ABOUT US

Abigail Washington, BNurs, MSc, Dip

I have been working with young people with mental health problems and their families since 2002. I initially started my career as a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Nurse with a keen interest in working systemically with families and others. I worked on an acute inpatient CAMHS unit for 9 years, before specialising in eating disorders for 6 years.

In 2014 I completed my Masters in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy and finished my Systemic Supervision diploma in 2016. I currently work part-time in an inpatient CAMHS hospital and work independently in the community.

Working systemically means more than understanding an individual alone, it looks at the wider systems and how these affect individuals and relationships. They mutually influence one another and it is helpful to notice patterns of interactions within these relationships. It explores the meaning of different contexts and how they may impact on the way we behave, think, and feel. For example how does your family experience/background (culture, class, gender, age, ability, ethnicity, sexuality, religion and many more factors) influence you and others around you? Family therapists hold onto these ideas and work closely with individuals and groups of people to help them understand how they might want to change and improve relationships.

I enjoy working creatively using different techniques and methods that connect with you to help facilitate change. I am able to adjust accordingly to the needs of the client(s) and co-create the therapy together to enhance the experience so that you feel heard and understood

Reaching out for the first time can be very difficult; however this could make the difference you have been waiting for.

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Gill Turner

I am an accredited member of the BACP (professional body) and I have over 20 years experience in Mental Health from relationship counselling with couples, individuals, young people, families and organisations. I am also a psychosexual therapist working with sexual dysfunctions and in particular with compulsive sexual behaviour. I offer a complete service in relationship counselling in a private and confidential setting. My therapeutic approaches are: Systemic, Psychodynamic, Person Centered, Attachment and CBT.

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Kay Gittins

IKay is a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist (UKCP registered), Systemic supervisor, teacher and trainer, Qualified Nurse (RNLD).
Kay is a qualified nurse, who specialised in support for people with learning disabilities before going on to train as a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist (Family Therapist) and systemic supervisor, teacher and trainer.

Kay is an experienced family therapist having worked across the public and private sectors. She provides highly specialist evidence based, systemic psychotherapy services including highly specialist systemic assessments, treatment and consultation to the young people, adults, their families, carers, colleagues and professional networks. The work entails assessing complex client systems, developing systemic formulations of the presenting problems, engaging family members in the therapeutic work and implementing multiple varied approach’s, methods and techniques to facilitate change. This includes interventions recommended in NICE guidelines. Clinical presentation is varied in nature and degree covering difficulties such as depression, self- harm, suicidality, anxiety, Autistic spectrum disorder, family breakdown, parenting difficulties, abuse, child protection, family rehabilitation, disordered eating, addition and relationship difficulties.

Since 2008 Kay has been part of the teaching staff on the Birmingham Systemic Training Programme in Family Therapy and Systemic Practice. The programme is accredited by The Association of Family Therapy (AFT) and run in association with Birmingham University. Since 2014 she has been the course coordinator for the Foundation programme and contributed to the supervision course. For all courses I am actively involved in the planning, assessment, implementation and evaluation assisting the course director with proposed changes, budgets, complaints, general enquiries and the selection/interview process.

I also provide workshops for schools and organisations on a range of mental health topics including mental health self-care.


Outside of my day to day working practice I have been part of the organising committee for the AFT annual conference held in Birmingham in 2010 and written for context magazine (published December 2014).