine was a safe and sound person, a brilliant therapist and supervisor, academic and friend, always able to share with warmth and genuine human contact with those who came into her sphere. She was able to see both negative and positive in people and hoped for better in most difficult situations.’ Aida Alayarian
In Loving Memory of Lennox
April this year in the second year after Lennox Kenroy Thomas passing and I just can bring myself to write a brief arbitrary.
A shocking news came to my personal email as the Refugee Therapy Centre was closed.
Lennox Thomas passed away on Monday 13th April at the age of 67 at hospital. Son of Angela Cape and Maurice Thomas of St. Andrews (both deceased). He was the father of Harriet, Clara and Elliot Thomas. Lennox known as one of pioneer of black psychotherapist with his great presence and his wisdom. He was one of the first probation officer of African Caribbean origin before becoming psychotherapist. He then trained in clinical social work, child and family psychotherapy and psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
After Late Jafa Kareem, Lennox become Clinical Director of Nafsiyat and Co-Director of the MSc in Intercultural Psychotherapy. He had an interest in attachment theory and transgenerational family trauma. He advocated for the transformation of the discipline to account for the impact of colonisation, war, ethnic cleansing, immigration and assimilation on family and individuals. Through his talk, teaching and his writing, Lennox contributed to intercultural insights to audiences in a tactful and humorous lay language. He sensitively addressed the historical effects of colonisation, racism on Black, Asian and immigrant populations. At Nafsiyat Lennox for devoted his time and energies to the community, Black and ethnic minorities, helping so many people in their training and their developments in intercultural psychotherapy. I was delighted to work with him initially as one of my supervisors during my training and soon after I started supervision with him, in 1992, he asked if I would consider seeing some patients at Nafsiyat. I was pleasantly surprised. Before late Jafar passed, I talked to him if he would consider me to do some session at Nafsiyat and also join the Diploma Course in Intercultural Therapy that Jafar and Roland Littlewood running at the UCL. Jafar, so generously entered me to the Course but sadly passed before progressing my work at Nafsiyat. So, Lennox proposal was great and I accepted with pleasure to allocate half day volunteer to see three patients. Lennox similar to Jafar was inspirational, encouraging and enthusiastic in his approach. I soon increased my hours and days and become coordinator of children and family and also supervising some other colleagues working at Nafsiyat. I enjoyed our work together with family, I was providing therapy to children and he to parents and we would have join sessions all together. I learned a great deal and always remain appreciative of those learning. Sadly due to what called “organisation review” orchestrated by the chair of the Trustees then, attack on Lennox was beyond any imaginations. Many of us at Nafsiyat tried seriously to address the mistakes the Trustees are making without any success. Sadly, Lennox with unbelievable cruelty cut from Nafsiyat his therapeutic home. This was during the period that Late Josephine Klein and I since 1998 were organising monthly meetings to think about developing sustainable intercultural services for refugee, asylum seekers and destitute. The group consist of Josephine, Lennox, Suman Fernando, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Eric Ryner, John Denford, Roland Littlewood, Chris Calnon and Gloria Jones. This was planned to be a service in Nafsiyat. However, in 1999 Nafsiyat Chair of Trustee contacted me and offered me Lennox Job (Clinical Director), I refused without hesitation and expressed my view that the Trustees have to bring Lennox back, otherwise in my view causing considerable damage to Nafsiyat and the Intercultural Therapy. He was disappointed with my response and in following week he called me again and said I should no longer have meeting at the Nafsiyat building for the creations of services for refugees as Nafsiyat is not in position to support this and he no longer himself can attend meeting in this regard. As the result of this rejections, people in the group proposed to consider setting a new organisation. I was terrified of such a proposal. I loved my work as clinician but never management. We moved these meetings to my living room and sometimes at the UCL in Roland Littlewood office and in 1999 Refugee Therapy Centre born of these almost two years discussion.
Sadly, by this time Lennox become ill with very HBP and diabetes. I was calling him every week when he was in London or when he was in Trinidad with his mother as I have a great affiliation with his mother. I told Lennox, we with Josephine in the final stage of are setting the Refugee Therapy Centre, and you can work in any capacity you wish, whether Clinical Director or CEO, he said no, he only was to see patient and provide supervision if we can get funding for the Centre and running. So, the rest history, Lennox worked as a Consultant at the Refugee Therapy Centre until 2018. He also, continued his work on separation, loss and attachment at
I was contacted by CPJA/UKCP and it was my pleasure to write for Lennox honorary fellowship award by the UKCP in 2009 for his outstanding contribution to the profession of psychotherapy. Without me knowing, Lennox kindly some year later did the same for me, writing about me for the UKCP fellowship and I am proud to be awarded.
We miss his present and I, personally missing our trusting and respectful friendship and working relationship in different capacity almost three decades that sadly somehow stained in his last years, I assume due to his health. I miss his wisdom and his jokes and laughter. It was painful for me watching him to come to the Centre with such pain and agony. The beautiful memories his kindness, wisdom and character created will remain with me and many at the Refugee Therapy Centre and behind.
