We met on a year-long diploma in GSRD Relationship Therapy with Pink Therapy in 2014.
We were drawn together for shared laughs, political passions and conversations about all things GSRD (gender, sexual and relationship diverse). Our paths to becoming relationship therapists were different, as were the ways we lived our own GSRD, which made our conversations rich and interesting.
Fast forward to 2022 and we began delivering the online module on GSRD relationships for Dominic Davis, the CEO of Pink Therapy. During this time we began imagining (aka plotting) a course where we could go into greater depth about one aspect of GSRD relationships: open relationships and polyamory. That’s how Opening Up CPD was born.
We spent hours discussing what we wanted for the course, who we wanted to engage with and why. We talked through our fears and hopes about delivering the course. Where it touched on our vulnerabilities and what we felt might call to our strengths.
We created Opening Up to be as accessible as possible, offering both an online and an in-person residential option. For the residential module, we chose Manchester—not only to challenge the London-centric nature of therapy CPD, but also to make the training more accessible to therapists based in the North. (And yes, it helped that Alex lives nearby!)
HOW WE MET
Alex sourced the venue for the in-person module, and it’s a total gem -Whitworth Locke, right in the heart of Manchester, near the vibrant Canal Street. We highly recommend it for anyone planning a visit to the city.
Another important location for us was The Proud Trust. We are happy for our money to support this wonderful LGBTQIA+ charity rather than a corporate business.
We feel incredibly lucky to have been joined by such a phenomenal group of therapists and psychologists for our inaugural 2024 course. And now, our 2025 cohort is continuing to shape and enrich the journey - bringing curiosity, intelligence, openness (they really took our course title to heart), and humour. The conversations have been thoughtful, the challenges constructive, the perspectives diverse, and the energy contagious.
Our online participants also brought deep engagement and created meaningful connections across screens. We’ve watched rich bonds form between members, despite geographical distance.
We’re becoming a growing community of therapists, psychologists, and coaches committed to working with clients in open and polyamorous relationships - with integrity, insight, and heart.