In this episode we are joined by Ozlem Kose PhD to discuss an article she co-wrote with Fatma Arıcı-Şahin & Ahmet Abakay, A Tale of Three Sisters: A Movie Analysis from Critically Informed Family Therapy Perspective. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 33(4), 315-329 (Kose et al 2019).

Özlem Köse, an associate with Couple and Family Therapy Montreal, holds a Ph.D. in medical family therapy and is a registered clinical counsellor boasting 15 years’ experience in individual, couple and family therapy.

Ozlem invites us to talk with her about the film A Tale of Three Sisters (2019) by acclaimed Turkish film maker Emin Alper. The film follows the stories of three young girls who are taken from rural, central Anatolia to work for affluent families as foster children. We discuss systemic themes such as intergenerational patterns, roles, gender, culture and power and how these ideas are woven into this intimate family drama.


Ozlem bio:

Özlem Köse, an associate with Couple and Family Therapy Montreal, holds a Ph.D. in medical family therapy and is a registered clinical counsellor boasting 15 years’ experience in individual, couple and family therapy. With a strong background in trauma-informed and evidence-based systemic therapy, Özlem counsels individuals and couples on issues such as relationship conflict, separation and divorce, relational traumas (e.g., C-PTSD, emotional neglect and abuse), infidelity, management of chronic illness as a couple, couples’ sexual desire discrepancy and early childhood trauma. Özlem has extensive training and supervision in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which is one of the only scientifically validated couple therapy approaches.

Besides her clinical work with couples and adults, Özlem has a background in school counselling and enjoys working with teens on a variety of issues. She is also trained as a behavioural health specialist, helping individuals and couples improve their overall health and achieve their behavioural health goals such as weight loss, exercise and illness management. Özlem works in English and Turkish.

Paper reference:

Köse, Ö., Arıcı-Şahin, F., & Abakay, A. (2021). A Tale of Three Sisters: A Movie Analysis from Critically Informed Family Therapy Perspective. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 33(4), 315-329.

Film:

Original title: Kiz Kardesler
Director: Emin Alper

Dr Jamila Holcomb is a marriage and family therapist and supervisior in Florida joins us to discuss racial trauma. Given the current climate and the ongoing wrestle with racism and its impact on communities and individuals this episode offers essential tools for anti racist practice.

Jamila takes us through the important area of racial trauma in clinical settings. We hear her talk about defining racial trauma, barriers to addressing it, clinical best practices for therapists and supervisors and a call to the field!

https://www.holcombcounselingandconsulting.com/

In this episode we speak with Marianne Le Coyte Grinney about mental health and tech. Marianne is the founder of Held Mind an organisation that offers training, support and consultation on mental health, sobriety and recovery on platforms such as web 3 and discord. She takes us through her personal and professional journey with the world of tech and the need to understand this world and why mental health matters in these communities. We hear about the culture of these platforms, inclusivity and the growing dilemmas and conversations around making these spaces safe and accessible to everyone.

Bio:
Marianne Le Coyte Grinney, the founder of Held Mind and Founding Member of Therapist’s DAO is a dynamic force in mental health services. Juggling roles as a psychotherapist and clinical lead in the UK’s NHS, Mental Health advisor for World of Women, Director of IRIS Psychotherapy and Labour Party councillor.

She’s a recognized presence in web3, relentlessly advancing social justice and mental health access. As one of the 100 most inspirational women in web3, Marianne utilises this momentum to destigmatise and advocate for universal access to mental health and recovery support. Her passion, innovation, and steadfast commitment to social justice continue to make her a vital figure in web3 and beyond.


https://www.heldmind.com/

In this episode of The Systemic Lens, we delve into the enchanting world of Disney's "Encanto" through the lens of systemic psychotherapy. Join us as we explore the complex dynamics of the Madrigal family, analysing how intergenerational trauma, familial roles, and cultural expectations shape their magical and emotional experiences. 

We examine the dual nature of the family's gifts as both blessings and burdens, the impact of secrecy and communication breakdowns, and the journey of healing and reconciliation. Discover how the symbolism in the film represents psychological and emotional states and how Mirabel's unique role highlights themes of self-acceptance and family unity. Whether you're a fan of the film or fascinated by family therapy, this episode offers a captivating and insightful perspective on one of Disney's most heartfelt stories.

We meet with our colleagues Anokh, Naz and Danilen to share personal & professional connections, inspirations and questions about Encanto relationship with our field. Through its imagery, stories and songs we go on a journey that invites you to playfully engage with systemic ideas.

