Systemic Therapy & Educational Consultancy · Kent

Most problems don't live inside one person. They live between people.

Systemic therapy for individuals and families, and education consulting for parents, schools and organisations, from someone who looks at the whole picture: home, school, and the relationships in between.

Book a free 30-min consult How I work
Registered with AFSP MA Education Online, in person by arrangement
Velma Bennett
Connected Pathways
Systemic Therapy & Educational Consultancy
Warm · Thoughtful · Empowering

How I work

Connecting People

Working with the relationships around a person, not just the person alone.

Strengthening Systems

Helping families, schools and services work better together.

Inspiring Growth

Creating the conditions for children and adults to learn and thrive.

Supporting individuals, families, schools and communities to grow, learn and thrive, together.

Two doors, one way of thinking

Where shall we start?

Two distinct services, connected by a single idea: that people make sense in context. Pick the door that fits, or book a free consult and we'll work it out together.

For families & individuals

Systemic therapy

When the same argument keeps happening with a different topic. When one person's struggle is quietly being carried by the whole family. Systemic therapy looks at the patterns between people, because that's usually where things get stuck, and where they start to move.

Systemic therapy, often referred to as family therapy, can help people in close relationships develop a better understanding of one another and provide mutual support by drawing on their shared strengths.

It is a form of talking therapy where individuals can explore emotional difficulties and challenges with the support of a trained practitioner. It may involve more than one person, and the term "family" can refer to any group of people who consider themselves a family and share significant relationships with one another.

Systemic therapy focuses on how people influence and support each other, how they respond to challenges, and how they understand and make sense of difficulties together. By exploring these relationships and patterns, it can help people communicate more effectively, strengthen their relationships, and work together to find positive ways forward.

  • Individuals, couples, families & young people
  • 50-minute sessions, online by secure video link (in person by arrangement)
  • No blame, no sides. I help the whole system shift
Start with a free 30-min consult
For students, parents, carers, schools & organisations

Education consulting

When the school says one thing but your gut tells you another, I know how confusing and frustrating that can feel, especially when the paperwork doesn't seem to make sense. With a Master's in Education, a Certificate in Education and years inside the education system, I help parents, schools and colleges cut through the confusion, understand what's really happening, and work out what to do next. When Ofsted visited, I was the person the inspectors liaised with, so I've seen how schools work from both sides of the table.

I provide expert guidance to students, parents, carers, schools, colleges, charities and education organisations, helping you make informed decisions about education and career pathways.

  • University and course selections
  • Application and personal statement support
  • Further and higher education progression, information, advice and guidance
  • Career and academic pathway planning
  • School and college choice, transitions, strategy and development
Book consulting
Two threads (one sage green, one navy) weaving together into a single strand Where the two meet

When school problems are really family problems

A child rarely struggles in isolation, and rarely learns in isolation either. School refusal, support that isn't working, a transition that's thrown everything off balance: these sit right on the line between family and education. Most professionals can only see one side of that line. I work across it.

If you can't tell whether you need a therapist or an education consultant, that uncertainty is often the sign you need someone who understands both.

School refusal School support struggles Difficult transitions Anxiety around school Family conflict over a child's needs
How I work

I don't start with "what's wrong with you?"

I start with "what's happening between you?"

Systemic practice means I look at relationships, patterns, and the stories families tell about themselves, not just one person's symptoms. The person carrying the problem is often holding something for everyone else. And even when it's just you in the room, we look at the relationships you're standing in. No blame. No taking sides. Just a clearer view of the whole picture, and where it can change.

I work at the intersection of education consulting and therapeutic support, recognising that learning is influenced not only by academic ability, but also by confidence, emotions, relationships and wellbeing.

My approach looks at the whole person. I help children, young people and families understand what may be getting in the way of learning, while providing practical strategies to support emotional wellbeing, engagement and progress.

I work collaboratively with families, educators and other professionals to understand each individual's needs, identify strengths and create personalised, realistic pathways forward.

At the heart of my work is the belief that when a person feels understood, supported and empowered, they are better able to learn, grow and thrive.

Family Scripts

The unspoken rules, expectations and generational patterns that shape how a family relates. We look at how your scripts formed, how they're maintained, and how they can be re-authored into healthier, more empowering ways of relating.

Narrative Therapy

You are not the problem; the problem is the problem. We examine the stories you hold about yourself and your relationships, and build new ones that reflect strength, agency and possibility.

Intersectionality

Race, gender, culture, class and ability all shape how people experience the systems around them. I pay close attention to power, privilege and lived experience, so the work stays inclusive and true to your reality.

No pressure, no surprises

How it works

1

A free 30 minutes

An honest conversation, not a mini-session. We see if we're a fit, and I'll tell you plainly if someone else would serve you better.

2

We agree a plan

Whether it's therapy or education support, we decide together what we're working on and how.

3

We begin

Sessions online by secure video link, or in person by arrangement, at a pace that works for you.

Velma Bennett, systemic practitioner and education consultant
About

Hello, I'm Velma Bennett

I empower individuals, families, and organisations through systemic counselling and educational consulting, fostering meaningful change, resilience, and lifelong growth.

I'm a Systemic Practitioner, registered with the Association for Family and Systemic Psychotherapy (AFSP), and an education consultant with a Master's in Education. I don't think of those as two separate jobs.

Both come from the same place: a belief that people make sense in context. A child's difficulty at school, a couple stuck in the same argument, a family under strain, none of it happens in a vacuum. I help you see the system around the problem, because that's where things actually change.

I work with families, individuals and young people across Kent, and with parents and schools navigating the education system. It's work I know from the inside: I currently work within a Children, Families and Education department in London, and as a qualified Family Group Conference Coordinator I bring families together to make decisions that stick.

Earlier in my career I served on the Executive Board of the National Association for Educational Advice and Guidance, presented papers on guidance and career coaching at conferences in the Netherlands, Brussels and Slovenia, and was nominated for an award at the House of Commons for the research, design and training I delivered in education and leadership.

Registered with AFSP MA Education Enhanced DBS Professional indemnity insurance held In clinical supervision
Training, qualifications and CPD

Qualifications

  • BA (Hons) Education with Sociology
  • MA Education (Vocational Education and Training), specialising in Information, Advice and Guidance and Career Guidance
  • Certificate in Education
  • Four years' training in Systemic Therapy
  • RSA Certificate in Counselling
  • Qualified Family Group Conference (FGC) Coordinator

CPD

  • NVR conversational tools in practice: working with parents and carers of neurodiverse young people (Nov 2025)
  • Family Estrangement (Oct 2025)
  • Storytelling and collective healing of family wellness (Oct 2025)
  • Working with Boys (2025)
  • Supporting Young People Experiencing Suicidal Thoughts and Self Harm (2022)
  • Understanding Trauma (2022)
  • Solution Focused Practice (2021)
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy tools and techniques (2021)

Since 2023 I have been a member of a Systemic Journal Club that grew out of the Tavistock Clinic's tradition of systemic thinking and practice.

Straight talk about cost

Fees

I publish my fees because you deserve to know before you enquire, and because therapy and good advice are real investments of time and money. Better you know up front.

Therapy
£60 / 50-minute session

Individuals, couples and families. A free 30-minute consult comes first, always. A limited number of reduced-fee spaces. Just ask.

Education consulting
£60 / individual session

One-to-one sessions for parents and carers. For schools, local authorities, charities and organisations, project work, training and day rates are agreed after a short preliminary conversation.

Sessions are paid for online when you book. Sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours' notice are charged in full.

Honesty first

Is this right for you?

I'd rather be straight than sign everyone up. Here's how to tell.

We're probably a good fit if…

  • You want to understand what's going on, not just manage it
  • Something between people, at home or at school, keeps getting stuck
  • You're ready for an honest, collaborative conversation
  • You value someone who sees both the family and the education picture

You might be better served elsewhere if…

  • You're in crisis or need urgent help: please contact your GP, or call 111, or the Samaritans on 116 123
  • You're looking for a quick fix, or for someone to take your side
  • You need a service I'm not trained for, and I'll gladly point you onward
Good questions

Things people actually ask

Do you take sides?

No. In systemic work I'm not there to decide who's right. I'm there to help the whole system understand itself and shift. Everyone gets heard.

What if my partner or family member won't come?

That's common, and it's fine. Real work can happen even when only one person is in the room. We look at the relationships you're part of either way.

Can therapy and education advice really come from one person?

They're two distinct services, and I'm always clear about which hat I'm wearing. What connects them is a way of thinking: seeing the whole system around a person. For families where home and school overlap, having both in one place is a genuine advantage.

What actually happens in the free 30 minutes?

A short, no-pressure conversation to see if we're a fit. It isn't a mini-session. If I'm not the right person for you, I'll say so and point you somewhere better.

Is it confidential?

Yes, within the professional and legal limits I'll explain at the start, including the safeguarding duties that apply whenever children are involved.

Do you work with children and young people?

Yes. I hold an enhanced DBS check and work with young people and their parents with appropriate consent and safeguarding in place.

Book a session

Choose the pathway that fits, pick a time and book it straight away. You'll get a confirmation email with a secure video link.

Free • No obligation

Free consultation

30 minutes to talk through what you need

Book free consult
£60

Systemic therapy

For individuals, couples, families and young people

Book therapy
£60

Education consulting

For students, parents, carers, schools and organisations

Book consulting

Prefer to send a message instead?

Before your free 30 minutes

No preparation is needed, but if it helps, you might have a think about:

  • What brings you here, and what you'd like support with
  • Whether you're seeking support as an individual, couple, family or other relationship
  • Any significant life events or changes recently
  • Whether you've had therapy before, and what was or wasn't helpful
  • Whether you'd prefer to meet online or in person
  • Any questions you'd like to ask me
Get in touch

Send an enquiry

Not ready to book, or have a question first? Drop me a message and I'll get back to you, usually within two working days.

hello@velmabennett.co.uk
07504 829215