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 15-min consult How I work

Registered with AFT MA Education Online, in person by arrangement

Connected Pathways

Systemic Therapy & Educational Consultancy

Warm · Thoughtful · Empowering

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.

Individuals, couples, families & young people
50-minute sessions, online via Zoom (in person by arrangement)
No blame, no sides. I help the whole system shift

Start with a free 15-min consult

For parents, carers, schools & organisations

Education consulting

When the school says one thing and your gut says another, and the paperwork makes no sense. With a Masters in Education and years inside the system, I help you read the situation clearly and decide what to actually do, whether you're a parent fighting for the right support or a school trying to get it right.

SEND & EHCP navigation, school choice, transitions
Parents, carers, schools, SENCOs, local authorities & charities
Advisory, assessment, training, guidance & coaching

Enquire about consulting

Two threads (one sage green, one aubergine) 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, a stalled EHCP, 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 SEND & EHCP stress Difficult transitions Anxiety around school Family conflict over a child's needs

How I think

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.

No pressure, no surprises

How it works

A free 15 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.

We agree a plan

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

We begin

Sessions online via Zoom, or in person by arrangement, at a pace that works for you.

Velma, systemic psychotherapist 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 psychotherapist, registered with the Association for Family Therapy & Systemic Practice (AFT), and an education consultant with a Masters 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. [Add a personal line here: why you do this work.]

Registered with AFT MA Education Enhanced DBS Fully insured In clinical supervision

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 15-minute consult comes first, always. A limited number of reduced-fee spaces. Just ask.

Education consulting

£50 / 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.

Payment is taken securely by card. Sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours' notice are charged in full. [Confirm final figures and cancellation terms.]

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 15 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.

Free • 15 minutes • No obligation

Book your free consultation

Pick a time below. We'll have a short, no-pressure conversation to see how I can help.

📅 Booking calendar embeds here
(Cal.com self-service calendar, to be connected)

Before your free 15 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

Prefer to send a message instead?

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
[ phone number ]