The FTAI is registered with the European Association of Psychotherapy and is affiliated with the Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP). We set the standards for training, accredit training programmes and register those family therapists whose submissions meet our criteria
–Criteria for Registration as Family Therapist 2019
– FTAI Application for Full Registered Member 2019
– STUDENT Application for Student Membership 2019
Family Therapy looks at the individual in the context of their relationships and social milieu rather than in isolation.
Systemic Family Therapy, also known as Couple or Family Therapy, is a means of intervention that attempts to understand and address human beings’ pain and distress within the context in which it occurs i.e. the family or relationship environment.
This therapeutic approach does not isolate an individual patient, but rather it takes account of the family as an organic whole, whatever form that family group might take.
Clients are facilitated to make sense of their lives and difficulties in the context of their family formation and functioning.
Family therapy aims to enhance communication between family members and to cultivate the independence of the individual within the family. It avoids apportioning blame.
The primary focus is on the present rather than the past and the objective is to promote action towards change so that the distress of the family can be alleviated.
Family therapy may involve entire families with parents and their young or adult children. It may involve some members of a family or couples.
This form of psychotherapy understands that emotional, psychological and interpersonal problems arise within the context of how people experience their life – how they make sense of reality and in their patterns of social engagement and exchange.
The therapist and client together seek to understand both how these patterns arise and how they are maintained; they do this through discussion, reflection and exploration in session and between sessions.
There may be more than one client involved in this process. This usually provides other options in making sense of one’s situation and generates greater choice in how to respond and relate.
In focusing on the wider system, Family Therapy is well placed to work with families in difficulty, particularly young children and adolescents.
Systemic processes point to the fact that children’s difficulties are, whenever possible, best addressed in the context of the family.
Systemic Family Therapy also facilitates the family’s understanding of any local factors that may impact on their difficulties, for example, issues associated with areas of deprivation such as poverty and drugs.
We represent over 300 family therapists on the island of Ireland, all of whom have successfully completed an FTAI Accredited training programme.
This accreditation is dependent on our members having gained their basic qualification in a full-time, three-year programme from a nationally-accredited third level educational institution, followed by a four year training in Family Therapy currently available in the Clanwilliam Institute and the Mater Hospital in Dublin.
These FTAI Accredited programmes consists of four essential components: Theory, Supervised Clinical Practice, Personal Professional Development and Research.
The Family Therapy Association of Ireland FTAI is the professional organisation which represents family therapy and therapists in Ireland.
We connect those who seek the professional services of a family therapist with our qualified, experienced, practicing therapists.
The FTAI is a registering body, with a code of ethics that sets professional standards in order to encourage and maintain best practice among therapists and provide clients and patients with the confidence and reassurance that their therapist is well-trained and experienced.
Below please find a list of issues addressed:
Abuse Issues
Addictions
Adolescent/Teenager problems
Anger Management
Anxiety
Bereavement & Feelings associated with loss
Business Consultancy
Coping with Illness/Disability
Couples Work
Depression
Eating Disorders
Family Work
Gender Issues
Mental Health Issues
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Phobias
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Relationship Issues
Self-Harm
Separation Issues
Sexuality Issues
Trauma Issues
SPECIALIST INTEREST LIST
Abuse Issues
Addictions
Adolescent/Teenager problems
Anger Management
Anxiety
Bereavement & Feelings associated with loss
Business Consultancy
Coping with Illness/Disability
Couples Work
Depression
Eating Disorders
Family Work
Gender Issues
Mental Health Issues
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Phobias
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Relationship Issues
Self-Harm
Separation Issues
Sexuality Issues
Trauma Issues
Family therapists work with the person(s) in the context of their whole lives and take into account a persons relationships, internal dialogue, history, work and social settings.
The aim is to assist the person, couple or family to come to their own satisfactory understandings or actions that will allow them to manage whatever issue troubles them.
While family therapists operate mostly on a brief therapy basis, many people choose medium to long-term therapy and it is common for people to re-connect for short periods at specific points in their lives.
The sessions are client led – and the therapist aims to engage the client in a conversation that offers the person, couple or family alternative stories or descriptions to the perhaps ‘stuck’ or ‘pathological’ one they currently find themselves in.
The current Executive Committee of the FTAI is as follows:
Executive Committee of the FTAI 2023
Mary Moriarty Chairperson
Maureen Treanor Vice-Chair/Company Secretary
Triona Cullen
Eileen Finnegan
Lana Galkovskaja
Fidelma Healy
Angie McLaughlin
Laura Pearson
Nivard Whelan
Systemic Family therapy incorporates individual, couple and family therapy. Family therapy is the most popularly recognised descriptive title for a body of practice and theory which continues to evolve and grow at an extraordinary rate. Family therapists are qualified to work with individuals, couples and families. It is an ecological approach that understands problems in the context of peoples lives. Therapists work collaboratively with clients and options are provided for different ways to respond and relate to problems.
Goals are usually achieved over a relatively small number of meetings with intervals of two to four weeks between appointments.
While the cost varies – it is usually between 60 to 100 euros per session (whether individual or couple) and lower cost can often apply to non-earners.
No. Self referral is completely acceptable
Family therapists are trained to deal with the full range of human problems – however some therapists have specialities and these can be viewed in the find a therapist section.
Family therapists or systemic therapists are specifically trained to work with individuals, couples, families and groups. Amongst psychotherapists, Family therapists are unique in the amount of specific couple and family training received.
Many therapists work with individuals and invite partners in for part of the therapy or indeed they might start with couple work and also include individual sessions as part of the therapy.
Thank you for visiting the website of the Family Therapy Association of Ireland.
If you have any comments or questions or for further details on any aspect of the FTAI, do please contact us and we will be happy to assist your query.
