How the Cafes work
The aim of our cafes is to create warm and friendly meeting spaces where we can meet likeminded colleagues in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. We take inspiration from the traditions of the intellectual salon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salon_(gathering) and the initiative of Death Cafe https://deathcafe.com/ – an international movement of Salons encouraging conversations about death, founded in existential philosophy. We are also inspired by The Political Mind Series hosted by the Institute of Psychoanalysis https://psychoanalysis.org.uk/civicrm-event/1989
The core concept is this: our training has equipped us with exceptionally sophisticated skills in the art of relating – which, professionally, we use to hold other people. This is a space where we turn these skills towards ourselves – to meet and support each other at ‘relational depth’. It is about allowing ourselves to be truly seen, by people who share the same frame of reference, so we can feel understood and less isolated.
In keeping with the above traditions, there is a part to the Cafe meetings that is a sharing round, or reflective space, which is carefully facilitated, using participatory methods such as the Art of Hosting (AoH). The aim is to allow colleagues to share their thoughts and feelings and to resonate with each other empathically and respond thoughtfully – without the need to ‘fix’ anything, wanting to ‘win an argument’ or force a point of view, and without having an agenda to ‘sell anything’. In some meetings, there can then also be a ‘presentation slot’ for one colleague to present a topic/project they are working on – more typical ‘Salon style’.
After that there is time for informal socialising with coffee and snacks, for colleagues to deepen their connections and network.
You are invited to come as you are – no special preparations needed. The emphasis is on this being an informal, relaxed gathering – you can speak as much or as little as you wish to.
The Cafe meetings are conceptualised as a deliberate political act of community-building: in times of increasing societal polarization, fragmentation and, frankly, narcissism, the Cafe-model cultivates an intentional coming-together to give each other our full focus and attention for the hour of the reflective space – no phones, no distractions – plenty of silence, if participants choose it – and staying with thoughts, feelings and inner movement, without changing anything, acting it out, or leaving. Thus, a deep sense of relational depth and community can be experienced with strangers of the same profession in the hour of the meeting.
Some cafes will be open themed, such as the pluralistic therapists cafe for colleagues of all orientations. Others will be themed or aimed at particular orientations, such as the Psychoanalysis Cafe for colleagues of psychoanalytic/-dynamic orientations, the (screen)writing/discussion group, climate cafe, or the therapists and contemplative practice group.
We are planning to operate like a ‘social franchise’ – this means, colleagues will be able to design their own cafes and salons, and will be able to advertise them on this page.
All groups are for registered therapists only. This is to ensure we create boundaried, confidential spaces where we can talk among colleagues. This means we will ask that you kindly provide your accrediting body registration number or training institution if still in training, prior to booking.
Our ticket platform is Humanitix, an ethical non-profit ticket platform.