#9 February 2011

A word from the President / Le mot de la Présidente

Dear EFTA Colleagues,

I would like to extend to you a warm welcome to the 9th EFTA Newsletter.

This edition of our Newsletter brings information from the 7th EFTA Congress, held in the city of light – Paris, France, in cooperation with the French Association of Family Therapy. Over 2000 colleagues attended this Congress where they had the opportunity to meet and exchange with each other on a scientific and personal level. We hope that the material presented in this newsletter may serve as a taste of this stimulating learning experience for those who could not join us in Paris and as a reminder for those of us who participated.

This newsletter also introduces the members of the new General Board of EFTA, elected during the Paris Congress. As EFTA’s newly elected President, I will put my efforts into promoting systems science and practice throughout Europe and to interconnecting EFTA with other family therapy organizations in other parts of the globe.

I am happy to introduce the members of the EFTA General board (click on each name to see their photo and know more about them): David AMIAS (UK), Maria BORCSA(Germany), Javier BOU (Spain), Francesco BRUNI (Italy), Nevena CALOVSKA (Serbia), Rodolfo DE BERNART (Italy), Pier Giuseppe DEFILIPPI (Italy), Mony ELKAÏM (Belgium), Edith GOLDBETER (Belgium), Guy HARDY (Belgium), Julia HARDY (Hungary), Phil KEARNEY (Ireland), Michel MAESTRE (France), Mauro MARIOTTI (Italy), Hans Christian MICHAELSEN (Norway), Jean-Paul MUGNIER (France), Jacques PLUYMAEKERS (Belgium), Mina POLEMI-TODOULOU (Greece), Yveline REY (France), Jose SORIANO (Spain), Peter STRATTON (UK), Malvina TSOUNAKIS (Greece), Monica WHYTE (Ireland).

I am especially happy to present EFTA’s first Honorary President, a colleague who has, over the years, demonstrated personal integrity, work of high scientific quality and continuous commitment to the evolution of EFTA: Luigi ONNIS (Italy).

It would be a pleasure for me and my EFTA Board colleagues to receive your feedback and suggestions on how we may further develop the EFTA Newsletter.

Looking forward to future collaboration,

Kyriaki Polychroni
President

Chers collègues d’EFTA,

Je tiens à vous souhaiter chaleureusement la bienvenue dans cette 9ème Newsletter d’EFTA.

Cette édition de notre Newsletter rassemble des informations sur le 7ème congrès d’EFTA qui s’est tenu à Paris (France) en collaboration avec la Société Française de Thérapie Familiale (SFTF). Plus de 2000 collègues ont participé à ce congrès où ils ont eu l’opportunité de se rencontrer et d’échanger entre eux tant sur le plan scientifique que personnel. Nous espérons que ce qui est présenté dans cette Newsletter puisse donner un aperçu de cette expérience riche et stimulante à ceux qui n’ont pu nous rejoindre à Paris et qu’elle puisse également être un bon souvenir pour ceux qui étaient présent au congrès.

Cette Newsletter introduit aussi les membres du nouveau Board Général d’EFTA élus lors du congrès à Paris. En tant que présidente d’EFTA nouvellement élue, je déploierai mes efforts pour promouvoir l’approche systémique tant au niveau scientifique qu’au niveau clinique dans l’ensemble de l’Europe et pour inter-connecter EFTA avec les autres organisations de thérapies familiales dans le monde.

Je suis heureuse de vous présenter les membres du Board Général (cliquer sur les noms dans le texte en anglais pour voir leur photo et un court cv).

Je suis particulièrement heureuse de vous présenter le premier Président d’Honneur d’EFTA: Luigi ONNIS (Italie), un collègue qui a, au long de toutes ces années, démontré une intégrité personnelle, un travail de haute qualité scientifique ainsi qu’une implication constante dans l’évolution d’EFTA.

Ce serait un plaisir pour moi et mes collègues du Board de recevoir vos commentaires et suggestions pour développer davantage la Newsletter d’EFTA.