Our home is the theme for Refugee Week in 2024. In this special episode, we are dedicating our discussion to exploring and highlighting the crucial work being done to support refugees and young asylum seekers. We have the privilege of speaking with Nsimire, a leading professional in the field, who will share her direct experiences in building supportive relationships with refugees and also challenging the single stories that can dominate the fields description of refugee mental health.

Nsimire will take us through her personal journey and deep commitment to this work, revealing how she creates a sense of home for those she helps. Her approach is deeply informed by narrative practice, teamwork, and a culturally attuned perspective. She will discuss the key considerations for effective support, emphasizing the importance of understanding each individual's unique story and cultural background.

Join us as we delve into Nsimire's impactful work and learn about the strategies and insights that enable her to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for refugees and young asylum seekers. This episode is a tribute to the resilience and strength of those who seek a new home and the professionals dedicated to helping them find it.

Link to Refugee week:

https://refugeeweek.org.uk/

David Pocock , Systemic Family Psychotherapist, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, author and lecturer, joins us to discuss his influential paper, "A Philosophy of Practice for Systemic Psychotherapy: The Case for Critical Realism." (2015) In this session, we revisit the paper almost ten years after its initial publication to examine its enduring themes and its significant contribution to the field of family therapy. David explains what critical realism is and how it manifests in therapeutic practice, highlighting its role in bridging the gap between structuralism and post-structuralism and combines moderate realism with moderate constructionism. 

David provides an accessible and insightful overview of the paper, demonstrating how critical realism supports a coherent, accountable, and robust understanding of therapeutic practice. Through this discussion, we gain a deeper appreciation for the practical applications of critical realism in systemic psychotherapy, and how it enhances the therapist's ability to navigate complex relational dynamics within diverse family systems. This review underscores the continued relevance and value of critical realism as a philosophical foundation for effective and ethical therapeutic practice.

Reference:

Pocock, D. (2015). A philosophy of practice for systemic psychotherapy: The case for critical realism. Journal of Family Therapy, 37(2), 167-183.

In this episode we are joined by EFTA President, Umberta Telfener, as she shares with us her legacy and connection to the development of the systemic field. She talks about her relationships with some of the pioneers in Systemic Family Therapy across the globe.

We hear her passionate views on combining systemic interventions and psychotherapy as we explore the integral relationship between them. Umberta also discusses first and second order change, systemic complexity, collusion and utilising systemic thinking to create meaningful interventions for people.

Bio:

Umberta Telfener, health & clinical psychologist, teacher of the Milan systemic family therapy school (Boscolo & Cecchin), actual President of EFTA, former adjunct Professor at the post graduate School of Health Psychology of the University of Roma La Sapienza, she supervises Institutions and Community work and is in private practice since 1980.

She is one of the senior systemic professionals and thinkers in Italy.  In the mid ’70 she met all the pioneers and since then she teaches systemic thinking in different settings. She had among her direct teachers Heinz von Foerster, Lynn Hoffman, Salvator Minuchin, Jay Haley, Carl Whitaker, Carlos Slusky, Bralio Montalvo, Harry Aponte, Luigi Boscolo e Gianfranco Cecchin.

She teaches at the Health Psychology Post Graduate training of the University of Roma La Sapienza, both Epistemology and systemic thinking and Systemic practice and interventions. She works as a supervisor in different settings both public and private and has written many books and articles in the Italian language with the most well known publishing companies, among which Ammalarsi di Psicoterapia 1995 (Getting sick from psychotherapy), Sistemica un dizionario sulla complessità 2003 (Systemics, a dictionary on complexity, with the direct supervision of Heinz von Foerster, Bollati Boringhieri). She has published with Bollati Boringhieri La psicoterapia come pratica riflessiva (Psychotherapy as a reflexive practice) and with Cortina editore Learning Context, Practices to enter in new settings. She has been past president of the Italian Society for Systemic Therapy and Research (SIRTS) and has been an extern examiner at the Kensington Consultation Centre of London.

In today's episode we have the privilege to speak with Dr. Yoa'd Ghanadry-Hakim  who is a clinical psychologist, human rights activist and supervisor and has been active in the field of mental health in Palestine for 25 years.  

