Group of people attending an indoor event

ABOUT US

The Centre for Systemic Studies (Community Interest Company) was established in 2020 by Leah Salter and Billy Hardy to build upon the 50-year plus legacy of The Family Institute in Wales. The Family Institute has a celebrated history of shaping systemic therapy practice in the UK. Long recognised as a pioneer in systemic practice, research and training; we were first established in 1969 as The Family Therapy Project, in Cardiff.

Our aim is to facilitate and support access to family therapy practice, relationship-centered research, and social justice-led systemic practice training across Wales and the wider UK. We are a not-for-profit, ethics-led community of practice; with social learning as our core ethos and social action as central to our underpinning values.

Our Family and Systemic Psychotherapy training is matched to the Association of Family and Systemic Psychotherapy (AFSP) training standards. All of our core courses are AFSP accredited. We also offer bespoke training, low cost CPD events and are currently developing low cost systemic training for community workers/members.

Alongside our core business of training we reinvest in our community by supporting initiatives such as:

Widening access to family and couples therapy
Widening access to systemic psychotherapy for individuals and their networks
Tree planting through Bryngarw Country Park and The Grange Project, Monmouthshire
Ecosystemic practices through our CPD events, The Grange Project and the bees project
Storytelling for health and wellbeing through the George Ewart Evans Centre for Storytelling, Cardiff and Community Storywork
Supporting students and colleagues to publish via our inhouse publication, Dysgu, and in collaboration with Murmurations: Journal for Transformative Systemic Practice

We are thrilled to offer all levels of Systemic Family Therapy training in Wales including Foundation, Intermediate and Qualifying level. The qualifying level is an innovative programme developed by IFT, accredited by UKCP, run as a satellite in Wales. We are proud to work with The Institute of Family Therapy London in this collaboration.

We also run the Supervisor level of training. The Foundation, Intermediate, and Supervisor level are all AFSP accredited.

The vast majority of our teaching is live, and in person, in venues in South Wales.

We are always happy to discuss bespoke training with communities, organisations and teams. Examples of recent bespoke training includes, Solution Focused approaches, Fundamentals in Systemic Practice, Systemic consultation and leadership, Systemic practice

Frequently Asked Questions

F A C U L T Y

Leah Salter is executive and operational director for The Centre for Systemic Studies (CSS) which she set up in 2020 with Billy Hardy; and now co-directs with Julia Evans. Since 2020 Leah has taught on all the courses CSS offers; previously as course lead for the Supervisor, Intermediate and Foundation levels of training and now core tutor on the Qualifying level, a satellite course from IFT (Institute of Family Therapy, London) who we are proud to work with.

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.

TRAINERS

Katie Evans is a UKCP and AFT registered Systemic Psychotherapist and AFT approved Systemic Supervisor.
Katie completed her training at the Family Institute in 2018. She has more than 20 years of experience in working with children and families across third and statutory sector organisations.
Katie is currently employed as a Systemic Psychotherapist for a children's services department in South Wales, she also has a small private practice and consults and co-ordinates family therapy clinics with other local authorities.
Katie is committed to social justice and views working within local authorities offering therapy to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to access this as a great privilege. She believes strongly in the value of integrating systemic ideas into social work practice.
Katie believes in the importance of collaborative, reflective conversation to learning, and brings this to her work with trainees and supervisees.

Charlie Chapman qualified as a systemic psychotherapist with the Family Institute in 2018 and since then has worked as a family therapist in children’s services. She is inspired by strengths-based, relational and experiential approaches. Her background as a youth and community worker and within a training cooperative included facilitating training in play, cooperation and participation.

Mossy forest path with tree roots and sunlight

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