COSRT’s Winter Conference 2025 brought together leading voices in psychosexual and relationship therapies to reflect on where the field stands today — and where it needs to go next.
Across the day, speakers explored how contemporary therapeutic practice is shaped by rapidly changing social, cultural, relational and technological contexts. From global instability and social polarisation to evolving relationship structures and digital delivery, the conference offered a rich and thoughtful snapshot of relationship therapy in 2025.
Key themes from the day
Context matters.
Opening the conference, Dr Reenee Singh situated therapeutic work within wider social and political realities, highlighting how migration, inequality, and power dynamics inevitably show up in the therapy room. She emphasised the importance of depth, curiosity and ethical awareness at a time when services are increasingly brief, outcome-driven and digitised.
Rethinking relationships.
Professor Hannah Sherbersky challenged traditional assumptions about couple and family life, exploring the diversity of contemporary relationship forms — including non-monogamy, chosen families and digitally mediated intimacy. Her session encouraged therapists to reflect critically on their own assumptions and to approach all relational configurations with flexibility, cultural awareness and curiosity.
Identity, power and difference.
Dr Dwight Turner offered a psychologically rich exploration of how race, gender, class, sexuality and other aspects of identity shape both clients’ internal worlds and the therapeutic relationship itself. A strong emphasis was placed on therapist reflexivity and the ethical responsibility to engage thoughtfully with discomfort, difference and power.
Working with conflict and risk.
Dr Damian McCann focused on the growing intensity of conflict seen in couple work, linking this to attachment histories, trauma and broader social pressures. His contribution highlighted the importance of careful assessment, ethical boundaries and practitioner support when working with high-conflict or high-risk presentations.
Technology and the future of practice.
Professor Terry Hanley explored how online therapy, digital communication and emerging technologies — including AI — are reshaping therapeutic work. Rather than offering simple answers, he invited ongoing ethical reflection about presence, boundaries, confidentiality and professional identity in digitally mediated spaces.
Looking ahead
The plenary discussion brought speakers and delegates together to reflect on the future of the profession, with strong engagement around inclusivity, training, regulation and how therapists can adapt to change without losing depth or ethical clarity.
To purchase the recording, please follow this link: What is Relationship Therapy in 2025 | COSRTlearn