Rebecca James
Family Systems Therapist
Understanding the past, transforming the present, and making space for the future
About
At the heart of the self-development journey is a greater understanding of our past and the forces that shaped our personality. Shining a light on our family history helps us to grow and evolve, so that we can take the next steps on our journey.
Family systems is a therapy approach that helps you to understand the rules, hierarchy, agreements and dynamics that gave birth to your family pattern. All of us come from a complex family structure. The relationship dynamics within our close and distant family create a pattern or template for how we relate, communicate and live with others. Once we understand the forces that shaped us and influence our current experiences, we can bring awareness to these patterns and begin to shift and step out of them where required.
Looking at our family history and ancestry can be challenging, so Systemic work creates a framework and process to begin making sense of our past, and how it shapes both our present and future realities. It’s only when we understand the environment that we came from, that we can begin to make sense of our own behaviour and nature.
Family systems therapy helps you to:
- Understand your own family dynamics
- Bring awareness to unhealthy dynamics
- Discover patterns that are affecting your present and future
- Free yourself and let go of unhealthy patterns.
Although going back to understand our roots and how they shape us can seem scary, the Awake family systems program is a perfectly balanced blend of wisdom, structure and experience allowing you to explore in a safe, comfortable environment.
8 Week Course
This is an 8 week course designed to give you an understanding of Family Systems Therapy, also known as Systemic Therapy. It is the only therapy developed where it takes into consideration your relationships and how you act within those relationships, or your system – hence the name! It looks at the interactions and patterns developed within your life, to gain an understanding of your identity and the stories you hold closest to you. In addition to this, Family Systems Theory considers any difficulties you are encountering and highlights the interactions and actions that could be at play.
Each week we will provide you with some of the tools and ideas that are used, in order to give you an understanding of the theory, which you can use to empower your own development and understand yourself and other people in your life further.
This programme focuses on yourself and how you relate to those within your system and vice versa. We look at your ancestry and track familial patterns that may be influencing you in the present and look at the cycles to see what is happening for you – how are you acting and how are you reacting in situations? We also consider future goals and where you would like to get to. Looking at the past, present and future with a relational focus builds a level of self-awareness and understanding that can develop and transform your own identity and the relationships in your life to a whole new level.
Week 1: The Social Graces
What are these I hear you say! This a tool developed to first build an understanding of your own identity. A wonderful tool that explores who you are! But I already know who I am? Great – let’s explore this further. This first week is all about you – how do you relate in this world? What’s most important to you and your identity – is it your race, your gender, your sexuality, your spirituality, your abilities or disabilities? What are the stories that you have built up that are most important to you.
Week 2: Genograms
Genograms are a tool similar to a family tree – we want to know who you are in relation to your system – this may be your family, your relationship, your friends, your in-laws, or you may live on your own? Perhaps you were adopted or fostered? Your system can be made up of many different people. We will use this tool to really expand a bigger picture of who you are and your past, exploring your upbringing.
Week 3: The Family Structure
This week we are getting into the family structure – looking at the family rules – perhaps this is your family now with children or the family you grew up with or both! What is important for you? Is there anything happening that you feel stuck with or would like to change? When Family Systems Therapy first developed, it looked at power within the family, what were the rules for the children and what was happening with the couple relationship? What were the boundaries and where was the power? Let’s look at your family – what is happening for you.
Week 4: Strategic
Now we are looking at some specific interventions – what do family therapists do – how do we help you develop? What are your goals and aims? What stories have you developed that may be changing now you have been learning about your own family system for three weeks?
Week 5: Family Systems Tools
Let’s take a deeper look into some relational strategies – what are some of the problems you are experiencing now? How can a family therapist really help you individually, as a couple or within your family? You will learn about some of the tools that really boosted family systems theory and made it stand out from other therapies, as we look on patterns and cycles that may be happening for you and how we can change or further develop them.
Week 6: Family Systems Tools
This is where it gets interesting – up until now the therapist had the power! The power is now up for grabs – how can we work together as a team to achieve your goals? You will learn about some of the tools developed that help us to build empathy and therefore strengthen our relationship with ourselves and with those around us.
Week 7: Solution Focused Therapy
Questions questions questions! This is a therapy within itself used across the globe. This session is all about techniques and tactics to help you with any difficulties you are experiencing.
Week 8: Narrative Therapy and our Ending Session
Stories stories stories! Another type of therapy used solely on its own – this is a big bag of tricks and also a wonderful way to further explore the techniques you have learned along the way and piling you with many more before you embark back into the world with more knowledge and experience than 8 weeks ago!
Training Class
Our training classes are can be larger group experiences, depending on how many people sign up. They allow you to learn key skills in an online group hosted by our expert therapists . They are a mix of teaching, therapy skills and learning about the different systems and therapies that you can apply to your life. Ultimately we are teaching you new skills so that you can help yourself and deal with the challenges you are facing.
Our training classes are a great way for you to begin your learning experience.
