Systemic counselling, family and systemic therapy
Systemic counselling, family and systemic therapy
Contact study programme for professionals in the psychosocial and psychological field
The six-semester further education programme qualifies you in particular for counselling and therapeutic activities in the health and social sector. Those working as counsellors in companies and other organisations will also expand their professional options for dealing with individuals or groups.
The contact study programme is psychodynamically and systemically oriented. Lecturers from the field teach you systemic theory and methods in an interdisciplinary and application-orientated way. Diagnostics, interviewing, crisis interventions and counselling in coercive contexts are just as much a part of the content as knowledge of systemic child and adolescent psychiatry or systemic psychosomatics. In the accompanying supervision and self-awareness, you will reflect on your practical work and your own biography and further develop your professional identity.
Dr. Astrid Beermann
Diplom Soziologin
University degree
University certificate as a "Systemic Counsellor, Family and Systemic Therapist"
Recognition by the German Society for Systemic Therapy, Counselling and Family Therapy (DGSF) is possible
Network
Learning and working with experienced teachers in theory and practice
Collegial exchange and networking in the learning and supervision groups
Details of the contact study programme
Learning takes place over six semesters in a fixed group of a maximum of 22 participants. Both the practical work and the personal process are individually accompanied, supported and supervised.
The contact study programme is organised on a part-time basis. The theory and methodology seminars are mainly held on Fridays and Saturdays, with supervision taking place in the afternoons and evenings, or mornings if necessary, over four hours. The five two- to four-day self-awareness sessions usually take place in a seminar centre near Oldenburg. Otherwise, the learning organisation can be decided flexibly and individually.
The current curriculum includes the following seminars and dates:
| Information event with personal application procedure | |
| Seminar 1 | Introduction to the theory and practice of systemic counselling and therapy |
| Seminar 2 | Approaches and process design - forms of systemic diagnostics and concern orientation |
| Self-awareness I | Personal and professional development in the context of the system of origin (part 1) |
| Seminar 3 | Systemic dialogue |
| Seminar 4 | Systemic counselling and therapy in coercive contexts |
| Seminar 5 | Systemic counselling and therapy in individual and multi-person settings |
| Seminar 6 | Imposing interventions as a constructive challenge for autonomous systems |
| Seminar 7 | Systemic counselling and therapy for violent and abusive systems |
| Seminar 8 | Systemic counselling and therapy in the context of addiction and dependencies |
| Self-awareness II | Personal and professional development in the context of the present system |
| Seminar 9 | System constellations and sculpture work as forms of intervention in systemic therapy and counselling |
| Seminar 10 | Systemic counselling and therapy in crisis situations |
| Self-awareness III | Personal and professional development in the context of style and vision |
| Seminar 11 | Systemic trauma counselling and therapy |
| Seminar 12 | Systemic child and adolescent psychiatry |
| Seminar 13 | Systemic couples counselling and therapy |
| Self-awareness IV | Personal and professional development in the context of the family of origin (part 2) |
| Seminar 14 | Systemic psychosomatics |
| Seminar 15 | Systemic therapy in the context of dependency disorders |
| Self-awareness V | Personal and professional development - visions for the future |
| Processual components | Counselling and therapy practice, supervision, intervision, self-study (module 9) |
| Colloquium and conclusion | |
| Supervision | Accompanying further training |
Application
The extra-occupational further education programme "Systemic Counselling, Family and Systems Therapy" will start again in 2025. To apply, please use our online application at: https: //uol.de/c3l/systemische-beratung/bewerbung
You will need the following documents:
- Proof of academic and training qualifications
- Curriculum vitae
- Letter of motivation (max. 2 pages)
- Proof of existing practical experience in a psychosocial field of activity
Admission
The entry requirements for the contact study programme are
- University degree with a social science/humanities focus and practical psychosocial experience
or
- a qualified vocational qualification in the psychosocial field (at least three years of vocational training) and professional experience in the educational, medical or psychosocial field
- In both cases: Possibility of implementing systemic therapy/family therapy and/or systemic counselling in individual and multi-person settings during further education
If you do not have a professional qualification in the psychosocial field, you can obtain a qualification in systemic counselling under certain conditions. In this case, please contact us.
Admission is decided on the basis of the following criteria:
- Professional and personal aptitude
- motivation
- Fields of application
- Goals
Following the application phase, an information event will take place on 02 October 2025 from 2 - 7 pm an information event with a personal application procedure will take place, for which separate invitations (22-24 places) will be sent out. At this event, you will get to know the team and the supervisors personally, gain an in-depth insight into the content of the contact study programme and discuss personal motivation, expectations and fields of application with the supervisors in three smaller groups. Getting to know each other personally is particularly important to us in order to lay the foundations for successful further education and development. Binding registration is only possible after the event.
