Alma Family Therapy Centre

Diploma in Family Therapy

Flexible Learning

The training consists of 8 units completed over two years. Applicants can apply for the full course or for individual units. The course is accredited by the Australian Association of Family Therapists and co-ordinated by Drs Miriam Tisher and Livia Jackson. Guest lecturers lead workshops in each unit. The course is offered by distance learning and includes required workshop attendance of 6.25 hours (1 day) per unit.

Course Overview

First year units:

Overview of family therapy
Developmental experiences, therapeutic interactions
Family therapy and illness
Family of origin

Second year units:

Children and adolescents
Couples
Older adults and aging issues
Ethics research, closure and referral

Teaching Methods

The course is conducted at the Alma Family Therapy Centre. Teaching methods include small and large group work, seminars, discussions, role plays, case presentations, demonstrations and video work. Participants will also be required to keep a journal thoughout the course.

The Units

Each unit comprises the following components:

Readings and activities:	24 hours
Peer supervision:	2 hours
Workshop:	6.25 hours
TOTAL:	32.25 hours

Students who would like more face to face contact can also participate in fortnightly small group workshops. This is included in the course fees.

Membership of National Family Therapy Association

Students of the diploma are encouraged to become associate members of the australian association of family therapy(AAFT)". On successful completion of the academic requirements of the diploma, followed by completion of all post course supervision and log requirements as outlined on the VAFT/AAFT website, graduates of the diploma are eligible to apply for clinical membership of AAFT.

For current details of supervision requirements for AAFT, please refer to their website, www.aaft.asn.au

Internships

Students can apply for a twelve month internship. This includes one four hour session per week at the Centre seeing clients and group supervision.

Eligibility

The course is open to qualified practitioners in the health and social sciences.

Professional Development Points

Professional development points can be applied for to the relevant professional association.

Cost

(2012)
The cost for the Diploma in Family Therapy (8 units over two years) is $8,400 (plus GST).
Fees are payable in advance per semester (2 units) at $2,100 (plus GST).
For those wishing to enrol for individual units by distance, the cost is $1200.00 (plus GST) per unit, payable in advance.

Student Feedback

Applications

Click here to download an application form. This document is in Adobe PDF format, and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded free from here.

Offers of enrollment will be made on the basis of interview, subject to availability.

Faculty

Course Directors

Dr Miriam Tisher, BA (Hons), MA, PhD, CFHC, Clinical Member VAFT, Clinical Psychologist

Dr Livia Jackson, MBBS (Hons), RACGP, Clinical Member VAFT

Advisory Committee

Tammy Berman, BSc., Grad Dip Ed. Psych. Grad Diploma Family Therapy, MAPsS, Psychologist, Clinical Member, VAFT.

Associate Professor Suzanne Dean, BA(Hons), MA, PhD., MVAP, MPAA, Clinical Psychologist, Victoria University and Monash University.

Rosemary De Young, BA, BEd (Counselling), MAPsS, Clinical Member VAFT, Counselling Psychologist.

Associate Professor Erica Frydenberg PhD Dip Ed Dip Clin Psych FAPS Educational and Clinical Psychologist, University of Melbourne.

Dr Dennis Handrinos, MBBS, FRANZCP, MPM, Consultant Psychiatrist, Royal Melbourne Hospital and Alma Family Therapy Centre

Dr Jenny Ouliaris, MBBS, FRACGP, Clinical Member VAFT, Grad. Diploma Family Therapy.

Dr Brian Stagoll, MBBS, FRANZCP, DPM, Clinical Member VAFT, Consultant Psychiatrist

Dr Vicki Windholz, MBBS (Hons), FRACGP, Grad Diploma Family Therapy, Clinical Member VAFT

Course Outline

Unit	Faculty	Title	Objectives	Assessment
A	Livia Jackson Banu Moloney Miriam Tisher	Overview of family therapy	Recognise different schools of family therapy. Understand theoretical basis for schools of family therapy. Understand and use boundaries, systems and subsystems in formulating hypotheses. Recognise theoretical formulations guiding psychotherapy	Essay
B	Kim Bieber Livia Jackson Miriam Tisher	Developmental experiences, therapeutic encounters	Identify and understand four stage model of therapy. Draw three-generation genogram with appropriate symbols. Use information obtained in genogram to generate hypotheses about patient's problems. Understand relevance and importance of life cycle stages in patient's presenting problems.	Genogram with hypotheses
C	Livia Jackson Maria Nichterlein Miriam Tisher	Family therapy and Illness	Identify families' narratives in relation to illness. Use genograms to clarify transgenerational patterns of coping with chronic illness and death. Identify circular patterns in families relating to illness. Identify circular patterns between families and systems.	Essay re narrative of illness in patients noting circular patterns
D	Livia Jackson Moshe Lang Miriam Tisher	Family of origin	Acknowledge influences of family of origin in therapy. Use genograms to clarify transgenerational patterns of secrecy and grief. Respect cultural and individual grieving processes. Understand and recognise impact of culture, gender and secrets in a family and how this can affect family dynamics.	Review of journal with reference to clinical implications
E	Livia Jackson Miriam Tisher Karen Smith	Children and adolescents	Child-related problems as reflection of distress in family. Child and adolescent expressions of unhappiness. Circular patterns with children as the identified patient. Adolescent turmoil and interaction with family system.	Genogram for child and adolescent with hypotheses and interventions
F	Livia Jackson Tom Paterson Miriam Tisher	Couples, circular patterns, circular questions	Evaluate your own therapy and counselling work. Patients’ symptoms in cybernetic or circular pattern terms. Use circular questioning. Include marital system in information gathering and option generating stages of therapy.	Videotape of couple and critical review
G	Livia Jackson Hema Sivakumaran Miriam Tisher	Older adults and Aging Issues	Recognise issues of elderly persons and families. Recognise the circular pattern between an elderly member and their family and between families and other systems. Identify own issues about ageing and influence on practice. Identify approach to impending death, relate to family of origin, socio-cultural and spiritual experiences.	Critical review of two readings with reference to implications for clinical practice
H	Mark Furlong Livia Jackson Miriam Tisher	Ethics, research, closure and referrals	Clarify confidentiality and its limitations with your clients. Ethical issues, your responsibility and how they apply to you in your work place and in the therapeutic context. Recognise when and how to refer appropriately. Duty of care issues and appropriate responses.	Review of journal with reference to ethical dilemmas

Please note that guest lecturers may be changed subject to availability.