Dans l’attente de votre collaboration,

Kyriaki Polychroni
Présidente

EFTA Awards

6 distinguished colleagues were awarded at the Paris congress
6 collègues renommés récompensés au congrès de Paris

Jean-Claude Benoît a reçu l’EFTA Award en reconnaissance de sa contribution au développement de la thérapie familiale. Psychiatre, Jean-Claude Benoit a eu une carrière de praticien hospitalier en institution publique. Intéressé par diverses formes de psychothérapie, il a longtemps perçu leurs limites dans l’abord des malades schizophrènes et psychotiques. La naissance des approches familiales en France dans les années 1970 lui ouvre une voie différente. Utilisant une méthode d’entretiens collectifs familio-systémiques, il constate des améliorations étonnantes.

Philippe Caillé a reçu l’EFTA Award en reconnaissance de sa contribution au développement de la thérapie familiale. Celui-ci était présenté par Luigi Onnis. En voici un extrait: “Philippe Caillé est certainement un des pionniers de la thérapie familiale européenne: c’est à partir du début des années 70 qu’il a commencé à introduire l’approche systémique dans ses recherches et sa pratique clinique en Norvège, à Oslo, où il a résidé pendant longtemps, et en même temps en France, son pays d’origine. Mais ses travaux scientifiques ont été rapidement connus dans d’autres pays d’Europe où il a été invité à conduire des séminaires et des cours de formation, entre autres, tout particulièrement en Italie où il a toujours été très apprécié et aimé. Mais Philippe a été aussi un pionnier dans la capacité à accueillir et promouvoir tous les développements épistémologiques importants de la psychothérapie systémique: l’intérêt pour le niveau mythique, la valeur de la subjectivité individuelle, la nécessité d’une dimension dialogique et jamais pédagogique de la relation thérapeutique.” (Lire la suite)

Professor Alan Carr from University College, Dublin received the EFTA Award for his contribution to family therapy research. The award was presented by Professor Peter Stratton saying ‘Alan has published 20 books and over 200 papers. By his careful reviewing of research he shows that the way forward for family therapy involves the integration of ideas from many school of therapy, and a commitment to practice that is informed by research. He has presented a cogent scientific argument for the effectiveness of family therapy. For these important contributions to family therapy EFTA is honouring Professor Alan Carr with this award today.’

Annette Kreuz received the EFTA Award for her special contribution to EFTA. She has been part for more than ten years of the EFTA board. She was taking part in the EFTA meetings as representative of Spanish Federation of Family Therapy from 1990. In 1997, she was elected member of the board of EFTA, and after it, was during 3 years member of the EFTA-TIC board, and 3 years more, of the NFTO board, where she was secretary. At the same time, she was General Secretary of EFTA during 6 years, from 2001 to 2007, doing a splendid work in all positions. But Annette has not only been an important person in the EFTA development. She, in some way, represents what EFTA means. If EFTA search a European Family Therapy, Annette is the perfect representative of it. Born in Germany, with Polish ancestors, a citizen of Spain by adoption, she migrated for love, and made the difficult process of “begin to learn again” to do psychotherapy in a different language. She got it, but as well she became an excellent trainer in family therapy, president of the Valencian Family Therapy Association and secretary of the Spanish Federation of Family Therapy. (by Roberto Pereira)

Eric Louis received the EFTA Award for his special contribution to EFTA. Eric Louis has served loyally and well for many years. He was part of the original movement to develop EFTA into an organisation that worked with national associations, and then with training institutes. He was a member of the working party that drew up the plans for the new structure of EFTA that incorporated the three chambers of EFTA: individuals, NFTO’s and Training Institutes. He chaired the new NFTO board from its inception and the acted as NFTO treasurer and General Treasurer of the EFTA. We are very grateful to Eric. His stalwart support of the vision for an united EFTA, that connected the many systemic interests across Europe into a systemic force has sustained us all. Thank you Eric! (by Arlene Vetere)

