Context magazine
In this edition
Editorial
Editorial – Mark Chidgey and Jo George
Feature articles
Kinship and community: Harnessing the power of family group conferencing for children in care – Alexandra Benyon
Heart and hope: The meaning of home for children and young people in foster care – Andrea Warman
Holding onto hope, talking and being with heart. Towards building home: Centring narratives of gain and moving away from narratives of loss – Shakila Emmanuel and Anees Fatima Hakim
From herd to community: How horses inspire hopeful journeys in residential childcare – Deborah Judge
Exploring art-making in therapeutic group work with unaccompanied, asylum-seeking, young men – Lucy Gorell Barnes
Complex caring systems: Systemic work within residential childcare – Abi Jordan and Samantha Hogan
Having to be systemic to survive: Personal and professional stories of being in care – a conversation – Susan Crawford and Mark Chidgey
Be-longing – Emma Palmer
The sleeping giant: Working systemically with sleep issues – Christy Reynolds
Reports and reviews
EFTA-NFTO Norway: Family therapy and systemic practice in Norway – Lennart Lorås
Looking back and forwards – Gillian Petrie
Association news
Context overview
Context is the Association for Family and Systemic Psychotherapy (AFSP)’s well-respected bi-monthly magazine. It’s a valued, accessible, user-friendly resource and forum for qualified family and systemic psychotherapists, students and other health professionals interested in systemic practice.
The magazine is packed with news and views on the issues that matter to professionals working with families, adults and children in a therapeutic environment. A space to share and stimulate therapeutic ideas, it features the latest events, publications, training, conferences and workshops.
Accessing Context
Context is included with AFSP membership. Full, retired and student members can access digital versions of previous issues back to 2010 below, and have the option to receive new issues in the post. Those with free student memberships can only access digital copies.
Non-members can subscribe to receive print copies of Context. This costs £55 per year if you live in the UK or £79 if you live overseas.
You can also buy individual issues. Digital versions cost £7.50. Print versions cost £11.50 if you live in the UK or £15.50 if you live overseas.
If you haven’t received a copy of Context you should have received in the post, please let us know within 1 month so we can send you another copy.
Writing for Context
Interesting in writing an article for the magazine? We welcome views on family and systemic psychotherapy from everyone, regardless of where you are in your career or what your background is.
Back issues
Contents snapshot
Editorial – Ged Smith
A 1.5-order therapy: Between knowing and not-knowing – Ged Smith
Epistemology and relationship: The two interconnected cornerstones of systemic praxis. Reflections on Gianfranco Cecchin’s work – Laura Fruggeri
The ethics of change: In conversation with structural family therapist Jorge Colapinto – Tom Regel and Jorge Colapinto
Systemic leadership and developing responsive mental health agencies: An interview with Percy Aggett – Percy Aggett and Yoko Totsuka
The 5 x 5 Model®: A systemic leadership approach – Matthew Adam
Moving towards listening and hearing – a proposed model for community listening events in a perinatal context – Eloise Wynter, Ranjyot Panesar, Ruth O’Shaughnessy and Laura Smith
Reflections on working within the dichotomous juxtaposition of systemic and medical models as a trainee advanced clinical practitioner (TACP) – Sarah Millar
Tech tug-of-war: Families’ battles with screen time – Ezra Lockhart
A systemic family practitioner and a family therapist: How do we decide who should do what? – Elaine Farrer
The ATOM – a multifaceted tool for therapy, supervision and teaching – Paul Hackett
An evaluation of the ‘social graces’ in systemic thinking and practice – Liam Myles
A personal account of my systemic coaching approach – Hazel Hyslop
AFT Scotland branch update – Gillian Petrie, Susan MacGregor and the AFT Scotland committee
‘A 1.5-order therapy: Between knowing and not-knowing’ – workshop presented by Ged Smith, 16 November 2024, Dublin – Review by Don Boardman
In tribute to Monica Roman – Gwyn Daniel, Charlotte Burck, Sumita Dutta, Carol Halliwell, Carlos Hoyos, Alison Pearce, Mark Phillips, Denise Wilson, Cathy Laver-Bradbury, Jayne Muldowney, Natalie Macdonald, Pete Hamilton, Lara Bracher, Roy Smith and Carole Payne
AFT webinar: Is there a war over gender? History, theory and activism through a feminist lens – by Finn Mackay – Report by Cas Schneider
Alan Carr Q & A about two review papers – Alan Carr interviewed by Sarah Helps
AFT equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) committee – Charlotte Chiu
In tribute to Allen Crocker – Ged Smith
AFT news
Contents snapshot
Editorial: Why read this sh*t? – Matt Selman
People with learning disabilities help us to ask good questions – Bethan Ramsey and Mark Haydon-Laurelut
The joy of clunky questions – Dan O’Neill and Steve Harrison
Reflecting on staff wellbeing using a collaborative helping map – Linzi Smeaton, Sara Heary and Gemma Stienlet
Poetry – Alex Reed
An AI take on systemic questions and family therapy – ChatGPT and Matt Selman
50 top tips for using systemic questions – John Burnham
“Well, can you cure my cancer then?” Working with solution-focused questions in physical healthcare: An interview with Dominic Bray – Dominic Bray interviewed by Matt Selman
Narrative questions to unlock a continuum of externalisation – Jamie Coulthard and Emily Parker-Coffey
Social GgRRAAAAACCEEEESSSS…S and intersectionality: Questions that connect and generate – intergracing through PIQUE – John Burnham
Commentary on John Burnham’s (2025) article ‘PIQUE – questions that connect the social GgRRAAAAACCEEEESSSS…S and inter-sectionality’: My thoughts on PIQUE and intergracing… – Shakira Nkanang
Luc Isebaert’s three questions for a good life – Matt Selman
Empowerment within couple relationships where the idea of suicide and fatal self-harm exists – Imogen Harries and Gareth Tanner
Non-violent resistance informed systemic therapy for child-to-parent violence – Liam Myles and Nicola Church
Gender and sexuality diversity working party update 2025 – Sarah Favier and Rosie Buckland
Branching out: Cornwall and Plymouth branch (CAPAFT) – Beccy Holttum and Liz Burns on behalf of the CAPAFT branch
Manchester AFT CPD day in association with the Pay Gray memorial fund, 8 November 2024 – Report by Mary Power
AFT webinar: So you’re doing a family therapy course… 16 practical recommendations to enable the practice of trainees, supervisors and trainers, presented by Ged Smith, 16 January 2025 – Reports by Obatare Uwegba and Anonymous
Building healthier relationships and transforming lives together: AFT’s strategy and delivery plan for 2025 – Hannah Sherbersky, chief executive
Letter to the editor
AFT news
Contents snapshot
Editorial – Abi Jordan, Judith Lask and Hannah Sherbersky
The origin story – Edited by Judith Lask, with contributions by John Hills, Alan Cooklin, Myrna Gower, Gill Gorrell Barnes, Sue Jones, Amy Urry, Angus Crutchfield, Arlene Vetere, Sue Kennedy and Mark Rivett
Current programme leads for UK qualifying level courses reflect on contemporary issues in family therapy training – Bob Williams, Shila Rashid, Heidi Karamat Ali and Fiona Crombie
“Shifting selves”: A collection of reflexive narratives featuring students’ voices exploring their emerging identities whilst training on AFT-accredited courses – Edited by Abi Jordan and Jasmin Izagaren, with contributions from Jo Culver, Mary John and Elena Somovilla, and Tracie Ward, Marva Williams, Sharon Jones and Rachel Edinborough
AFT and UKCP: A special relationship – Judith Lask and Inger Gordon
Roots, re-imaginings, and revolutions: Systemic family therapy across time, space, and justice – Anokh Goodman
The essential role and future challenges of the ethics committee – Lisa Lowndes and Sylvia Metzer
“So, what is systemic couple therapy?” – Nicola McCarry and Katrina Waller
