Systemic Family T
How has science, war, missiles, ecology and failure of drug rehabilitation programmes contributed to family therapy.
Family therapy, also referred to as systemic therapy, is an approach that works with families and those who are in close relationships to foster change. These changes are viewed in terms of the systems of interaction between each person in the family or relationship.
Dr Charlie Azzopardi is a Systemic Family Therapist. He has worked in the addictions field since the mid 1980’s when he was involved in the set up of various addictions services including San Blas, Programme Spark, and the Sedqa Family Services. Dr Azzopardi underwent extensive training in the addictions, in Psychodrama, and in Transactional Analysis in Rome. He obtained his Master’s degree in Family Therapy from the Institute of Psychiatry in London, and his Doctorate in Systemic Psychotherapy from the University of East London in conjunction with the Tavistock Clinic. Dr Azzopardi has had training in various other psychotherapeutic techniques including Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Strategic Therapy of which he is a practitioner.
For the last 30 years Dr. Azzopardi was involved clinically within various local agencies including Sedqa, Cana Movement, Richmond Foundation, Appogg, Eden Foundation, Caritas and other private organisations. He also taught at the University of Malta for several years and taught in the UK’s National Health Services and was Senior Tutor with the Association for Psychological Therapies in the UK. Dr Azzopardi worked in the UK within eating disorders services. He is the founding chair of and Senior trainer at the Institute of Family Therapy Malta and works privately meeting families, couples and individuals with various presenting difficulties.
Dr Azzopardi has presented papers in various conferences and also published articles on family life in local newspapers and magazines, and books about separation for adults teens and children. His main interest remains the wide spectrum of family problems including marital problems, addictions, adolescent problems, and parenting. Of special interest is the development of new therapeutic techniques that make working with families and individuals easier and more accessible.