Aida
In Loving Memory of Dorothy
‘Not only were you inspiring but everything you shared was offered with such gentleness and humility. You could have talked for hours and we were all mesmerised and taken by your beautiful nature and wealth of experience.’ Ahlam Mirzai
‘I will always remember her calming nature and bright smile and will carry will me all that she has taught me, not only about our work but also about compassion, empathy and relating to others.’ Enisa Nura
‘Dorothy reached the hearts and minds of so many, and her legacy lives on.’ Nerma Biscevic
‘I loved the way you dressed and matched colours, from head to toe. I still see you in shades of purple and blue.’ Marie-Jose
‘I remember Dorothy's smile, her thoughtfulness and her warmth and loving manner of relating to others, indeed her gentle spirit which is with us and warms our days. I think of her helping hand that was always ready to aid as she could. Her gentle beautiful voice that was always raised in praise, and her wise and positive words; her thoughts left me memories that I am proud to own forever in my heart.’ Aida Alayarian
In Loving Memory of Eric
‘Before becoming a Patron of the Refugee Therapy Centre, Eric was a Trustee, and he played an important role in founding the centre two decades ago. His respect for humanity and commitment to equality and human rights meant he was committed to providing a safe space in which people can rediscover their abilities and rebuild their confidence to be active members of the community. Eric was able to see the positive in people and situations, and was good company. He could be full of fun - making jokes about cycling in busy London. He was also very kind; I recall his enthusiasm when he showed me the garden at his home in Hampstead, we remember him with respect and fondness.’ Aida Alayarian
In Loving Memory of John
‘John Denford, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst was worked in the NHS for most of his professional life; mainly in Cassel Hospital where he succeeded Dr Tom Main as Medical Director. He was influential in the training of psychiatric nurses and social workers. He for couple of years becomes Medical Director of the Medical Foundation for the care of Torture Victims, and become a Trustee of the Refugee Therapy Centre since its inception in 1999.
John was an amazingly safe and sound person to work with. He has special gift of making everyone at ease in his present. He of course was a brilliant therapist and supervisor, able to share with warmth. He was able to see both negative and positive in people and hoped for better in most difficult situations, always put more emphasis on positive. He will always remain unique and special in my heart and I am sure as well in heart of many. His kindness, his ability for empathy, his deep sense of responsibility and his commitments were wonderful quality that I learned and I hope I can keep. He cared deeply for his wife, his daughters and granddaughters that I have pleasures to meet and work with his beloved daughter Cathy Denford who made a film about the Centre’s work with destitute asylum seekers; and I also work with John’s granddaughter Jessica, another talented artist in the family. John also cared deeply for people less fortunate, for homeless, for asylum seekers and refugees, for black and other ethnic and sexual minorities who may have been marginalized due to the colour of their skin, their ethnicity, their class, their sexuality; the list can go on. I think of John helping hand that was always ready to aid as he could, and his unassuming positive words; his thoughts left memories that I am proud to own forever in my heart. John wrote a paper about journey of leaving home in 2004 Denford J. Going Away, for the Refugee Therapy Centre special addition of Self & Society, Vol. 32, No, 5, point towards people and their attachments to places.’ Aida Alayarian
In Loving Memory of Della
‘With a deep sense of sadness I heard of Della Clyne dead. Della was not personally become engaged with the Refugee Therapy Centre as we planned together so enthusiastically. But, without her initial financial support the Centre could not reached to the level is was at the time we lost her. She was a remarkable woman and become increasingly passionate to the human right with inquiring mind and possessed a tremendous and infectious eagerness for social justice and equality.
Della had a lively interest in politics and progressions for humanitarian disposition and said it was for her beloved son Jonathan and being keen to become familiar with his interest that she developed an interest in the capitalism and Marxist idea that opened up totally new horizons in life for her, quite different from her past.
Della and I both were so enthusiastic about her interest in the work at the Refugee Therapy Centre. She has funded great part of the funding for three years and promised, if the needs of such service will be stablished within three years, there will be no concerns for funding anymore. She was keen to take the fundraising and public relation responsibility of the RTC and while we were communicating to establish her role and setting up a suitable office space for her sadly she called one morning, saying she is not well with back pain and cannot come in that day. We arrange our meeting over the phone for the following week, which sadly never happened, within a very short period she was hospitalised with a progressed cancer and died in hospital.
Della Clyne, the amazing woman and a short lived friend wrote: “The Refugee Therapy Centre has developed and grown each year- this could only happen because of the dedication, energy and integrity of the outstanding people responsible for running it. Together with a dedicated team of professional therapists and the help of volunteers, the day to-day activities of the centre provide help to young asylum seekers and their families. In this caring and supportive environment, they are helped to adjust to a very different life in a new country. These children, young people and their families are victims, through no fault of their own, of war and brutality and through the work of the centre are given hope and professional help. There is nothing better than to be associated with an organisation that has the sensitivity and professional skills to provide help to those in need. I feel privileged to be a patron”.
It was with great sadness that I heard she passed away, I was not in the UK for funeral and only managed to send flower. It was a great loss for me personally and surely for the RTC as she no longer will be present to see the centre grow and was not present at the centre annual Open Day that she supposed to talk about her reasoning for becoming a Patron and support the centre financially. But, in her will she left money towards purchase of a space for the centre as well as so kindly left some of plants from her own dining room that resembled of the plants in my childhood dining room for our office. She will be missed and for sure she will always be present in my hearts and mind.
Our deepest condolences go to Debora, Noemi and Jonathan and all grandchildren that she loved dearly.’ Aida Alayarian