Successful participation concludes with a university certificate. This allows graduates to be certified by the German Society for Systemic Therapy, Counselling and Family Therapy(DGSF). The contact study programme is recognised by the DGSF.
Our further education also meets the requirements for "counselling/counselling" of the German Society for Counselling(DGfB). The courses of the contact study programme are accredited by the Lower Saxony Chamber of Physicians and Psychotherapists.
Participants can obtain a degree in systemic counselling after four semesters.
Those who already have a qualification in systemic counselling can obtain a degree in systemic counselling, family and systemic therapy after two semesters.
Further information on the social law recognition of systemic psychotherapy for systemic therapists and counsellors without a licence to practise in the field of youth welfare and social work can be found at the DGSF.
The following fees are charged for the contact study programme Systemic Counselling and Therapy:
- Decision-making seminar with personal application procedure: EUR 120
- Guest lecture fee: EUR 60 per semester
- Semester fee (6 semesters): EUR 1,650 per semester
- Supervision: EUR 1,889
- Self-awareness: EUR 1,778
- Final colloquium: EUR 190
(subject to change)
The fees are paid in advance for each semester. In addition to the seminar content, this includes the following services:
- Access to the internet-based learning environment with the forums and materials provided there
- Introduction to the learning environment and technical support
- Intensive counselling and support from the C3L team
Other expenses that are not included in the fees are
- Costs for accommodation and catering during the self-awareness seminars. The total costs currently amount to around €1,800. These are settled directly with the seminar centre by the participants.
- Personal expenses for living expenses, travelling, accommodation
Subsidies
Employees can generally claim expenses for further education related to their academic appointment against tax. Employers and the self-employed should clarify with their tax advisor or tax office whether training costs qualify as business expenses.
Who is the contact study programme aimed at? What requirements do I need to fulfil?
University degree with a social science/humanities focus and practical psychosocial experience
or
a qualified vocational qualification in the psychosocial field (at least three years of vocational training) and professional experience in the educational, medical or psychosocial field
In both cases: Possibility to implement systemic therapy/family therapy and/or systemic counselling in individual and multi-person settings during the contact study programme
When and where do face-to-face events take place? What are the seminar times?
Theory and methodology seminars take place approximately every 4 - 5 weeks from 09:00 - 18:00.
The supervision accompanying the training programme takes place approx. 3-4 weeks and usually in the afternoon.
Over a period of 6 semesters, a total of 5 self-awareness seminars (2 to 4 days) are anchored in the curriculum. These are usually held on weekdays at an external seminar centre and are recognised as part of educational leave.
In addition, there are self-organised intervision meetings in small groups.
The face-to-face events take place on the premises of the C3L Centre for Lifelong Learning (buildings V02 and V03) or in the training centre for psychotherapy, Uhlhornsweg 99c. There are no face-to-face courses during the school holidays.
How much time should I allow? How much time should I calculate in hours?
This is difficult to answer in general terms: theory and methodology seminars take place every 4-5 weeks outside the school holidays, and supervisions are scheduled every 3-4 weeks for 4 hours.
In addition, there are the self-organised intervision meetings, as well as the implementation and recording of the counselling and therapy practice and the independent study of the learning content and the preparation of the four case reports and the colloquium.
I don't live in the Oldenburg region, can I still do the contact study programme here?
Participation in the contact study programme does not depend on where you live. However, you should bear in mind the increased cost of travelling to the seminars, supervision and intervision meetings. You are welcome to check in advance whether it is feasible for you to take part in the various face-to-face events.
Is financial support possible? Can I take educational leave?
Employees can generally claim expenses for further education related to their academic appointment against tax. Employers and self-employed persons should clarify with their tax advisor or tax office whether training costs qualify as business expenses.
If your employer is based in Lower Saxony, you can apply for educational leave if the seminar lasts 3 days or more. In Bremen, it is possible to apply for one day or more.
What do I have to achieve during the contact study programme? Are there examinations?
In addition to the face-to-face events (seminar, self-awareness and supervision), you will have to prepare for and follow up on the seminars, bring your own cases to the supervision, write reflection reports after the self-awareness seminars, document cases from your own counselling/therapy practice and prepare four large case documentations (incl. final thesis).
At the end of the contact study programme, you will submit a final paper (case analysis) and complete a colloquium.
Co-operation and research
The cooperation partners of the certificate programmes in systemic counselling and therapy include
- Departments and Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Family Science (IFF) at the University of Oldenburg,
- Scientific Association for Systemic Research and Teaching at German-speaking Universities (DGSF University Specialist Group),
- German Society for Systemic Therapy, Counselling and Family Therapy (DGSF)
- Tavistock Clinic, Child and Family Department, London and
- all organisations involved in the training in the region in which the practical components in systemic counselling or family and systemic therapy can be carried out as part of further education.
The definition and methodology of systemic research are developed and tested in these scientific committees. In addition, researchers in the various fields of systemic teaching and practice network.
