MA Systemic Psychotherapy (M6)
The UK’s first family therapy training course run annually since 1975.
Who is this course for?
Course outline
Academic award
Why study with us?
Assessment
Attendance
Duration
Entry requirements
Fee
Start date
Closing date for applications
What students say about this course
Tutor biography
How to apply
Who is this course for?
Professionals with experience of working systemically with families and individuals, or those who want to qualify as systemic/family psychotherapists and systemic teachers.
Course Outline
The course consists of the following elements over two years:
- Theoretical Lectures and Seminars: They consider and extend your understanding of theoretical concepts in the systemic psychotherapy field
- Clinical and Personal/Professional Development (PPD): Clinical work should train you to adopt a range of therapeutic approaches using systemic principles with individuals, couples and families. This explores PPD by focusing on the role of the therapist and how personal development and different environments impact therapeutic work
- Research Teaching: Research is an increasingly valued aspect of systemic work. The aim of the research seminars is to help trainees develop a research ‘frame of mind’
- Teaching Practice: Trainees are expected to provide a teaching programme of systemic concepts to external agencies for other professionals in systemic thinking and practice in the second year
- Tutorial groups: Each trainee is assigned to a clinical supervision group which meets up to five hours per week over four terms
- Mentors: All course members are allocated an individual tutor in addition to tutorial groups. The aim is to support the trainee in all aspects of their course learning and to review any issues they encounter
Academic award
Upon successful completion of this course you will be awarded a qualification as a family/systemic therapist and is accredited by the Association of Family Therapy and the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy.
You will be eligible for membership of the Tavistock Society of Psychotherapists, Systemic Family Psychotherapist Division.
Why study with us?
This course will:
- Provide you with a professional qualification which enables you to register with UKCP
- Develop your clinical skills as a family therapist
- Enable you to understand your agency context and learn consultation skills
- Provide you with the opportunity to design and deliver an access course in systemic thinking and practice
Assessment
Written assignments, clinical assessment (where relevant), and a dissertation. There are no written examinations.
Attendance
Weekly clinical supervision groups; two whole days per month and a weekend residential at the end of the first year.
Duration
Two years, part time followed by the submission of a dissertation
Entry requirements
You must hold a professional qualification in social work, psychology, psychiatry, psychotherapy, nursing or an affiliated discipline and an honours degree.
You should have completed or have had the equivalent of an intermediate level systems/family therapy training and be working with families in a therapeutic setting by the time you start studying.
You should also be employed or placed in a work setting which enables you to practice systemic psychotherapy while attending the course for at least 100 hours annually
A short essay of 1,500 words. a discussion of one of the following subjects.
1) Shame; 2) Power; 3) Responsibility; 4) Risk; 5) Protection; 6) Resilience. You may venture as widely as you wish or stay close to the subject of therapy in your deliberations, but aim to include personal reflections and any systemic ideas that you connect to the theme.
APEL - Advanced Prior Experiential Learning
Applications will be considered from those people whose training and education do not meet the UK requirements specified above if a portfolio is submitted with the following:
1. CV that demonstrates that applicant meets equivalence of AFT Foundation and Intermediate level training requirements
2. An essay of no more than 3,500 words discussing and critiquing a systemic model or theory with illustrations from cases
3. A case study of a piece of work undertaken by the applicant of no more than 2,000 words, to include the context of the work, an analysis of the work including hypotheses, a genogram and person professional development issues
Fee
Year 1 - £4700
Year 2 - £4700 (excludes the cost of dissertation submission)
Start date
September 2013
Closing date for applications
Applications for the course are now closed.
Interviews will take place from 3rd June 2013.
What students say about this course
“I have been really impressed by the variety and scope of the teaching.”
"I don't think I have ever felt so enthusiastic about studying.”
“I have been struck at how well chosen the reading has been.”
"I think the combination of large and small groups, lectures, discussions and role-play is really well balanced.”
Tutor biography
Yvonne Ayo is a systemic supervisor and has run a number of supervision groups including the Masters programme.
Since qualifying as a family therapist Yvonne has worked in the voluntary sector with families whose children were excluded from school and in child and adolescent mental health services in London. She has a particular interest in community based work and is based at a secondary school in Camden and in her clinical work she has developed a specialist interest in mixed heritage families. Keen on research Yvonne has co-ordinated a project evaluating families use of support projects in Camden and has also explored with clinicians the extent to which therapists consider the mixed ethnicities of their clients. More recently, Yvonne has embarked upon the systemic doctoral programme where she is exploring the maintenance or negotiation of cultural heritages of mixed race children in stepfamilies of mixed ethnicities.
Publications Include
- Addressing Issues of Race and Culture in Mirrors and Reflection. Processes in Systemic Supervision (eds) Burck, C. and Daniel, G. Karnac. London. 2010.
- The Role of a Child in Adolescent and Mental Health Services with a Looked After Children in Engaging with Complexity . (2011) (eds.) Randell, S. Nashat, S. and Harris, R. Karnace. London.
- Working with clients of mixed heritages in ‘Race’ and Culture: Tools, Techniques and Training: A manual for professionals. (2010) (eds,) Singh, R. and Dutta, S.
How to apply
Applications for the course are now closed.