Jacques Miermont a reçu l’EFTA Award en reconnaissance de sa contribution au développement de la thérapie familiale en France et de son engagement à rassembler les thérapeutes français au sein de la SFTF. Psychiatre des Hôpitaux, il s’est formé à la psychanalyse (Simone Decobert) et aux thérapies familiales (Siegi Hirsch) pendant une dizaine d’années. Il pratique les consultations et thérapies familiales à partir de 1977, dans un service de psychiatrie du Centre Hospitalier Spécialisé Paul Guiraud à Villejuif, ainsi que dans un cabinet privé. Il crée 10 ans plus tard une Fédération en Thérapie Familiale pour plusieurs services psychiatriques, sociaux et judiciaires dans le Val-de Marne. Il fonde en 1979 le Centre d’Etude et de Rechercher sur la Famille à Paris où il poursuit une double activité de formation aux thérapies familiales et de recherche. Il est membre fondateur de l’EFTA en 1990, et devient membre du bureau de cette association de 1996 à 1999. Il initie la fondation de la Société Française de Thérapie Familiale en 1993, et en assure la présidence depuis cette date.

Papers and Presentations from the Paris 2010 Congress

Michel DELAGE, France (Plénière)

Résilience, Attachement et Famille. Réflexions pour une intervention thérapeutique dans les situations traumatiques. Télécharger la présentation en français (PDF 136Kb)

Carlos SLUZKI, USA (Plenary discussion)

Epistemologies of discussants and of observed therapists
A meta-discussion of Bernard Prieur’s session. Download paper in English (PDF 72 Kb)

Philip KEARNEY, Ireland (Symposium)

The pattern which connects and the duty of care: health care in the age of extinction
Download the presentation in English (PDF 124Kb)

Luigi ONNIS, M. Bernardini, A. Leonelli, A.M. Mulè, A. Vietri; Italie (Symposium)

Le temps suspendu. Une approche systémique de l’anorexie et boulimie de l’adolescence. Télécharger la présentation en français (PPT 608Kb)

Anna KAPLAN, Hamid SALMI; France (Symposium)

Les couples mixtes ou la rencontre avec l’intime étranger.
Télécharger la présentation en français (PDF 156Kb)

Luigi ONNIS, Italie (Symposium)

Les objets métaphoriques en thérapie. Les sculptures du temps familial (STF).
Télécharger le document en français (PPT 864Kb)

Luigi ONNIS, Italy (Symposium)

When future is uncertain or blocked. The method of “Sculptures of future”.
Download the presentation in English (PPT 252 Kb)

Roberto PEREIRA, España (Symposium)

Terapia familiar y psicopatologia: una relacion compleja. Family Therapy and psychopathology: a complex relationship. Documento en Español and English (PPT 524Kb)

Eija-Liisa RAUTIAINEN, Finland; Katherina AUBERJONOIS, Switzerland; Monica HARTZELL, Sweden (Symposium)

Co-research: Learning from our clients. Download the presentation in English (PPT 104Kb)

Pier Giorgio SEMBOLONI, Italie (Symposium)

La relation père-fils dans les opéras de Giuseppe Verdi.
Télécharger la présentation en français (PDF 64Kb)

Carlos SLUZKI, USA (Symposium)

Family-based psychiatric inpatient services. Avant garde practices in search of evidence-based validation. Download the article in English (PDF 123Kb)

Chantal VAN CUTSEM, Belgique (Symposium)

La trêve (Symposium: Thérapie Familiale et Pédopsychiatrie).
Télécharger la présentation en français (PDF 52Kb)

Diana ALVIS PALMA, UK (Workshop)

Systemic Practice to unfold learning communities and cross cultural work in the heart of Birminghan Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), Birminghan UK
Download the presentation in English (PPT 448Kb)

Maurizio ANDOLFI, Italy (Workshop)

Traumatic losses and family resilience. How to intervene?
Download the document in English (PDF 13Mb)

Josep CHECA, Iolanda D’ASCENZO, Lluïsa SAEZ, Anna VILAREGUT, Rita TREPAT, Martine RENAUDIN; Espagne (Atelier)

“Thérapie familiale itinérante”: Introduction graduelle d’interventions d’orientation systémique en Attention Primaire de Santé (APS). Télécharger la présentation en français (PDF 56Kb).

