The Four Divisions

Adult Psychotherapist Division

Members of the Adult Psychotherapist Division have completed a training in Adult Psychotherapy recognised by the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC). The majority of Adult Division members are those who have qualified on the Trust’s advanced level training in Adult Psychotherapy. This is a specialist training to NHS Consultant level in Adult Psychotherapy. Intermediate levels of training in Adult Psychotherapy also play a very important part in the delivery of psychotherapeutic treatment in the health service, and the Division gives Affiliate status to those who have qualified on the Trust’s ‘Foundations of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy’ course.

One aim of the division is to provide continuing professional development for members and affiliates. This will include regular clinical seminar groups to which external speakers will be invited. The division also aims to provide a supportive network for members and affiliates, particularly those newly qualified, in their various and diverse clinical settings. Keeping members and affiliates informed of events and conferences is also a priority.

The joint Chairs of the Adult Psychotherapist Division are Jo Stubley and Silvia Oclander-Goldie.

Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist Division

The joint Chairs of the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist Division are Jane Cassidy and Kate Henderson.

Systemic Family Psychotherapists Division

The aim of the Division is to reflect on the application of a systemic framework to the contexts of our work. It is also an opportunity to share news - be this about conferences that may be interesting, teaching and clinical posts, and to set up small special interest groups.

As we are part of a wider organisation that includes graduates of psychodynamic courses, it also provides a setting for thinking about the relationship between systemic and psychodynamic work, and to link more systemically based work with initiatives elsewhere.

We hold termly meetings, in which one person presents a paper on a certain themes, allowing time for us to discuss the implications this has for work in our own settings. For example, this past year has focused on thinking across a range of cultural contexts - with Britt Krause talking on From Cybernetics to Systems, drawing on cross cultural work, and Rita Harris on Thinking Systemically about Organisational Management. It is very much arranged on a collaborative basis - a small group of us have taken responsibility for arranging these meetings, but the ideas are based on what members would like to discuss. The sessions have varied and we have tended to hold at least one session that relates to the development of systemic psychotherapy as a profession.

The joint Chairs of the Systemic Family Psychotherapists Division are Ellie Kavner and Grania Clarke.

Allied Professional Division

We have been delighted to send out invitations to a large number of graduates of eligible programmes. As the establishment of the Allied Professional Division emphasises, the Society is concerned to support a group wider than those trained in psychotherapy. The Allied Professional Division is the newest of the Tavistock Society’s Divisions. It has been established in recognition of the large number of graduates of Tavistock programmes who remain in their profession of origin but retain an interest in psychodynamic or systemic thinking and in the activities of the Tavistock Clinic. They also work in a distinctive way and are interested in keeping in touch with fellow graduates, the Tavistock itself and in continuing professional development. Courses giving eligibility for membership of the Division are listed here.

Although these courses are not clinical trainings in psychotherapy, they all offer work discussion seminars or equivalent learning opportunities for professionals working therapeutically with children, young people, or families; that is to say that the course which create eligibility for membership of the division must include presentation of professional work in seminars or for supervision, as part of the course requirements.

The Chair of the Allied Professionals Division is Andrew Balfour.