This online event explores the theme of rest within higher education and working with students. In a culture dominated by speed, productivity, and constant engagement, rest can be difficult to claim, tolerate, or even recognise as valuable. 

Through three linked presentations and a panel discussion, the event considers rest as something that may be experienced as threatening, challenging, or deeply restorative. Speakers will reflect on how cultural expectations, institutional pressures, and professional roles shape attitudes to rest for both students and Counsellors. 

The session invites delegates to think about containment, boundaries, and pace, and how these influence the ways students engage with challenge, uncertainty, and transition. Rather than focusing on fixing or resolving difficulties, the event creates space to reflect on how holding, pausing, and allowing recovery can support growth, learning, and sustainability. 

This reflective and discussion-based event is designed to support professionals working with students to step back, consider how to create rest in the work, think differently, and reconnect with practices that promote thoughtful, and sustainable ways of working within higher education.

Event aims 

The main aims of this event are to:

  • offer a reflective space to think about rest when working with students 
  • explore cultural attitudes to rest, productivity, and pressure in higher education 
  • support counsellors and psychotherapists to consider containment, boundaries, and limits 
  • encourage thoughtful, sustainable approaches to supporting students 
  • facilitate dialogue and connection between professionals working in HE contexts 

Learning outcomes

By attending this event, delegates will learn to: 

  • develop a deeper understanding of rest as a cultural and psychological concept
  • explore how rest is shaped by contemporary expectations, pace, and performance culture in higher education
  • reflect on rest as something that can feel threatening or difficult
  • consider why rest can be resisted or avoided by students, counsellors/psychotherapists and institutions
  • examine the role of containment, boundaries, and discomfort in professional practice 
  • explore restorative approaches to working with students
  • gain ideas for supporting rest, recovery, and reflection within everyday professional practice
  • support sustainable professional practice
  • reflect on how attending to rest benefits not only students but also counsellors and longevity in the role

Programme

The event will begin at 9.30am and finish at around 1pm

The programme will be available soon 

Key information

This event will take place on Thursday 04 June 2026.

After booking you'll receive a confirmation email. Full joining instructions will be sent out nearer the event date. 

Your booking includes:

  • approximately three hours of CPD presentations 
  • CPD certificate to download 
  • selected presentation slides 
  • access to the on-demand service where you can catch up on the recordings from Thursday 04 June 2026 to Thursday 27 August 2026
  • opportunities to network with other attendees through the chatroom 

Accessibility

The event livestream is available with AI subtitles.

The on-demand service will be subtitled and/or transcribed through a review process to ensure accuracy. 

For a full list of events EDI and accessibility commitment please visit our website

Event sponsorship 

For more information on sponsoring this event and other opportunities, please visit our website