Michel DELAGE, France (Atelier)

Résilience, attachement et famille. Réflexions pour une intervention thérapeutique dans les situations traumatiques. Télécharger le document en français (PDF 136Kb)

Julien FOUSSON, Nicolas PASTUR; France (Atelier)

Rythmes, résonance, hiérarchies: le travail de crise auprès des adolescents reclus.
Télécharger la présentation en français (PPT 4,2Mb)

Sabina FILA, USA (Workshop)

Systemic family therapy and the therapist’s use of self.
Download the presentation in English (PDF 796Kb)

Jeltje GORDON-LENNOX, Suisse; Sharon PETTLE, UK (Workshop)

Funérailles, deuil et la famille dans un monde en transition. Funerals, grieving and the family in a changing world. Document en français and in English (PPT 936Kb)

Hugh JENKINS, UK (Workshop)

Dancing at the frontier: liminality, chaos and change.
Download the presentation in English (PPT 1,9Mb)

Conny LEPORATTI, Italy (Workshop)

Kaleidoscopes. Use of art images in systemic couple therapy”.
Download the presentation in English (PPT 14,5Mb)

Nicholas PARITSIS, Greece (Workshop)

An introduction to human systems therapy after 25 years of development: theoretical foundations, method of change and applications (randomized control trials)
Download the document in English (PDF 260Kb).

Roberto PEREIRA, Spain (Workshop)

Violence against parents: family dynamics and keys for the intervention
Download the presentation in English (PTT 664Kb)

Ricardo RAMOS, Sandra FERRAGUT, Spain (Workshop)

Change is happening: a narrative approach to multiproblem families
Download the presentation in English (PDF 15,3Mb)

Thomas SCHWAB, France (Atelier)

Le jeu de l’oie/loi systémique en alcoologie et addictologie pour favoriser une démarche vers l’autonomie. Télécharger la présentation en français (PPT 4,6Mb)

Asbjørn SOLEVAG, Grete LILLEDALEN, Dimitrij SAMOILOW; Norway (Workshop)

Domestic Abuse. Couple therapy as a way to help children.
Download the presentation in English (PPT 636Kb)

Peter STRATTON, UK; Mina TODOULOU, Greece (Workshop)

The new SCORE systemic therapy outcome measure: an EFTA research project.
Download the presentation (PDF 4,5Mb)

Gianmarco MANFRIDA, Italy (Workshop)

Plausible, convincing and good: characteristics and development of therapeutic stories in a shared reality model. Download document in English (PDF 264Kb)

Raymond TRAUBE, Suisse (Atelier)

“Un jeu d’enfant!” Thérapie familiale intégrée de l’enfant. Interactive, symbolique et comportementale. Télécharger la présentation en français (PPT 6,2Mb)

Jean-Marie VILLAT, Suisse (Atelier)

Création d’un continuum entre l’intervention en internat d’éducation spécialisée et l’extérieur.
Télécharger la présentation en français (PDF 476Kb)

Eva Maria BALOGH, Hungary (brief communication)

Grief and Family Therapy. How can the family help the children to do the grief work?
Download document in English (PPT 12,5Mb)

Corrado BOGLIOLO, Dario CAPONE, Ilaria GENOVESI; Italia (brief communication)

La rappresentazione spaziale della famiglia nel percoso della formazione
Documento in italiano (PPT 124Kb)

Diana CUNHA & colleagues, Portugal (brief communication)

Research Survey Data Base (Portugal). Download the communication (PDF 400Kb)

Jan DE MOL, Ann BUYSSE, Ellen REIJMERS; Belgium (brief communication)

The usefulness of the concepts relational influence and relational agency for systemic psychotherapy. Download the communication in English (PDF 628Kb)

Claudio DES CHAMPS, Argentine (communication libre)

Le réel comme le possible: la psychothérapie comme scénario.
Télécharger la présentation en français (PDF 116Kb)

Georgia GKANTONA, Greece (brief communication)

