Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT)

🗣️ Honouring our ancestors and envisioning our future 🗣️ Reflecting on 50 years of systemic practice, research and innovation in the UK family therapy community We are delighted to announce the theme of our 2025 Annual Conference which will be held at the Metropole Hotel in Brighton on 25 & 26 September. In-person and virtual tickets will be on sale next year. It will be a chance to come together and celebrate 50 years of AFT, but more importantly to reflect on the journey that we have made as a community, the legacy we are creating, and what it can teach us as we move forward together. You can play your part by submitting an application to run a workshop. We want to hear about your work – whether focused on research or practice - and how you will present that to our delegates. Apply by 28 February 2025 here: https://lnkd.in/evjjsgHX #WeAreAFT #AFTConf25 #systemicpractice #familytherapy #psychotherapy

The latest Context magazine is out now and members should receive their copy this week. The issue theme is 'Parenting advice and systemic ideas' (building on an issue of the same theme in October 2023) and the guest editors Pete Brown and Miriam Chachamu focus on how systemic and parenting ideas can be integrated into a psycho-educational approach to family work. It includes some fascinating articles and we are grateful to the editors and all contributors - including Linda Hoggan, CARMEN KANE, Sair (Sarah) Penna, Sara Thomas, Paul Hackett, Sally Fraser, Orla Jordan, Barbara Babcock, Joanna Latham, Gary Robinson, charlotte jaggar, Jola Dojic, Eleanor Osman, Justin Woodward-Court, Caroline Waugh, Tonia Forster, Stephen Harrison, Professor Hannah Sherbersky, Parveen Kaur and Sarah Helps. You can join some of the contributors at a discussion group via Zoom on Tuesday 14th January 7-8pm. DM us with your email address to receive joining instructions. Additional copies can be ordered at https://lnkd.in/dmRTcsWM. #psychotherapy #familytherapy #systemicpractice

🌟 Great News for Family Therapy Professionals! 🌟 Join us for these two insightful webinars designed to enhance your knowledge and professional development while earning CPD credits! 📌 Practical Recommendations for Trainees, Supervisors, and Trainers 🗓 Thursday, 16 January 2025 | 🕚 11:00am - 12:30pm  🎤 Presenter: Dr. Ged Smith  Gain practical tips from Dr. Smith's extensive experience to elevate your therapeutic skills, applicable to all levels! 📌 Person of the Therapist: An Ethical Framework for Effective Engagement 🗓 Date: Monday, 27 January 2025 | 🕕 6:00pm - 7:30pm  🎤 Presenter: Dr. Anthony Pennant, LMFT, PhD, CST  Explore the "Person of the Therapist" framework to enhance client safety and accountability through self-awareness. Don’t miss the chance to enhance your skills and earn CPD credits! 👉 Click here to register and secure your place! https://lnkd.in/e3tj3fDi #FamilyTherapy  #SystemicPsychotherapy  #Webinars2025   #ProfessionalDevelopment  #CPDCredits  #TherapistTraining   #MentalHealthProfessionals  #ContinuingEducation  #TherapySkills   #Networking  #MentalHealthAwareness  #ClinicalPractice  

📢 SAVE THE DATE - AFT ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2025 📢 Next year will be a special one for our community as we celebrate our 50th birthday as an association. That's five whole decades championing the ideas and practice of family and systemic psychotherapy and supporting the development of our profession and community. Our annual conference will be on 25th and 26th September in the beautiful seaside city of Brighton and will once again be hybrid with both in-person and online tickets available. Our chief executive Professor Hannah Sherbersky recently visited Brighton for a site visit with John from Mint Events Ltd to ensure we offer you the very best conference experience. We invite you to hold the dates in your diary and think about whether you wish to submit a workshop proposal. The submission form will be available in the next few weeks and we look forward to hearing your ideas and proposals. Join us on this exciting journey into 2025 and our next 50 years as we bring together the AFT community in dialogue, learning and celebration! #familytherapy #systemicpractice #psychotherapy

A couple of reminders for our members if you have a few minutes over the weekend… 📚 The closing date to complete our short survey on the review of our training standards for family and systemic psychotherapy is Sunday 1st December. It will inform the review and you can also express an interest in taking part in a discussion group. https://lnkd.in/e8UaznKt 🗓️ Next Wednesday (4th December) is our meeting on working privately as a psychotherapist. We are keen to know what support you need in this area. Register to attend and complete a short survey here: https://lnkd.in/eqvUFz2e #haveyoursay #familytherapy #psychotherapy

Are you an AFT member who works privately as a psychotherapist, either full time or alongside an employed role? We are holding an open meeting for all interested members to discuss what support you would like from AFT in relation to your private practice, including training, networking and services. We have put together a short form to capture your feedback and register your interest in attending the meeting at 6:30pm UK time on 4th December - click here: https://lnkd.in/eGZpsFar Even if you can't attend we would welcome your input to help us shape this important area of our work. #WeAreAFT #privatepractice #familytherapy #psychotherapy #systemicpractice

For the attention of all family therapy students and trainees 👇

Check out this Journal of Family Therapy article by Alan Carr which is a 25th anniversary review updates previous similar papers published in JFT in 2000, 2009, 2014 and 2019. It presents evidence from meta-analyses and systematic reviews for the effectiveness of systemic interventions for families of young people with common mental and physical health problems and other difficulties where children are the primary focus of concern. It concludes: "There is now a substantial evidence base supporting the effectiveness of systemic interventions either alone or as part of multimodal programmes for infant mental health and sleep and feeding problems in infancy; recovery from child abuse and neglect; externalising and internalising problems; eating disorders; somatic problems; and psychosis."

🌟 Don’t miss this engaging webinar, "Family therapy and physical health - some key approaches, methods and theories for use in all clinical settings," happening next week on Thursday, November 21st at 1 PM via Zoom! 🌟 📅 Reserve your place today and earn CPD credits while you learn. Join Prof Liz Forbat, acting Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling and Sam Petrie, family therapist and systemic supervisor working at Maggie’s Edinburgh as they discuss some key approaches for use in all clinical settings. 👉 Click here to register and secure your place!https://lnkd.in/eZAM7VRX

🌟 Don’t miss our thought-provoking webinar, "Is There a War Over Gender? A Feminist Perspective on History, Theory, and Activism," happening next week on Wednesday, November 6th at 6 PM via Zoom! 🌟 Join Finn Mackay, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Bristol University, as they explore the intricate dynamics of gender. 📅 Reserve your place today and earn CPD credits while you learn. 👉 Click here to register and secure your place! https://lnkd.in/e2XaBq9c