Family Therapy Foundations

“One doesn’t have to be a Family Therapist to do great family work.”

The Bouverie Centre is an icon for quality systemic practice and teaching. Our Family Therapy Foundations course will introduce you to the world of family therapy and provide solid grounding for aspiring family therapists and allied health professionals alike, who contribute to consumer care.

OVERVIEW OF FAMILY THERAPY FOUNDATIONS COURSE

This 14-hour online course (see below for other training options) reflects the collective experience of family therapists, researchers, trainers and academics at The Bouverie Centre. It brings to life:

• the history of family therapy and systemic thinking, and its enormous impact on the treatment of mental health problems
• the Bouverie Centre’s vision and the means for offering greater access to family therapy
• tools that family therapists use to prepare and conduct family sessions
• a framework for recognising and responding to transgenerational trauma
• practical insights into the different frameworks that enable family therapists and families together to spot and change the patterns that hold them back from healing and growth.

At the heart of the course are two enacted family therapy sessions. These bring you into the lived experience of the family therapist as they reflect with the family and apply theory to method, to enable change. In addition, there are reflective exercises throughout to further enhance learning.

WHO IS FAMILY THERAPY FOUNDATIONS FOR?

Professionals interested in better understanding family therapy and systemic thinking and their applications to enhance outcomes for individuals and families’ wellbeing. This includes health care and allied health practitioners, supervisors, and managers from a diversity of disciplines and settings. It is also perfect for therapists looking to skill-up before undertaking postgraduate study.

Delivered in stand-alone modules, the course structure allows you to absorb and review information at your own pace.

At the end of the course, you will receive a certificate of completion and access to our exclusive Family Therapy Community of Practice. (See more details below)

REGISTER FOR FAMILY THERAPY FOUNDATIONS

For organisations and bulk licence purchases

For organisations and groups, we offer bulk purchase discounts and can tailor the Family Therapy Foundations course to your needs, including delivering in a hybrid model of online and in-person.

Please contact us to arrange a friendly discussion with one of our experienced trainers on telephone (+61 3) 8481 4800 or email: bouverie.training@latrobe.edu.au.

Live, four day workshop

If you prefer in-person or live-streamed learning, we deliver Family Therapy Foundations as a four-day workshop (previously called Introduction to Family Therapy) which is delivered by Bouverie’s experienced family therapists and trainers.

• Individuals:  Register your interest in our 2025 workshops
• Organisations: Contact us to discuss how we can deliver this training either at your workplace or at The Bouverie Centre on (+61 3) 8481 4800 or email bouverie.training@latrobe.edu.au.

FAMILY THERAPY FOUNDATIONS COURSE DETAILS

Course Modules

1. Systemic Thinking: From Individual to Family

   Understand the difference between individual and family (systemic) therapy approaches, and what systems thinking achieves by changing the perspective from individual problems to context, relationships and culture.

2. Foundational Ideas in Family Therapy

   Discover the Bouverie Centre’s six foundational concepts for family therapy and their application in practice.

3. Conducting a Family Session

   Understand how to prepare to work with a family, as well as practical skills for conducting a family session.

4. Individual Development, Family Life Cycle and Family Therapy

   Learn different therapy styles and application to different stages of the family life cycle.

5. The Influence of Families’ Own Histories

   Discover tools and resources to help gather family histories and understand the importance of transgenerational concepts and attachment theory.

6. Applying Different Frameworks and Lenses

   Enter seven different online classrooms where you will learn different frameworks and lenses for conducting family therapy sessions. Includes bonus library resources.

7. What Do I Do If…?

   Frequently asked questions about working with families, as answered by Bouverie staff, to help address your fears and guide practice.

8. Common Factors, Heroic Clients, and Broadening Horizons

Understand how to broaden the application of family therapy into critical areas such as social justice, community cohesion, and prevention spaces. You will also learn tips on how to look after yourself during the work.

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Upon successful completion, you will receive a year’s free membership to The Bouverie Centre’s Family Therapy Community of Practice. This is an exclusive online forum every second month with one of our expert family therapists and an opportunity to ask questions live.