A therapist-researcher’s perspective on research in AFT – Peter Stratton, with contributions from Andreas Vossler and Ramón Karamat Ali
A day in the life of a family and systemic psychotherapist… – Edited by Hannah Sherbersky, with contributions from Alix Bowler, Stamatoula Voulgari, Phil Arthington, Jennifer Achan, Leah Salter, Wendy Glinski, Simon Cornwell, Anna Strudwick, Hendrix Hammond, Jennifer McKinney, Sezer Fahri and Monica Nicolin
Introducing our new name and brand – a new era for our organisation – Hannah Sherbersky and Kate Groucutt
Belgium: A country developing mental health care – Annemie Uyttersprot
Navigating family estrangement: Helping adults understand and manage – the challenges of family estrangement by Karl Melvin, published by Routledge, 2024 – Review by Amy Urry
AFT webinar – Healing family ruptures: A personal and therapeutic journey, presented by Glenn Larner, 6 March 2025 – Report by Aaron Davies
Branching out: West Yorkshire branch (WYAFT) – WYAFT committee
International Family Therapy Congress report – Aberdeen, 24-29 March 2025 – Shan Tate
June is Pride month: Gender and sexuality diversity working party group update – Sarah Favier and Rosie Buckland
European Family Therapy Association – National Family Therapy Organisations branch (EFTA-NFTO): Update on the situation in Germany – Matthias Ochs
AFT workshop: Understanding and responding to domestic violence and abuse in couple relationships, presented by Damian McCann, 19 May 2025 – Report by Naomi Beet
Our purpose, membership community and commitment – A message from the AFT board of trustees
AFT news
Contents snapshot
Editorial – Carole Payne
Innovative collaborations in police custody: Reflections on developing and delivering systemic training to lawyers, custody sergeants and professionals in youth justice – Raphael Cadenhead and Jennifer Summer
Autistic burnout – working systemically with the parts of the system that can engage – Tracie Ward
Artificial intelligence and therapy – Sam Rhodes-Phillips
A digital definitional ceremony: Action learning and therapy ending, or collaboratively going off the rails – Phil Laing
Climate change in the therapy room? – Cinthe Lemmens and Robert van Hennik
Thinking systemically about cannabis (mis)use – Sarah Bannister
Learning through being: Teaching in an embodied way – Paul Walton
Family clinic with a universal crisis team – Nicola Bairstow
The body holds the score: In honour of The Body Keeps the Score (van der Kolk, 2015) – Rory Worthington
Silence, witnessing, voice and power: A personal experience of the Kahramanmaras earthquake – Gul N Eryuksel
This Be The Verse: A response – Abiola Awojobi-Johnson
National Family Therapy Organisations meeting, Budapest, May 2025 (NFTO – part of EFTA) – Shan Tate and Ged Smith
Ideas that keep knocking: An invitation to collective practice for family therapists in social care – Jack Evans, Rebecca Harvey and Jemma Healey
Nonviolent Resistance in Trauma-focused Practice: A Systemic Approach to Therapy and Social Care, by Peter Jakob, published by Routledge, 2025 – Review by Liz Burns
Gender and sexuality diversity working party group update – Rosie Buckland and Sarah Favier
In tribute to John Brereton – Karen O’Connor
Creating Relational Ripples, by Marilena Karamatsouki, published by Everything is Connected Press, 2025 – Review by Dawn Thibert
West Midlands AFT branch update – Judy Sutton and the WMAFT branch committee
Capturing the stories and memories of those who created and shaped AFT – Kate Groucutt and Hannah Sherbersky
AFT news
Contents snapshot
Editorial –Rosie Buckland and Sarah Favier
Feature articles
Queer and curious – Finn Mackay and Claudia Zitz
At the Rainbow’s End – Clare Summerskill
Commentary on ‘At the Rainbow’s End’ article – Paul Willis
Understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people in residential care – Jason Schaub and Omar Mohamed
Queer Connections – Annette Strzedulla, Caitlin Molloy, Dawn Thibert, Ilaria Robin Calussi, Liz Kirkbride, Macushla Lovell-Meade, Navya Anand and Nancy Brown
‘Journey group is my family now’ – Sarah Favier
