Systemic Psychotherapy work with Complex Trauma, patterns and process

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  An exploration of systemic psychotherapy work with complex intergenerational trauma. Multiple perspectives on patterns and processes

• IRAS ID

  352187

• Contact name

  Kyla Mckillop

• Contact email

  kyla.mckillop@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 9 months, 9 days

• Research summary

  This research will explore clinical work conducted in systemic psychotherapy sessions in the Oxford Health NHS Trust a service that has been commissioned to develop a complex Trauma Pathway for Children and Adolescent Services.
  This exploratory research project will develop a richer understanding of clinical practice when working systemically with families with complex trauma. Errington, (2022) in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, proposes that looking at sequences within sessions “helps clients observe themselves and the emotional process that occurs in complex relationship interaction” p.92.This research will explore patterns and processes between therapists and clients when working together, illuminating multiple perspectives that are difficult to observe or put into words. This is a development from existing literature that focuses predominantly on therapist or clients separately and privileges verbal language used in communication. Cloitre, in the British Journal of Psychiatry (2020), acknowledges that the Complex Trauma diagnosis is newly developed and therefore there is limited understanding of how psychological work can support such difficulties. This research will contribute to a richer understanding of systemic psychotherapy work with families in which complex trauma is suffered.. This project makes a wider contribution to the development of treatment pathways for Complex Trauma, something newly commissioned by the integrated care board and championed by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.
  

• REC name

  London - Hampstead Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  25/LO/0842

• Date of REC Opinion

  8 Jan 2026

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion