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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.

OUR COLLEAGUES

LEAH SALTER

Co-Director, Centre for Systemic Studies

Course Lead, Intermediate level training

Course tutor for qualifying level and supervisors courses

Leah is an 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 and Foundation levels of training and most recently the course lead for the Intermediate level. Prior to The Family Institute being housed by CSS Leah had been a visiting lecturer for The Family Institute at USW on the BSc in Counselling degree and the MSc in Family Therapy. She was also the external examiner for a number of years for the supervisor level of training. 

Leah's time spent studying and teaching at The Family Institute, Wales, was hugely influential and was informed by the potential for Systemic, Narrative and Social Constructionist practices to be overtly concerned with social action and justice doing.

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This led Leah to complete a doctorate at the University of Bedfordshire, where her research into systemic group work practices also focused on solidarity,  social justice practices and research as social action. 


Since 2018 Leah has taught on the University of Bedfordshire's Systemic Doctoral (PDSP) programme, previously as a tutor and deputy lead and now supervising candidates with their research; and examining doctoral theses. She has also examined at Bath University, The Tavistock and Portman, and is external examiner for The University of Leeds Foundation in Family Therapy course and Ty Elis Counselling training (level 5).  Leah also inputs into Cardiff University's Foundation in Family Therapy embedded into the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

Clinically Leah works with NHS Wales (CTMUHB) and has strong connections with various voluntary sector organisations/ community groups through consultancy and supervisory practices. She has previously practiced within and been an independent trainer for a number of third sector health and social care providers.

 Leah is a TAOS associate a visiting fellow at The Centre for Storytelling at The University of South Wales and co- editor for Murmurations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice

 

She has been a reviewer and guest editor for a number of other journals including reviewing for The Journal of Family Therapy.

Most of Leah's publications can be found on Research Gate and Murmutrations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice


Recent notable publications include:

Journals:

 

Salter, Leah and Vivian-Byrne, Kieran (2024). Passing it on – oral traditions and future orientations in a learning community. Murmurations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice, 

 

Salter, Leah (2021) "Research as an Act of Resistance: Responsive, Temporally Framed Narrative Inquiry" International Review of Qualitative Research  

Salter, Leah; Kebbe, Lisen & Simon, Gail (2021). Stone Scissors Paper. A Trilogy of Papers. Murmurations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice


Book chapters:

 

Salter, Leah (2022) " Performing and Transforming the Maternal"  (pp171-184)in Lena Simic and Emily Underwood-Lee (eds) Mothering Performance. London: Routledge 

 

Simon, G. & Salter, L. (2020). "Transmaterial Worlding as Inquiry". The Sage Handbook of Social Construction. Eds. Mary Gergen, Sheila McNamee et al. London: Sage Publications

JULIA EVANS

Co-Director, Centre for Systemic Studies

 Course Tutor on Qualifying & Foundation Level Training

Julia Evans is a Co-Director at the Centre for Systemic Studies and has been the Course Lead for the Foundation Level Training from 2022-4. Additionally, she serves as a Course Tutor for the Qualifying Level Training. Her systemic journey, deeply rooted in the values and ethics of the Family Institute, began with her studies there, culminating in her qualification as a systemic psychotherapist in 2013.

 

Julia has gained diverse experience working across various settings, including the NHS, the third sector, local authorities, and private practice, providing her with invaluable insights into the needs and challenges faced by individuals and families.

 

Currently pursuing a doctorate in Systemic Practice at the University of Bedfordshire, her research explores how systemic thinking can influence and enrich the experience of "liminal living." She brings a strong ethical focus to her work, reflecting the enduring influence of the Family Institute's culture on her practice.

 

In addition to her roles at the Centre, Julia is a reviewer for Murmurations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice and contributes to the teaching and marking of the systemic module on the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology. Her work continues to unfold through her teaching and leadership within systemic practice.

 

Recent Publications include: 

Evans, Julia & Salter, Leah (2023). Inching forward, lunging back. A duoethnographic poetic inquiry into practitioner experiences of health and ill health. Murmurations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice, 6(1),67-85.

Rachel Julia Evans. 2024. Meeting in the Margins . In Spišák, S. (ed.) ECQI2024. Participation, collaboration and cocreation: Qualitative inquiry across and beyond divides. Congress Proceedings. 7th European Congress for Qualitative Inquiry 2024. Helsinki: Helsinki University. 

KIERAN VIVIAN-BYRNE

Consultant

Core Tutor, Intermediate level training

Kieran has been one of the team at The Family Institute since 2004 – initially that was with the University of Glamorgan and later the University of South Wales. As part of the team he helped to develop innovative courses in Counselling and Psychotherapy using ‘systemic’ lenses.

Kieran was the Course Leader for the BSc Systemic Counselling – a ground-breaking course which helped over 200 students to become counsellors in the field. He also taught on the Foundation, Intermediate and Qualifying level courses in systemic psychotherapy.
Kieran was a member of the teams which offered psychotherapy services to the community as part of The Family Institute services. This was also a chance to practice in ways which informed all the learning on the courses.

