This year, alongside working at Creating Healthy Minds, I’ve become a student again!

I’ve begun studying for a postgraduate diploma in Systemic Family Practice at Kings College London. I’ve got the opportunity to learn new theory and hone practical skills at working with whole families and the networks around them. Often, in families, one person is singled out as being the ‘identified client’… the one with the ‘presenting problem’… put forward for help or therapy. Sometimes the most helpful way forward can be to facilitate not only the client, but the whole family think together to understand their dynamics and relationships, and identify their own resources to manage and work through a difficulty. What a privilege to witness positive change for not just one person, but for a whole family!

Time to get those books out!

The year promises to be packed with lectures, workshops, masterclasses and small group supervision, all of which will support me developing my existing practice. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework recently named Kings College London as a world-leading university, so where better to learn? The other people on the course are from a range of professional backgrounds (psychologists, social care, psychiatric nurses) and come with a wealth of experience, so it’s also interesting to compare notes with and learn from each other.

It’s going to be busy, especially around—dare I say it?—assignment deadlines (!), but I’m already inspired.