Continuous Professional Development (CPD) at Our Cafes
When we were designing the cafes/salons, we found that, actually, the facilitated sharing round includes numerous skills pertinent to our profession, such as empathic listening and practicing ‘relational depth’. The presentation aspect, of course, draws on our areas of expertise and hones our presentation- and feedback-skills.
So, we thought, why not make it so we can use this part for formal CPD?
Most of our professional CPD takes the same format: an expert talk followed by Q&A, and perhaps some interactive exercise. This is great, but, if consumed exclusively, can feel a bit passive. We thought: perhaps we can contribute a CPD alternative, practicing ‘relational depth’ – as, after training, we rarely have the chance to practice this with each other.
The presentation slot is an opportunity for colleagues to contribute their knowledge and practice their presentation skills, for conferences, investment pitches, or perhaps a classic ‘CPD talk’ they might want to offer in the future.
So, we set out to design a meeting structure, content-criteria and learning outcomes that would fulfill the CPD requirements of our accrediting bodies.
Each meeting fulfills the requirements of 1.5 hours of CPD acceptable to our main accrediting bodies (UKCP, BACP, HCPC etc). For CPD Evidence and the Certificate, here is a breakdown of structure and learning outcomes – this is one example of a format, but the Cafes will vary slightly depending on what members requirements.
What are Therapists Cafes?
Therapists Cafes are small-group, confidential gatherings designed to support professional development through genuine dialogue, relational presence, and collaborative learning.
Each session is structured to balance open exploration with practice-based development, offering space for therapists to both reflect and express themselves—considerately, creatively, and courageously.
Session Types
Some circles will be open-themed (e.g. psychodynamic therapists sharing current reflections); others will be topic-specific (e.g. the EDI/TADF Cafe or the Analytic Film Discussion Group’).
You’re welcome to attend and contribute as much as you want to – there is no obligation to speak or present.
The Format – One Example
Meetings vary slightly depending on topic, one but one core format is this (currently used in the Psychoanalysis Cafe and the Humanistic/Integrative Cafe). Reflective spaces are made up of ca 5-7 participants per group – i.e. a bigger evening groups will be split into smaller reflective spaces for the duration of the exercise (one hour).
- Reflective Space with equal time (30mins): The first round of the reflective space is an equal sharing round – there is a sand-clock of five minutes, and everyone gets the same five minutes to speak – these are your own five minutes, to fill as you like, with things you would like to share with the group, about your current personal or professional process. Philosophy behind it: social groups create competition for space, and space is not distributed evenly – some people take more space than others. This is true for our original family group, and for all other societal groups after that. Sometimes space is given up willingly, at other times it is taken forcefully. Much of our profession deals with this issue and resulting (power-)dynamics. This exercise is an equalizer: everyone gets the same amount of space. The space is also limited, with a beginning and an end – like our life – and every moment in it – the time passing is visible with the sand running in the hour glass. This is a symbol of the 5-min space: we are the creators of how we fill our own 5 minutes – we have agency within preciously limited time. The invitation is to think: what do I really WANT from this meeting/space? What is my desire? And to use the 5 mins accordingly.
- Shared Resonance/ meeting at relational depth: The second round (also 30 mins), after everyone has had their 5 mins, is a time of shared resonance. The competition for space is back – participants are invited to freely resonate with what has been heard before, and respond with empathic resonance. The task is to stay emotionally attuned – to empathise with what has been heard – perhaps find similarities – but also to stay separate – perhaps express a difference – or bring another theme. This can be hard for therapists, as the temptation can be to merge, or to ‘rescue’, or to ‘therapise’, or to argue – the task is specifically NOT to do that but to stay present in resonance.
- We then conclude the reflective round and stay a minute in silence to contemplate what has passed.
We then return to the bigger group, ground each other there, and then enjoy the open networking part of the evening, where we talk with colleagues who interest us, over coffee and cake.
The reflective space is deliberately held as a very boundaried space – an hour, perhaps an hour ten minutes – less is more. It is a great opportunity to experience shared process – the experience of being a therapist. It can also be anxiety-provoking – to be truly seen, by colleagues who can see – and, of course, to have our various object-relations triggered at various moments.
Other meetings can be more like Salons – like the business-skills meetings, or Cafes planned on specific topics. There, a colleague presents something they are working on, and seeks feedback and input from other colleagues. This will be clearly marked on the event descriptions.
Why This?
Many therapists are brilliant at what they do, but struggle with:
- Speaking confidently in groups (the weird group-process module during training surely didn’t help??)
- Sharing ideas or projects publicly
- Engaging in professional spaces without burnout or performance anxiety
Therapists Cafes are designed to change that.
These are spaces where every voice is valued, and relational safety is the foundation for professional growth.
We believe CPD should be participatory, relational, and nourishing—not performative, competitive, or draining.
🎓 CPD Outcomes
Participants will develop:
- Relational depth and presence in peer engagement
- Confidence in public speaking and presentation
- Self-reflexivity and emotional literacy
- Collaborative and interdisciplinary thinking
- Feedback and listening skills
- A deeper sense of professional identity and belonging