Dr Yvon Guest
Online and Telephone Counselling & Resilience Work
Mixed Race Therapy Expert | Resilience Specialist | PhD, BSc, MBACP
Welcome. My name is Dr Yvon Guest, and I offer specialist counselling and resilience work from Bristol through online and telephone sessions, supporting individuals, couples, and professionals navigating trauma, identity, and complex emotional landscapes. With over two decades of experience, my approach integrates academic research, lived experience, and therapeutic practice.
A Life Dedicated to Supporting the Marginalised
My work began in the voluntary sector, supporting some of society’s most marginalised groups. I later trained with Relate, working with couples and individuals, and went on to earn a PhD in trauma and resilience among care-experienced adults. I’ve also taught at university level and continue to advocate for inclusive and intersectional therapeutic approaches.
Since 2019, I’ve led national conversations on supporting clients of mixed and multiracial heritage. My practice is enriched by creating multimedia resources that explore the psychological impact of racism and colourism, particularly for those with ancestry in the former British Empire.
About Me
Outside my counselling work, I enjoy long walks, creating art, cooking, and spending time with loved ones. I am a registered member of:
My Qualifications
A Relational and Intersectional Perspective
In sessions, I focus on the relationship we have with ourselves, and the relationship between us and our social environments—which is where resilience is truly forged. This approach challenges the limitations of more traditional therapy models that can overlook the deep wounds caused by discrimination and social injustice.
Understanding Resilience
We are all resilient—yet we don’t always recognise it. Many coping strategies that helped us survive past adversity can become obstacles to healing. I support clients in moving beyond survival to build sustainable, meaningful resilience.
Together, we explore new ways of responding to life’s challenges, so that even in difficult times, clients can learn to notice and celebrate moments of joy and connection.
The Mixed-Race Experience
Clients often come to therapy when their sense of identity or belonging is under threat. Some feel forced to suppress parts of themselves to “fit in” with family, community, or society. For those of mixed or multiracial heritage, this can mean carrying unresolved grief, shame, and guilt stemming from rejection or lack of recognition.
My therapeutic approach validates these experiences, and I offer a space where clients can tell their stories—because everyone deserves to be heard.
Growing up in predominantly white environments, many clients have experienced racism, microaggressions, and invalidation of their identities. Recovery takes time. But through therapy, clients can build confidence, reclaim parts of themselves, and begin to challenge interactions that deny their whole identity.
Together, we honour your heritage without allowing it to become a burden.
Who I Work With
I offer individual, couple, and group counselling as well as clinical supervision for therapists, counsellors, and those in the caring professions. I work with clients experiencing:
Complex/intersectional identities
Identity discrimination
Colourism and racism
Loss and bereavement
Separation from birth family
Relationship and parenting challenges
Being raised outside their racial/cultural heritage
Getting Started
Let’s explore how online and telephone counselling and resilience work from Bristol can support you in navigating life’s complexities and reconnecting with your strength.
I offer a free 30-minute consultation session (via telephone or Zoom) to explore your needs and ensure we’re a good fit.
- Sessions are 50 minutes long
- I work online (via Zoom) and by telephone
- Available Tuesday to Friday (weekly and fortnightly)
- Individual counselling: £80–£120 per session, on a sliding scale (you choose what’s affordable)
- Couples counselling: £100 per session
*all fields required
Educational Resources & Publications
Colourism on the Couch
Colourism is discrimination against individuals based on the shade of their skin. By combining stories from my practice, with my art work, I have brought to life the experience of colourism for people whose ancestry originates in the former British Empire. I created a photo essay in collaboration with Tony T and Rebecca Goldstone #SweetPatootee.
To go to Colourism on the Couch click here.
A psychosocial exploration of the lifelong impact of being in care as a child and resilience over a life span.
Research methods combined a life span approach to explore the lived experience pre-care, in-care and post-care, in combination with a grounded theory approach to integrate the participants’ constructions of their resilience with the data.
To read my doctoral thesis click here.
Negotiating the Faustian pact: A psycho-social approach to working with mixed-race people.
In my chapter for the book Black Identities White Therapies - I wrote about working with mixed race clients who are navigating a binary world, how complex this is, and what might be supportive.
To read the book click here.
Between black and white
Using my lived experience of being a mixed-race woman and the history and politics of racism, to show there is a whole world that lies between black and white – a world where identities and interactions between and within racial groups are more nuanced.
To read my journal article click here.
Navigating mixedness in therapy
This article is about my work with mixed race people who have grown up in predominantly white areas.
To read my article in the Mixed Museum click here.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Your privacy is paramount. I follow professional and ethical guidelines, including:
Secure storage of all personal information
No disclosure of personal details in supervision
Discreet handling of communication preferences
Right to request deletion or amendment of personal information at any time