The application of systemic practice in the enhancement of adaptive behavior for people with pervasive developmental disorders: a repeated measures study.
Download the document in English (PPT 508Kb)

Maria LAMBRAKI, Greece (brief communication)

Increasing family satisfaction and decreasing hashish use. A new application of general systems concepts via human systems therapy.
Download the document in English (PDF 144Kb)

Clara MATEU MARTINEZ, España (breve comunicacion)

Evaluacion de la eficiacia del programa de prevencion sobre el consumo de drogas dirigido a padres y madres “connecta amb els teus fills”, estudio piloto.
Baja el documento en español (PPT 900Kb)

Maria PIROUNAKI-LIONI, Greece (brief communication)

Tracking the trainees’ course: from the linear “correct” to the circular “it depends”.
Download presentation in English (PDF 120Kb)

Alda PORTUGAL, Portugal (brief communication)

SCORE-15: Exploratory study of preliminary data in a sample of Portuguese families. Download document in English (PDF 1,4Mb)

Luciana SOTERO, Portugal (brief communication)

Exploratory Study of Preliminary Portuguese Data with SOFTA-o in systemic family therapy. Download document in English (PDF 240Kb)

Ana TEIXEIRA DE MELO, Portugal (brief communications)

Integrated family assessment and intervention model (IFAIM): An integrative, collaborative, systemic approach at the crossroad of clinical, educational, community and forensic practices. Download document in English (PPT 1,3Mb)

The home as a privileged context and object of systemic assessment and intervention practices with multi-challenged families. Download document in English (PDF 76Kb)

Margarida VILACA, Portugal (brief communication)

Tranquil families project. Download document English (PPT 7,3Mb)

Posters presented at the 2010 Paris Congress

Childhood abuse and traumatisation (Budapest)

by Borbala Toth, Jozsef Horvath. Download the poster in English (PPT 104Kb)

Mères et filles en thérapie familiale. Le vide affectif dans les tentatives de suicide pendant l’adolescence. (Italie)

par Donata Milloni, Silvia Righini. Télécharger le poster en français (PPT 672Kb)
Ce poster a reçu le prix spécial du jury au 7ème congrès d’EFTA à PARIS

La Méthode Griffee (Italie)

par Silvana Madia, Cecilia Cocchiaro, Federica Fava del Piano.
Voir le poster en français (PDF 240Kb)

Results of a self-esteem group for caregivers of persons with dementia (Spain)

by Caceres R., Herrero de Vega M., Beyebach M., Gonzalez-Ingelmo M.E., Pérez-Saez E., Elias V., Marcos E. Download the poster in English (PDF 1,3Mb)

Therapists facing present-day challenges: Economic Crisis-Social Isolation. The experience of Greece (Greece)

by Maria Angelou, Caterina Zymnis. Download the poster in English (PDF 1Mb)

Post Congress submissions/ Après le congrès

Order the DVD/ Commander le DVD

Un DVD reprenant les principales interventions du congrès sera disponible à partir du mois de juin 2011. Vous pouvez le commander au moyen du formulaire ci-joint.

A DVD with the main congress presentations will be available from June 2011. You can order it via the enclosed form.

Interview de différents orateurs présents au congrès

Vous pouvez visionner les interview de Siegi Hirsh, Guy Ausloos, Jean-Paul Gaillard, Alain Chabert,… sur le site du village systémique

Newly submitted papers

“Recognising prior learning in psychotherapy training: a critical appraisal”

Paper from Aine O’Reilly, Clanwilliam Institute, Dublin (Ireland)
This paper was published in the Dublin Institute of Technology online Journal Level 3

Summary: recognition of prior learning (RPL) is central to facilitating lifelong learning and access to higher education. Discourses on RPL tend to focus on developing rigorous, robust procedures. This paper argues that inclusion of RPL within systemic psychotherapeutic training requires a critical approach that raises ideological, ethical and political questions and tensions obscured by a focus on policy and procedure alone.

