Are you curious about the Phoenix teaching team? Then welcome to the first of the Teaching Team Introduction series of blogs to introduce Leonie and the Phoenix Family Therapy Teaching Team Associates and Guest Teaching Associates.
Relationships are at the heart of family therapy and systemic practice and start with introductions. It’s important that at Phoenix we practice what we teach and embrace the relational principles that we espouse. So let’s get started with getting to know the team in this blog series
From Laura:
"How did your interest in family therapy and systemic practice get sparked?"
Early on in my career, I began working on a Child and Youth Mental Health Team called Evolve Therapeutic Services. This team worked with children who were in the care of Child Safety with complex presentations. I learnt that working with the people and organisations around the young person was actually a powerful framework with many skills and a theory behind it (not just common sense!). I was able to see the benefit to clients, and the benefit for myself as a therapist – the systemic lens was such a great way to get ‘unstuck’ when I was feeling overwhelmed with the list of concerns being presented. I went on to study Systemic Family Therapy and then progress to teaching in this course – the rest is history and I am now super excited about sparking the systemic fire in other therapists through the Phoenix Family Therapy Academy!
"What frameworks are you drawn to and why? And which figures in family therapy have been your biggest influences?"
I am a family therapist that integrates many of the schools and theories. This is one thing I love about the systemic family therapy framework and how it is taught by Leonie and the team. It is not about throwing out all your experience and other knowledge, it is about intentionally putting it all together within the Systemic Family Therapy framework. I have been able to comfortably integrate my base degree, Occupational Therapy, with this framework. It fits together and I could talk all day about the work I do with the ‘environment’ around the client which is where I find the systemic framework come to life!
Milan and Strategic Family Therapy schools have become my primary way of thinking - I love working with the power of hypotheses, strategic implementation of interventions and thinking about the therapist in the system. I will always have a love of Bowen Family Therapy with the focus on exploring context and dances. And of course, the Narrative and Solution Focussed schools support my stance of collaboration and being client centred (I told you I was an integrated systemic therapist – I just can’t choose one!).
In my training in systemic family therapy, ‘self as therapist’ was my favourite piece of learning. I learnt so much about myself, how I show up as a therapist and as a person in my personal relationships. It is life changing!
"How has systemic thinking and practice influenced your work?"
How long do you have?! It is a process that has completely shifted how I see the world – personally and professionally.
In my career, this extra study in systemic family therapy, gave me clarity, confidence and direction in my clinical work. I walked away as a family therapist with a strong framework of how I see and understand difficulties and solutions.
"Why have you chosen to go into a teaching/supervising/mentoring role in this field?"
I love this way of seeing the world and have seen the wide-spread benefits for clients, therapists and organisations.
One of my passions in teaching and supervising is applying theory to practice. I love jumping in the Theory Helicopter and seeing the theory shine through the wonderful hypotheses and interventions therapists develop.
"If you could give one piece of advice to our program participants starting the 2-year accredited training program, the Advanced Certificate in Systemic Family Therapy and Practice, what would it be?"
Taking on this type of Advanced Certificate is a commitment of time and energy. However I promise, you will be a more confident, reflective and competent therapist following this high level of study.
"What is something you love to do when you aren’t working?"
I don’t know who I am anymore when I say this – but I love to go camping! My young family are at the ‘sweet spot’ for camping and we take any opportunity to escape to the wilderness!
Laura Hawkins
Clinical Family Therapist & Occupational Therapist
Teaching Team Member Phoenix Family Therapy Academy
Please note that this article is educational in nature and does not constitute professional or therapeutic advice or suggestion.
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