Our family – Charlotte Harris
Being the debate – Isaac Stephens-Parr
The social grace I am being encouraged to ignore: Resisting the erasure of trans identities in an NHS child and adolescent mental health service – navigating ethical dilemmas with systemic action – Ali Knight
A light bulb moment in conversation about transgender experiences: Hearing the voices of young people from the front line of CAMHS – Mark Chidgey
What can we do to support families with parents from trans and gender-diverse communities? – Trish Hafford-Letchfield and Christine Cocker
Trans and non-binary sexualities: A narrative inquiry research project – Sandro Voi
Pink balloons and boomboxes: Remembering Section 28 – Tom Marshman, Lois S. Bibbings and Sarah Jones
Safe – Katy Rose Bennett
From the shadows to the spotlight: LGBTQ+ centred emotionally focused couples’ therapy – Sandra Taylor, Robert Allan and Caitlin Edwards
Identity in the shadow of faith: The challenge of identity negotiation within religious conservatism – Ezra Lockhart
Reports and reviews
Intersex perspectives in systemic practice: AFSP webinar presented by Annette Strzedulla and Amanda Middleton, 26 March 2025 – Report by Jess West
Family Therapy in Bulgaria – Petya Varcheva, Borislava Mecheva and Teodora Gerginova
AFSP Northern Ireland branch report 2024/2025 – Clare Macauley
EFTA Congress: Confluences and Controversies in Systemic Thinking, Practice and Research, 27-30 August 2025, Lyon, France – Reflections from some of those present
INSPIRE conference: ‘Making room for spiritual and existential perspectives in systemic and dialogical practice and research’, 12 – 13 June 2025, Oslo, Norway – Hannah Sherbersky
Association news
Contents snapshot
Editorial
Rooted in the whole: An editorial in times of ecological and existential unravelling – Hugh Palmer and Chiara Fortina Santin
Feature articles
The tower and dystopia: Collapse (and hope) on the fool’s path – Hugh Palmer
Rewilding the interiority of clinical practice – Roger Duncan
A systemic field based meditation for our world – Imelda McCarthy
Eco-relational practices: Teaching, systemic practice and research – Leah Salter
Reflective practice on land and sea! Four seasons of outdoor group supervision – Joanne Hanrahan
Relational healing through nature: For people, between people and with the land – Charlie Chapman and Paul Andrews
Becoming rewilders: A cultural and systemic journey at the Grange Project – Chloe Constable
Activism, revolution and raving: The ecosystem and climate emergency in family therapy training – Jenny Cove, Rob Moore and Sigurd Reimers
Ancient rememberings, connections and intersections: An equine-assisted journey into realms of possibility – Jo Law
Family therapy on the farm – Sophie Hicks
Exploring experiences of a weekly walking group implemented by an NHS community mental health team and West Central London Mind – Emma Blundell, Catherine Boteler and Jacob Payne
Nature-inspired therapeutic tools: Welcoming nature in our indoor therapeutic practices – Elaine Grech
Message from the heart of the mountains: The wild edges of an ecological self – Chiara Fortina Santin
Speeding down to zoom out – Andreas Breden
Reports and reviews
Systemic in Nature Symposium, 3-5 October 2025 – Report by Sarah Lloyd
AFSP webinar: ‘Storytelling, collective healing, and family wellness’, with Zain Shamoon, 7 August 2025 – Report by Aleksandra Crawford-Leighton
INSPIRE (International Research Network in Spiritual and Existential Perspectives in Systemic and Dialogical Practice) conference, Oslo, June 2025 – Report by Tormod Kleiven, Catherine Rodger, Tracey Johnston, and Jacqui Scott
Family therapy in France: European Family Therapy Association – National Family Therapy Organisations branch (EFTA-NFTO) –Yara Doumit Naufal and Myriam Cassen
Branch report for the Hampshire Association for Family and Systemic Psychotherapy (HAFSP) – Pete Hamilton
Journal of Family Therapy news – Sarah Helps, journal editor-in-chief
Association news
Also of interest
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