Kieran has presented his work at home and abroad and has been involved as a supervisor and consultant in the development of research, writing and practice projects throughout his time at the Institute. He continues collaborations with others in this way.


He is excited that the Family Institute is renewing under the Centre for Systemic Studies and that within this frame, there are opportunities to expand many of the horizons for the development of systemic ideas through art and ecology projects. He is one among many at the Centre for Systemic Studies who writes and performs poetry. 

Read Kieran's poem titled
Revival

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JILL LUBIENSKI

Course Lead for the Foundation and Intermediate Levels of Training.

Jill Lubienski is the course lead for the Foundation and Intermediate levels of training at CSS. Jill has played a pivotal role in training in many contexts including as a practice based social work teacher and as a Systemic Psychotherapist, and she has developed and delivered a wide range of professional training workshops and courses.

 

Her work includes: developing and facilitating training programmes for the Association of Adoption and Fostering in Wales; delivering systemic training for core CAMHS staff; leading NVR training at Foundation, Advanced, and Accreditation levels across the UK and internationally; co-creating bespoke e-learning modules in NVR and  developing NVR training with a special focus on its application to eating disorders.

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Jill’s professional journey is rooted in many years of working with families, couples, and individuals in Cardiff and the South Wales valleys. She initially trained as a social worker, and has extensive experience in child protection settings, the third sector, and CAMHS.

 

Jill qualified as a Systemic Psychotherapist with the Family Institute, Wales. She has a particular interest in adoption and child-to-parent violence and abuse, and is currently working for Partnership Projects UK as a senior clinician, trainer and supervisor specialising in NVR parent therapy.

 

Jill is interested in calling attention to the body and embodiment in therapy and supervision and in working directly with the mind-body connection and she is a qualified yoga teacher, advanced practitioner of Transcendental Meditation techniques and student of Biodanza (The Dance of Life), all of which influence her thinking and practice.

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JOHN DORAN

Course Tutor, Foundation and Supervision level training

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John completed his systemic psychotherapist studies at the Family Institute in 2005 while employed as a clinical psychologist in NHS Wales. Learning of the work of the Milan Team inspired him to develop and embed a family therapy service within his NHS adult mental health practice and a medium secure forensic service. John also provided teaching on the systemic strand of the South Wales Clinical Psychology Doctorate and provided numerous family therapy placements for trainee clinical and counselling psychologists.

John recently retired from the NHS. His current systemic teaching and practice are increasingly influenced by recent writings in the ecosystemic field. These influences show themselves not only in his professional work but personal life as John does weekly voluntary work in his local country park where he is now also employed as a part-time Assistant Park Ranger.

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Student Support and Wellbeing
Subsidised by CSS

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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

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IN MEMORY OF

BILLY HARDY
1962 - 2024

We will greatly miss our dear colleague and friend Billy Hardy. He died peacefully surrounded and loved by family and friends. We are bereft, but our lives are enriched and our hearts the fuller for having known, worked and conversed with him. 

Billy remained active, future-oriented and good humoured in his final months. He continued to work hard to imagine with others a legacy which is the Centre for Systemic Studies. 

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Billy began his career as a mental health nurse in Glasgow. He moved to Guernsey in 1982 where he worked as a mental health nurse before he came to live in Wales in 1984. He worked in Barry and as a mental health nurse and as a manager. He trained at the Family Institute in the 1990s while teaching at Swansea University on the nursing programmes there. He joined The Family Institute team in 1999 and played a key role, shortly afterwards, in negotiating the successful move from being a Bernardo’s project to becoming part of The University of Glamorgan in 2000 (later to become the University of South Wales). 

 

Over the next 20 years Billy helped to develop, teach on and evolve the suite of courses at The Family Institute. He was involved with many other projects and organisations during his time there - locally, nationally and internationally and many projects and organisations benefitted from his wisdom and his passion for ‘de-pathologising’ for community-based practices and relational learning contexts. He embodied the ethos of social learning. He was an inspirational consultant, supervisor, teacher and trainer, in multiple contexts.   
 

In 2020 The Family Institute separated from the University and become a project within the newly formed Centre for Systemic Studies - Billy’s brainchild. His hope for the Centre (CSS) - shared by his colleagues - was that it would continue to “home” The Family Institute and grow outwards to inspire and support other community projects. Billy and Leah set up CSS as a Community Interest Company (not for profit) for that reason. 

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Billy will be remembered by many people as a champion of relational practices and an advocate for the impact that this way of being can have on mental health and wellbeing. He sometimes referred to himself as a “Systemic Firestarter”- who loved to create and sustain sparks of imagination in others. He is likely to be remembered as someone who believed in the potential of people to be the best of themselves. He was an incredible teacher, mentor and therapist. His warmth, creativity and good humour was infectious. He is rightly credited with transforming the lives of many. We miss him deeply - and will continue to develop his legacy. 

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Read Billy's poem titled In The Clearing as featured on the Murmurations online journal and below is a podcast series where Billy and Keiran are in conversation.

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