The Heads & Hearts Model
Providing clarity, structure & purpose for those attending & facilitating reflective practice groups
Reflective practice groups are in high demand as a way of improving practice, supporting staff wellbeing and developing compassionate cultures of care. Set-up and facilitation of groups require training and ongoing supervision which are not routinely available, and there is often confusion regarding the aims of reflective practice and how to approach the facilitation task.
The Heads and Hearts model was developed to address this. It is a comprehensive, evidence-based approach, providing structure, clarity and purpose to facilitators and those commissioning and participating in reflective practice groups. The dual aims of the model are whole-person learning and peer connection. Please see below for selected endorsements from Arabella Kurtz’s book describing the model, published by Routledge in 2020 (a second edition is coming out in April 2026).
Training in the Heads and Hearts model is available for those wanting to actively develop the provision of reflective practice in their services and organisations. The training consists of a two-day training by a year of supervised practice and is usually delivered to small groups, allowing plenty of opportunity for discussion.
We offer a full accreditation training in the Heads and Hearts model for those wanting to develop provision of reflective practice groups in their service or organisation.
Reflective practice groups are in high demand as a way of improving practice, supporting staff wellbeing and developing compassionate workplace cultures. Set-up and facilitation require training and supervision which are often not available, and there is sometimes confusion about the aims of reflective practice groups and how to run them successfully.
The Heads and Hearts model is comprehensive and evidence-based; it is fully described in Arabella Kurtz’s book ‘How to Run Reflective Practice Groups’, a second edition of which is coming out in April 2026. The model offers clarity, structure and purpose to facilitators and those commissioning and participating in groups. The dual aims of the model are whole-person learning about practice and peer connection.
Whole-person learning and peer connection
Engage Heads & Hearts: Make space for both feelings & sense-making
Make space for individuality: Attend to depth & detail of individual experiences & respect difference
Think outside the box: reconnect with intuitive wisdom & creative resources
Build trust and safety: encourage open & honest sharing
Strengthen peer connection: nurture group relationships and confidence
Make space for individuality: attend to depth & detail of individual experiences
Link with organizational support: involve service heads while keeping the safe space
Get the Reflective Practice Book
Arabella Kurtz has written a guide for healthcare professionals on how to run reflective practice groups. This is a great addition to your library with practical tips on introducing successful and effective reflective practice groups in your teams and organisation.
Available from a range of book stores.
Arabella Kurtz Introduces the Heads & Hearts Model
In this Video Blog, Arabella Kurtz provides a brief introduction to the Heads and Hearts model of reflective practice groups.
Accreditation in the Heads & Hearts Model
This one-year training is delivered by Arabella Kurtz, who developed the Heads and Hearts model, and a small group of colleagues with many years’ experience of running reflective practice groups. It starts with a two-day in person training in the what and the how of facilitating Heads and Hearts groups, followed by a year of supported practice. Training participants join small peer supervision groups, reconnect with trainers at fixed points across the year, and are each observed running a reflective practice group.
Please see below for endorsements from colleagues who have done the training and get in touch if you are considering this for yourself or your organisation
Endorsements for training in the Heads & Hearts model
"The Heads & Hearts model was really well explained. The section on group dynamics was so interesting and Arabella was able to explain complex concepts so accessibly."
"Thank you for the fabulous training and wraparound support and guidance!"
"I really liked how we could locate the framework within practice and seeing how this model aligns to what I'm already doing. It was helpful to hear about the evidence base and research too."
Endorsements for the 2nd edition of ‘How to Run Reflective Practice Groups: The Heads and Hearts Model for Healthcare Professionals'
“Arabella Kurtz’s book is a rich and compelling account of why and how reflective practice in groups can and must be implemented throughout health and care. Taking time out to reflect collectively on what we are trying to achieve, how we are going about it and what we need to change can seem like an optional diversion. It is not. Reflective practice is the royal road to innovation and improving care for those we serve.”
Michael West CBE
Senior Visiting Fellow,
The Kings Fund, London, UK
Prof. of Organizational Psychology,
Lancaster University, UK
“If services are to develop a culture of compassionate care then reflective practice should be integral and this book provides a model for how this could be achieved."
Tony Lavender
Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology
Canterbury Christ Church University, UK
“With communities of reflective practice emerging across the United Kingdom and Australia, Dr Kurtz’s updated book arrives at a pivotal time. This edition provides a detailed exploration of group dynamics and the facilitator role, as well as developments such as the post-pandemic rise of the online medium and the use of reflective practice groups as brief interventions. There is also a summary of the growing evidence pointing towards their restorative and formative benefits.”
Chris Dawber,
Reflective Practice Group Consultancy
Mental Health Nurse and Psychotherapist, Queensland, Australia