Dr Yoa’d joins us to talk about her experiences of working in Palestine and generously shares her professional journey and the many factors that have contributed to her development through the context of living in an occupied land. Yoa'd invites us to reconsider the dominance of the Western approach of psychology in a collectivist society and to recognise the value and contribution of looking at trauma through a decolonising lens and developing local approaches to psychology. We hear about the Palestinian cultural value of sumud (steadfast perseverance) and how its presence shapes and supports families and  colleagues to find hope to carry on. 

This intimate conversation looks at the many ways that politics is present in our practice and the small acts of resistance that can empower, support and offer ways to reshape how we work.

Bio:

Dr. Yoa'd Ghanadry-Hakim is a clinical psychologist and supervisor and has been active in the field of mental health in Palestine for 25 years. Specializing in trauma, abuse, and severe mental health problems, she works at the Palestinian Counseling Center in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank and is head of the Arab Union of Psychologists, Israel. A human rights activist, Yoa’d has been a technical consultant for the Psychosocial Support Program for Palestinian Refugees, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, in the Near East, West Bank, and is a founding and steering committee member of the Palestinian Global Mental Health Network.


For more info:

https://www.pgmhn.org/

Amanda Middleton joins us to talk in depth about her keynote speech/article, Adventures in time, gender and therapeutic practice. Embracing a queer systemic way of working with gender expansive families. 

Amanda shares with us ways to understand gender and sexuality that are away from binary discourses and we discuss why this matters for inclusive therapeutic practice. She takes us on an adventure about her work, projects and passions on utilising a queer systemic approach that is steeped with theory, history and insights to grow our knowledge in this important area.

Topics covered include:

- ⁠decolonising gender
- ⁠depathologising our practice in regards to gender & sexuality 
- relational homelessness 
- ⁠systemic tools to address gender & sexuality 
- ⁠chromonormativity

About Amanda Middleton:

Amanda has over 18 years of experience providing counseling and psychotherapy to a diverse range of people and groups. She qualified as a Psychologist in Australia, and as a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist in the UK and works primarily with gender, sex and sexuality specialising within the LGBTQI communities and LGBTQI families. 

Amanda has worked in the NHS ( CAMHS), Social Care and private therapy fields. Working as a specialist in the areas of sex and sexuality, dual diagnosis (mental health and substance misuse), homelessness, HIV and sexual health, drug and alcohol use, and domestic violence.

This episode focuses on social constructionism with one of the leading figures in the field, Kenneth J. Gergen Ph.D.

We hear about how radical the ideas were at the time of its conceptiopn and the people who believed in its contribution to psychology and supported its evolution. Ken tells us his personal and professional stories of the history and development of his key ideas within social constructionism alongside some of the challenges when sharing with the wider field.  Ken discussed the key elements of its application in the therapeutic context and his futures hopes.


Bio (taken from Taos Institute website)

Kenneth J. Gergen, Ph.D., is a founding member, President of the Taos Institute and Chair of the Board, and the Mustin Professor of Psychology at Swarthmore College. Gergen also serves as an Honorary Professor at the University of Buenos Aires. Gergen received his BA from Yale University and his PhD from Duke University, and has taught at Harvard University and Heidelberg University. He has been the recipient of two Fulbright research fellowships, the Geraldine Mao fellowship in Hong Kong, along with Fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Alexander Humboldt Stiftung. Gergen has also been the recipient of research grants from the National Science Foundation, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and the Barra Foundation. He has received honorary degrees from Tilburg University and Saybrook Institute, and is a member of the World Academy of Art and Science.

Gergen is a major figure in the development of social constructionist theory and its applications to practices of social change. He also lectures widely on contemporary issues in cultural life, including the self, technology, postmodernism, the civil society, organizational change, developments in psychotherapy, educational practices, aging, and political conflict. Gergen has published over 300 articles in journals, magazines and books, and his major books include Toward Transformation in Social Knowledge, The Saturated Self, Realities and Relationships, and An Invitation to Social Construction. With Mary Gergen, he published an electronic newsletter, Positive Aging (www.positiveaging.net) distributed to 20,000 recipients. 

Gergen has served as the President of two divisions of the American Psychological Association, the Division on Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, and on Psychology and the Arts. He has served on the editorial board of 35 journals, and as the Associate Editor of The American Psychologist and Theory and Psychology. He has also served as a consultant to Sandoz Pharmaceutical Company, Arthur D. Little, Inc, the National Academy of Science, Trans-World Airlines, Bio-Dynamics, and Knight, Gladieux & Smith, Inc.