Barbara Warner

Chair of Ethics, Board Member and Post Chair

After 15 years as Head of Family Therapy and Courses Director at the Prudence Skynner Family Therapy Clinic, South West London & St. Georges Mental Health NHS Trust Barbara retired from the NHS in December 2003. Her career includes 2 years as a student nurse followed by a move into secretarial work in the Sociology Department at the University of Essex. This experience led her into a career in social work which began in 1971.

She worked with Dr. Barnardo's in Birmingham and in the Child and Family Guidance Clinic in High Wycombe. She trained as a family therapist at the Institute of Family Therapy, London.

Her experience includes supervision and teaching of social work students, conducting therapeutic and staff groups, psychosexual therapy and bereavement counselling. Her work at the Prudence Skynner Clinic included developing the place of family therapy within the Adult Psychological Therapies Directorate of the NHS Trust, the organisation of the family therapy clinic and courses, teaching on the course and in other contexts.

Clinically she supervised a number of family therapy teams and practiced family therapy in general adult psychiatry and a number of specialist settings. She practices an integrated model of family therapy which has strong roots in transgenerational and attachment theories.

Within AFT Barbara has been Chair of the Professional Affairs Committee, Chair of the Association, a National Assessor advising employers on the appointment of family therapists and a panellist in the accreditation of training courses.