Understanding Chemsex, Trauma and Healing: Training for Clinicians Supporting LGBTQ+ Clients

Following the success of their Hazell Forums Summit 2026 workshop, Simon Marks and Bethany Ashley Smith and Jimmy Hutton return for a deeper exploration of chemsex, trauma and recovery.

This immersive one-day training day will examine the complex relationship between chemsex, identity, shame, trauma, sexuality and belonging. Drawing on clinical expertise, lived experience and current research, Simon and Bethany will explore why chemsex occurs, the impact it can have on individuals and communities, and what meaningful recovery can look like.

Attendees will:

• Gain a deeper understanding of chemsex and its drivers.
• Explore the links between trauma, shame, minority stress and substance use.
• Consider the impact on mental health, relationships and sexual wellbeing.
• Develop greater confidence in supporting individuals affected by chemsex.
• Learn practical approaches to recovery, relapse prevention and healing.

Suitable for therapists, counsellors, psychologists, addiction professionals, healthcare practitioners and anyone working with LGBTQ+ communities.

Bio: Beth Ashley-Smith is a psychotherapist and registered mental health nurse with over 20 years’ experience across NHS and private healthcare services. She specialises in working with ADHD, trauma and addictions, drawing on a background in mental health nursing, addictions therapy, EMDR and ADHD management. Beth also specialise in clinical sexology, extending her therapeutic skills into the relational, emotional and sexual aspects of wellbeing.

Beth runs a private practice where she works holistically with individuals experiencing ADHD, trauma, addictions and related difficulties. Her combined medical and therapeutic training enables her to consider both the psychological and biological aspects of mental health, helping clients manage risk, reduce shame and loneliness and move towards recovery. Where appropriate, she works collaboratively with a wider network of specialists to ensure clients receive the most appropriate medical or therapeutic support.

Bio: Simon London based therapist in private practice, specialising in addiction, chemsex and healing relational trauma in gay men.

He is a qualified dramatherapist with additional training in the Post Induction Therapy (PIT) model developed by Pia Mellody, which addresses the developmental and relational trauma often underlying codependence and addiction. His clinical work also draws on Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt based inner child work, and experiential group therapy to support men in building healthier relationships with themselves and others. He runs trauma healing workshops and weekend retreats for gay men based on the PIT framework.

Simon strongly believes that process-oriented group work can offer powerful opportunities for gay men to feel seen, validated, empowered, and understood through shared experience and identification with others. He runs the ‘Friday Night Group’, a free monthly community wellbeing and discussion group for gay men that encourages connection, reflection, and mutual support outside traditional therapy settings.

Simon offers workshops and training, including LGBTQ+ Mental Health, Chemsex Recovery, and Healing Childhood Trauma. He is himself in long term recovery and is approaching nineteen years sober from alcohol and drugs, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to his work.

Bio: Jimmy Hutton brings lived experience of chemsex, addiction and long-term recovery alongside his developing professional practice in counselling and peer support.
Jimmy is currently studying for a BSc in Counselling and volunteers with Antidote, London Friend’s specialist drug and alcohol service, where he supports people experiencing issues around substance use and chemsex. He is also actively involved in the recovery community and helps facilitate the Friday Night Group, a free community wellbeing and discussion group founded by Simon.
Having experienced the Post Induction Therapy (PIT) model personally as part of his own therapeutic journey, James has subsequently shadowed PIT-based workshops, giving him experience of the model from both a participant and workshop perspective.
James is passionate about bringing lived experience into conversations around chemsex, addiction and recovery in a way that is honest, compassionate and grounded in real-world experience. As he develops his therapeutic practice, he is particularly interested in the relationship between trauma, shame, connection and addiction, and in helping create spaces where people can speak openly about experiences that are often difficult to discuss.