“Developing an indicator of family function and a practicable outcome measure for systemic family and couple therapy: the SCORE”

Paper from Peter Stratton, Julia Bland, Emma Janes and Judith Lask
Read the paper (PDF 328Kb)

Recent publications / Publications récentes

Mourir de dire. La Honte.

Boris Cyrulnik, Editions Odile Jacob, 02/09/2010

Les nouvelles familles

Salvatore D’Amore, Editions De Boeck, 15/09/2010. Plus d’informations

Le couple coopère-t-il?

Olivier Real de Sarte, Editions Erès, mai 2010. Plus d’informations

L’examen clinique de la famille

Modèles et instruments d’évaluation
Nicolas Favez, Editions Mardaga, 27/01/2011. Plus d’informations

Thérapies analytiques et thérapies systémiques: quels ponts?

Cahiers critiques de thérapie familiale et de pratiques de réseaux n°45, Editions De Boeck Université. Plus d’informations

Creative Family Therapy Techniques

Play, Art, and Expressive Activities to Engage Children in Family Sessions
by Liana Lowenstein, Edited by Liana Lowenstein, September 2010 www.championpressbooks.com

Summary: Providing a rich collection of hands-on, practical activities, this resource contains nearly 100 innovative interventions that use play, art, sandtray, and drama to engage children in therapy sessions with their families. Written for both seasoned professionals and newly licensed practitioners, the assessment and treatment techniques can be quickly and easily implemented into practice.

Terapia familiar sistémica

Aspectos teoricos y aplicacion practica
Carmen Bermudez, Eduardo Brik, Editorial Sintesis. Informaciones

Systeme: Interdisciplinary journal for Systemic Research and Practice in the Human Sciences

Systeme Jg.24: abstract from last issue (2/2010)

Human Systems Journal

Volume n°21, 2010

News from EFTA-CIM / Nouvelles d’EFTA-CIM

New board, next congress

Chers Amis,

Le congrès de Paris a été un succès: d’excellentes plénières, des symposiums et ateliers très divers et de grande qualité, plus de 2.000 personnes. L’approche systémique et la thérapie familiale ont trouvé leurs marques dans le champ des psychothérapies. Un grand merci à tout ceux qui ont relevé le défi de ce congrès.

Le board d’EFTA-CIM s’est quelque peu modifié: Juan Linares a quitté le board et c’est Jose Soriano qui a été élu. Le mandat des autres membres a été renouvelé.

Notre prochain congrès aura lieu en octobre 2013 à Istanbul. Le temps passe vite. Peut-être peut-on déjà encourager les membres d’EFTA-CIM à échanger entre eux sur leurs pratiques, leurs recherches afin de présenter des ateliers “internationaux” à ce congrès. EFTA-CIM pourrait être un bon go-between pour ce faire.

EFTA-CIM continue de se mobiliser pour faire avancer la reconnaissance de la psychothérapie comme profession autonome auprès des différents pays et de la commission européenne mais c’est une oeuvre de longue haleine, d’autant plus que la France a promulgué une loi rejetant ce principe pour une simple protection du titre.

Bonne lecture de cette newsletter et dans l’attente de vos nouvelles.

 

Dear Friends,

The Paris congress was a success: excellent plenary sessions, a diverse range of high quality symposia and workshops, more than 2000 people. The systemic approach and family therapy have found their place within the psychotherapy field. Many thanks to all those who have taken up the challenge of this congress.

The EFTA-CIM board has somewhat changed: Juan Linares has left and Jose Soriano has been elected. The mandate of all other members has been renewed.

Our next congress will take place in October 2013 in Istanbul. Time passes quickly. Perhaps we could already be encouraging EFTA-CIM members to exchange their research and practice ideas with the aim of presenting “international” workshops at this congress. EFTA-CIM could be an effective go-between in this process.

EFTA-CIM continues to take action both within individual countries and at the level of the European Commission to advance the recognition of psychotherapy as an autonomous profession, but this is a long-term undertaking, even more so now that France has introduced a new law rejecting this principle in the name of ‘protection of title’.

