Reflective Practice

What is reflective practice?  

Reflective practice provides a space for individual professionals to explore and reflect upon aspects of their role, their work environment and their professional practice. The aim is to enhance learning, problem-solving, and personal and professional development.  

What are the benefits of reflective practice?  

First and foremost, reflective practice fosters self-awareness. It encourages individuals to explore their experiences within the workplace and of their role in a structured and supportive group environment. Reflective practice is strengths based and solution focused. By supporting staff to reflect on their experiences within the workplace and of their roles we enable them to identify and learn how to play to their strengths. We also support them to identify solutions to difficulties, or alternative ways of approaching a similar situation in the future. This heightened self-awareness contributes to personal and professional development, and can also lead to a greater sense of team cohesion.  

Additionally, reflective practice enhances critical thinking skills. It allows professionals to dissect complex situations, assess alternative approaches, and make more informed decisions. This capacity for critical thinking is invaluable in fields where practitioners encounter intricate, complex and highly emotive scenarios. 

In summary, reflective practice is a powerful tool for professional development, self-improvement, and enhanced service delivery. It supports self-awareness, continuous learning, critical thinking, and ultimately leads to better outcomes for both practitioners and those they serve.

Who can benefit from reflective practice?  

Professionals of all disciplines, that work in teams, can benefit from reflective practice. We know that reflective practice is particularly beneficial to professionals working in caring professions, such as education and healthcare sectors and other settings that encounter high levels of emotional distress and pressure.  

To get the most out of the space we recommend that it is offered on a regular basis (ideally twice per month). However, it can also be utilized on an ad hoc basis and as a way of providing additional support to staff in response to particularly challenging circumstances or periods of time within a team or organization.