Meet a therapist
Deborah Quy Msc Systemic and Family Psychotherapy; Bsc Nursing; Counselling Dip; UKCP and MBACP (accred).
Deborah is a member of WLAC’s team of professional qualified therapists and has worked for the charity for over a decade.
I met Deborah in the Sun Room at WLAC’s Gertrude Street offices to find out more about how she came to work for WLAC and her approach with clients.
Deborah originally trained as a nurse completing one of the first degree courses in the UK back in 1983, working in general surgical nursing before moving into palliative care.
Deborah started her own family and was very active in her local community caring for others. She became a pastoral carer at her local church where she supported people struggling with mental health difficulties and also facilitated parenting courses in the community, eventually teaming up with the local social services team. As a result of her growing understanding of mental health she took her first diploma in counselling and set up a community counselling service staffed by volunteers in Surbiton which is still going strong.
Deborah then decided to embark on qualifying as a family and systemic therapist. She completed a demanding four-year postgraduate course at the Institute of Family Therapy, the UK’s leading provider of family therapy and systemic psychiatric training. According to their website, qualification as a systemic family psychotherapist involves three discreet stages. Year one offers an introduction to systemic theory and practice. Year two deepens theory and focuses on the development of practice. Years three and four develop the skills and knowledge of the practitioner that are required to practice as a UKCP registered family psychotherapist either in employment or private practice.
For the last ten years, Deborah has been working in private practice one day a week and for WLAC as a family and systemic therapist three days a week. Deborah works with families, and also co-facilitates the Dads Matter service and helps to run the weekly Family Therapy Clinic.
There are many different recognised therapeutic approaches to support individuals and families. A family and systemic therapist helps members of a family to understand their differences and what may be causing them problems. It focuses on the interactions and relationships within the family to help the members address any problems and to move on. Deborah explained that family and systemic therapists usually work with more than one member of a family or system. She explained that systemic therapy can be very powerful for families because it gives all the members of the family the chance to explore their feelings and say what they think in a safe, non-judgmental environment. Systemic therapy can help identify deeply entrenched patterns within family relationships and uncover the ways in which family members communicate and behave, based on beliefs about their respective roles.
Deborah told me that one of WLAC’s great strengths is that their therapists have a variety of backgrounds, qualifications and approaches. Another strength is that the team works very collaboratively. This means that colleagues support each other and services can be tailored and adapted to meet the unique needs of each client family.
Therapy takes time and the clients and families that WLAC serves face profound and complex issues.
Every Tuesday there is a team meeting at which therapists can present issues and dilemmas for confidential discussion within the group. Deborah explained that the team culture is reflective, supportive and solution focused; just like its approach with clients. Deborah says that peer support and supervision are vital components of providing a safe and effective service.
I only spent half an hour with Deborah but that was plenty of time to understand her dedication to her profession, to WLAC, to her colleagues and to her clients. And to experience her warmth and compassion.
Thank you for supporting WLAC so that Deborah and her colleagues can help the most vulnerable children families in our community.