Enjoy reading this newsletter and I look forward to hearing from you,

Jacques Pluymaekers,
Chair of EFTA-CIM

News from EFTA-TIC

Board report

Symposium: At the Paris Congress in October 2010 the outgoing EFTA-TIC board presented a symposium entitled “Family Therapy Training in a World in Mutation”. The speakers were Luigi Onnis, Kyriaki Polychroni and Phil Kearney. Other board members acted as discussants.

Board Election: A new EFTA-TIC board was elected at the Paris Congress. Those elected were Rodolfo de Bernart, Nevena Calovska Hertzog, Mony Elkaïm, Edith Goldbeter, Michel Maestre, Mauro Mariotti and Kyriaki Polychroni. Subsequently Kyriaki Polychroni was elected as President of EFTA by the EFTA General Board and thereby vacated her position on the EFTA-TIC board. Since Philip Kearney had the next highest number of votes he was deemed elected to the board. Peter Stratton had already been co-opted by the General Board to oversee EFTA research activities. He will sit on the EFTA-TIC board.

Officers: The new board elected its officers at its first meeting in Rome in January 2011. They are: Chair-Mony Elkaïm, Treasurer-Michel Maestre and Secretary-Phil Kearney.

The secretariat for EFTA-TIC will remain based in Athens where it is staffed by Ms Christina Soulios. She may be reached at . The administration of the chamber’s finances will be located in Lille, France.

Trainer’s Conference 2011: The major item on the EFTA-TIC calendar for 2011 will be the Trainer’s Conference that will take place in Brussels from Sept 30th to Oct 2nd. The theme is ”

“Tools for effective training, therapy and research”. This is the major opportunity for family and systemic therapy trainers in Europe to meet and share experience and expertise. There will be a h3 focus on research at this year’s event. Information on the conference and invitations to submit abstracts will be circulated soon.

Membership: There are 126 member institutes in 28 countries. Five members are in danger of being expelled for non-payment of fees.

Web-site: Zoe Avouri, a student of systemic therapy based in Athens, has been appointed to manage the uploading of content to the EFTA-TIC website. It is hope that this will lead to a more informative and effective use of the medium.

The EFTA directory: A new edition of the directory is being prepared. It has been proposed that those Institutes that advertise in the directory will be entitled to put some of their information on the EFTA-TIC site. The details of this remain to be finalised.

News from EFTA-NFTO

The new board says “bienvenue-welcome”

Dear Colleagues,

First of all, the NFTO’s would like to thank the French Family Therapy Association and the organizing team for the successful EFTA-conference in Paris! The variety of contributions from all over Europe was impressive as well as the “French Style” of the conference with singing chansons and dancing tango!

During the conference we had a general assembly as well as voting for the new board for all three chambers and for a new president. We, as the NFTO-representatives would like to thank Arlene Vetere for the work she did for EFTA and welcome Kyriaki Polychroni as our new president!

The voting for the NFTO-board: 21 countries out of 28 voted. According to our rules each country had the possibility of 3 votes. Result: the 6 following candidates were elected in the first voting (in alphabetical order): David Amias (Great Britain), Maria Borcsa (Germany), Javier Bou Piquer (Spain), Julia Hardy (Hungary), Hans Christian Michaelsen (Norway), Mina Polemi-Todoulou (Greece). They received between 47 and 39 votes. There was a tie for the seventh position between Francesco Bruni and Monica Whyte who both received 23 votes. We voted again twice and the result was again an equal number of votes for the two candidates!! A final round of voting gave one more vote for Francesco Bruni. As the voting process had some weakness (some representatives left the room to go to their workshops, others came in), we held discussions about the issue at the NFTO Board and in the General Board at our annual meeting which took place in Rome in January 2011. After much deliberation we decided to co-opt Monica Whyte as a non-voting board member. So our new NFTO-board now looks as follows: Maria Borcsa (chair), Mina Polemi-Todoulou (vice-chair), David Amias (secretary), Francesco Bruni (treasurer), Javier Bou-Piquer (member), Julia Hardy (member), Hans-Christian Michaelsen (member), Monica Whyte (co-opted member).

At the General Board meeting in Rome we also decided that the next NFTO Chamber meeting will take place in Florence (Firenze), Italy, from 10-12 June, 2011. Rodolfo de Bernart has kindly agreed to host the meeting at his institute (Institute of Family Therapy of Florence) and offer a very interesting scientific programme, as well as social events in that beautiful city. The detailed schedule of the meeting, as well as accomodation and venue details will follow later on.

And to continue: the 2012 meeting will be in Oslo, Norway from 15-17 June, 2012, hosted by the Norwegian Family Therapy Asociation, the Diakonhjemmet Community College and Hans-Christian Michaelsen. Thanks to our colleagues there in advance for taking on this responsibility on behalf of the organization!

Some final words: we started a discussion in our board on our visions for the NFTOs and your visions in your NFTOs concerning family therapy and systemic practice for the next couple of year? And what visions do you have for our European Association?

With our best wishes,
on behalf of the NFTO Board,

Maria Borcsa, Mina Polemi-Todoulou & David Amias

New criteria for family therapists as supervisors in Ireland

Family Therapy Association of Ireland

The Executive of the Family Therapy Association of Ireland agreed on new criteria for the registration of family therapists as supervisors in May 2010. These new criteria had been worked on by a sub-committee appointed by the Executive and now supersed those which the FTAI had been using since 1995. Following on the Executive’s decision, two Family Therapy Training Institutes (Mater and Clanwilliam) have developed new training programmes in supervision, replacing those which had been organised to meet the 1995 criteria. The new programmes are now underway and it is anticipated that the first participants will complete in early Spring 2012. (by Phil Kearney)

Various Issues of Interest/ Divers

“Caveau de Famille”

Récit auto-biographique de Hervé Rigot-Muller, utilisé à l’Université en psychopathologie familiale, Ed. Aléas, 1993. Plus d’informations

Swap residence with another family therapist

My wife and I are both family therapists. We would like to swap residences/cars with another family therapist (or other mental health professional) for two or three weeks in July preferably someone in Italy and/or Greece. The person could even supervise my students in MFT. If interested, please contact me via email. Thank you. Sincerely, Bill Forisha, Ph.D. LP (MN), LMFT (WA) Chair, Doctoral Program in Marriage and Family Therapy Argosy University: Twin Cities Clinical Member and Approved Supervisor, AAMFT Professor Emeritus, Antioch University 1515 Central Parkway Eagan, MN 55121

Vacancy at Ghent University (Belgium)

Vacancy for a permanent position as (senior) lecturer at Ghent University. The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the Ghent University (Belgium) has a vacancy for a permanent position as (senior) lecturer in the Department of Experimental-clinical and Health Psychology, charged with academic teaching (in Dutch), scientific research and carrying out scientific duties in the field of family psychology. More information about the position and application process can be found at: www.ugent.be/en/news/vacancies/autonomous/BC20110113pp02PP05-e (English) www.ugent.be/nl/actueel/vacatures/zap/BX20110113pntPP02 (Dutch)

Calendar of events

Creating Connections Conference (Netherlands)

International Conference on Attachment, Neuroscience, Mentalization Based Treatment and Emotionally Focused Therapy – April 19-20, 2011 bringing together distinguished scientists and researchers such as Philip Shaver, Mario Mikulincer, Sue Johnson, Jim Coan, Jon Allen, Daniel Siegel.http://www.creatingconnections.nl/index.html

Conference Studies 30th Anniversary of the Istituto di Terapia Familiare Firenze (Italy)

“Family Therapy Reinassance Thirty Years and more than Thirty centers in order to do even more” on 18-19-20 November 2011. Information. Informazioni

2nd International Festival of Family Therapy (Italy)

“Children on the edge, cultural dilemmas for family therapists”, June 7-8-9, 2012 in Rome, Italy. Organised by Accademia di Psicoterapia della Famiglia. http://www.accademiapsico.it

For more information on those or other events

Refer to the Calendar of the EFTA website

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President of EFTA: Kyriaki Polychroni
EFTA secretariat: Fabienne Dardenne