Systemic Family Therapy – Cooperation with ÖAS (Österreichische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für systemische Therapie und systemische Studien)

As we know, self-perception and the perception of others differ. In our self-description, we are the following:

An active, interested, curious, humorous, inquisitive team of teaching therapists with a good mix of ages (from late 30s to mid-70s) who not only try to live the “spirit” of systemic family therapy, the associated view of humanity and the underlying epistemological and system-theoretical theories in their work with clients/patients, but also want to convey this in a lively and practical way to young training colleagues. Each teaching therapist is on the one hand an “all-rounder” in systemic work, but also has his/her hobbyhorses and specialisms. Overall, we are able to provide students with a good representation of the diversity of theory and methods through the team of teaching therapists. A colourful bouquet of professional diversity and plenty of room for human individuality.

In addition to the coordination team, you will get to know the following ÖAS teaching therapists in the course of your studies or in the compulsory elective subject Systemic Family Therapy or become mentors and good companions on your path to becoming a psychotherapist. Of course, we also regularly invite national or international guest speakers on specific topics.

Elfriede Feichtinger, Herbert Gröger, Katharina Hinsch, Michaela Mühl, Andrea Schmid or other teaching therapists from the ÖAS, ÖAGG or LASF can also be chosen for part or all of the 80 hours of individual self-experience.

The compulsory elective Systemic Family Therapy or Specialised Course with its methodological focus is carried out by the following cooperation partners:

Austrian Working Group for Systemic Therapy and Systemic Studies for the Method of Systemic Family Therapy (ÖAS)

This means that the assignment of lecturers, the subject-specific study programme as well as the formal training criteria for certification and entry in the official list of psychotherapists of the Federal Ministry of Health are carried out via the ÖAS.

Web: www.oeas.at

The SF elective subject or the subject-specific training via the ÖAS-SFU comprises the following steps and requirements:

In principle, training via the ÖAS-SFU is divided into 2 sections, namely a “first” and “second” subject-specific section. You will receive a separate student handbook from the ÖAS, which will provide you with guidance on the requirements of your degree programme for what lies behind you and what still awaits you in your learning process.

The “first” section covers the semester period of B5 and B6 in the SFU degree programme and the “second” section begins when you are awarded the status “in training under supervision” by the ÖAS. This second phase usually coincides with the M1-M4 semester.

In total, the following content and training hours must be completed via the WPF or ÖAS study book over both sections:

1. personal development: at least 220 hours
(individual self-experience = ELSE: 80h group self-experience: 140h)
100 hours are integrated into the SFU curriculum, are organised by the SFU and are included in the tuition fees. An additional 40 hours of group self-awareness and 80 hours of individual self-awareness are to be organised externally and paid for separately (both parts to be organised externally are to be organised via the ÖAS or teaching therapists for systemic family therapy – offer on the ÖAS homepage)
100% attendance is compulsory for all self-awareness seminars.

2nd internship: 550 hours
Of these, at least 150 hours must be completed at a “relevant” healthcare institution within one year.

3. theory and methods: at least 390 hours
These are offered in 15-hour seminars at weekends (Fri. 16.00-20.00 and Sat. 9.00-18.00) or in the B5 and B6 period as literature seminars (weekly on a weekday – 17.00 to 20.00 or 21.00). Attendance is also compulsory. You need 200 theory hours to acquire the status of “psychotherapist in training under supervision” so that you can start “practice” or practical work at the outpatient clinic. The rest of the theory seminars are completed in the so-called “second” specialisation section” during the M1-M4 curriculum period.

4. internship reflection: 30 hours
These 30 hours are completed parallel to the internship as required, e.g. in open Tuesday supervision groups with Jutta Fiegl, Gerda Mehta or Hedi Wagner or in other SF supervision groups.

5. practice: 630h practice
Practice here means the independent psychotherapeutic treatment of patients under supervision. Approval for the practical activity or “status” is granted in writing by the head of the compulsory elective subject after a personal interview with the student and is initially granted by working in the SFU outpatient clinic for 200 hours.

The status of “Psychotherapist in training under supervision” (assessment and issue by the ÖAS representative) is required:

• at least 110 hours of personality development, whereby half of the individual self-experience (=40 hours) must be completed.
• 200 hours of theory or methods
• a large part of the internships
• a large part of the internship reflection
• the bachelor’s degree
• and the positive assessment of the first two term papers and 2 literature papers by the programme director

The prerequisites for permission to work in the SFU outpatient clinic, which can be granted after the 1st year at the earliest, are

• Status “in training under supervision”
• Work as a co-therapist with Dr Mehta in the outpatient clinic
• Completion of the bachelor’s degree

A total of at least 100 hours of psychotherapy must be completed in the outpatient clinic. Regular attendance at the outpatient clinic sessions is also compulsory. Later, students can also work in their own practice.

6. practice supervision: 220 hours
This takes place in the form of group supervision or video analyses and is legally required to accompany the practice.

7. annual screenings and semester certificates

The following are currently used for semester evaluation:

• A written assignment in the 1st semester:
  My examination of the systemic perspective (approx. 10-15 pages)
• At the end of the 2nd semester:
  My examination of the systemic way of working (approx. 10-15 pages)
• The presentation of the selected literature and the student’s written document serve to evaluate the “literature work” course.
• In the following semesters, an independently conducted psychotherapy and the corresponding case analysis, which must be submitted at the end of each semester (approx. 10 pages), serve to evaluate the “semester performance”.

At the end of each academic year, there are screening discussions with the director, which offer the opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and what is still open, mutual feedback and, above all, an exchange between students and those responsible for the course. The written work must already be available for this.

Prerequisites for obtaining the ÖAS certificate in Systemic Family Therapy, with which you can apply to the Federal Ministry to be listed on the list of psychotherapists (professional authorisation):

• Master’s degree
• Positive completion of all requirements stipulated in the ÖAS study programme. This also includes the fulfilment of 2 video/audio analyses and a positively assessed case reflection of approx. 10 pages for each semester in status.
• A fully completed ÖAS student handbook with the respective signatures of the lecturers
• Presentation of the 630 protocols for independent work as a psychotherapist
• Presentation of the documents of all completed courses listed in the course catalogue

With the ÖAS certificate, you can then apply to the BMG for entry in the list of psychotherapists.

You will need two admission interviews with the course director (from winter semester 2021/22 with Prof Fiegl and Dr Mehta) and a selection seminar.

You also need:

• Matura, nostrified Matura or university entrance qualification – or admission to the preparatory course
• Certificate of completion of the Propaedeuticum – admission to the WPF is not possible without a Propaedeuticum certificate!

When you are admitted to the WPF, you also become an ÖAS member. The SFU will pay the annual ÖAS membership fee for you for 3 years, after which you will have to pay this annually yourself until you are entered in the BMG list.