ABOUT US

The Centre for Systemic Studies (CSS) was established in 2020 by Leah Salter and Billy Hardy as a new chapter in the legacy of the Family Institute, which has a 50-year history of practice and development in Wales. As a not-for-profit organisation, CSS was created to continue the Institute’s work while also supporting other community initiatives.

We are proud to offer core training in Family Therapy across Wales, including Foundation, Intermediate, and Supervision levels. We’re also working on developing the qualifying level of training—so stay tuned for updates!

Our range of CPD events further enriches our community of practice, with many more to come.

As former graduates of the Family Institute, we are committed to growing and co-creating an ever-evolving systemic community with our supporters, colleagues, and friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

F A C U L T Y

Leah Salter is the Executive and Operational Director of The Centre for Systemic Studies (CSS), which she co-founded in 2020. She has been instrumental in teaching all CSS courses, serving as course lead for various training levels. Previously, she was a visiting lecturer at The Family Institute at USW and an external examiner for supervisor-level training.

Kieran Vivian-Byrne has been a key member of The Family Institute since 2004, initially at the University of Glamorgan and later at the University of South Wales. He played a pivotal role in developing innovative courses in Counselling and Psychotherapy through a systemic lens. As the Course Leader for the BSc Systemic Counselling, he helped over 200 students become qualified counsellors and taught across various levels of systemic psychotherapy training.

Clare Cribb is an AFT and UKCP registered systemic psychotherapist and a qualified psychiatrist with over 25 years of experience in NHS mental health services. Her approach emphasizes the impact of relationships on recovery from serious mental illness and promotes a social justice ethic within the public sector agencies she collaborates with. After training in various psychotherapy modalities, she completed her training with the Family Institute Wales in 2018 and will undergo systemic supervisor training in 2025.

Michele Ryan is a UKCP and AFT-registered Systemic Family Psychotherapist with a diverse background in counselling and education. She has worked as a school and university counsellor, directed a counselling diploma course, and taught systemic therapy on psychology counselling doctorate courses at UWE and USW. With extensive experience in designing, managing, and delivering courses from further education to postgraduate levels, she has also served as an external examiner.

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Student Support and Wellbeing
Subsidised by CSS

We offer an option of student support and wellbeing through the Centre. This could take the form of advice and guidance, counselling or wellbeing sessions, all subsidised by CSS. The first session is free in all cases. If the arrangement is for counselling/ wellbeing and requires more ongoing support, then the next two sessions are 50% subsidised (£20 cost) and thereafter people can make their own arrangements with Thelma, our dedicated student wellbeing counsellor. This will continue to be at a reduced/student rate (£40). We will also be offering subsidised mindfulness groups online or in person. Coming soon! If this is something that you feel would be of benefit to you, you can either contact Leah to find out more or contact Thelma directly at thelmarees@centreforsystemicstudies.co.uk