Functional Family Therapy- Child Welfare (FFT-CW) is a therapeutic intervention aimed at building safety and keeping families together. NCNS has a team of six FFT-CW practitioners who deliver therapy to families across Penrith, Blue Mountains, and Lithgow. For this special article, we asked our team to share a little about themselves.
What drew you to Functional Family Therapy?
Kelly, Team Leader: FFT-CW is a really unique model because it allows us to work in the homes of families, so families get the comfort of being in their own space, and we get the chance to see them interact with each other as they would on any normal day.
Craig, Practitioner: An opportunity to add to the multifaceted practitioner lens and toolbox, which allows the facilitation for meaningful change for myself and others.
Wendy, Practitioner: After completing my social work degree, I was drawn to FFT because it allows us to walk alongside families to elicit sustainable changes using an evidence-based model.
Monica, Practitioner: I was already working for NCNS and knew about the positive team culture over at FFT. I wanted to grow as a professional among welcoming and highly experienced practitioners.
Craig, Practitioner: An opportunity to add to the multifaceted practitioner lens and toolbox, which allows the facilitation for meaningful change for myself and others.
Wendy, Practitioner: After completing my social work degree, I was drawn to FFT because it allows us to walk alongside families to elicit sustainable changes using an evidence-based model.
Monica, Practitioner: I was already working for NCNS and knew about the positive team culture over at FFT. I wanted to grow as a professional
Sara, Practitioner: After 10 years working in management, I wanted to get back to grass roots. I was familiar with NCNS and when I saw the position, I felt drawn to apply for it.
Christy, Practitioner: The dual model of therapists working with DCJ case workers and the evidence-based targeted therapeutic intervention work.
What special skills, experience (lived or professional) and interests do you bring to the FFT team?
Kelly, Team Leader: Like so many of us working in this sector, I have lived experience of parental abuse and then later, domestic violence. I had such great counsellors that helped me transform, that it motivated me to start studying counselling later in life, at 40yo.
Craig, Practitioner: As in my own hemisphere, I attempt to bring an internal essence of relational energy to create relational change, whilst facilitating communication, understanding and recovery within the families we walk alongside.
Wendy, Practitioner: I have lived experience of family separation and domestic violence. I worked for Centrelink for 18 years and have pretty decent research skills because of this. My past experiences and knowledge allow me to connect to the families I work with on an authentic and compassionate level.
Monica, Practitioner: I’ve worked with children and families for most of my career and am interested in highlighting the strengths, grit and creativity of adult and child survivors of coercive control and family abuse.
Sara, Practitioner: I have worked in this sector for about 30 years with experience across many different areas. For the last 24 years I have worked exclusively in the child protection space as a caseworker and a manager. I am particularly interested in working with parents who struggle with parenting their neuro-divergent children.
Christy, Practitioner: 15 years working with children and their families. Most of these years have been focused on child development, increased parenting confidence and skills, early intervention, and risk prevention work.
What’s one thing you could not live without?
Kelly, Team Leader: My two chonka ginger cats. And coffee. And depending on the day, more coffee.
Craig, Practitioner: Relational energy.
Wendy, Practitioner: There are two things I can’t live without, my family (husband and two boys) and coffee (three shots a day for optimal performance)!
Monica, Practitioner: My (unwilling) emotional support animal, Joey the bunny.
Sara, Practitioner: My family.
Christy, Practitioner: Sleep! Any chance I get, I’ll take it. I’ve got a new hammock for the warmer months.
Visit our website to find out more about FFT-CW: https://www.nepeancommunity.org.au/functional-family-therapy/
Article Written by Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare team