German Society for Systemic Therapy, Counseling and Family Therapy

The German Society for Systemic Therapy, Counseling and Family Therapy (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Systemische Therapie, Beratung und Familientherapie, DGSF) is a cross-professional professional association based in Cologne, Germany. It represents practitioners and institutions working with systemic approaches across therapy, counseling, supervision, mediation, social work, coaching and organizational development. With roughly 11,000 members, it is described as the largest association for systemic therapy in Germany. The DGSF is registered as a non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) at the Cologne local court and is recognized as charitable. The association was formed in September 2000 through the merger of two predecessor organizations: the Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Familientherapie (DAF), founded in 1978, and the Dachverband für Familientherapie und systemisches Arbeiten (DFS), founded in 1987. Its stated mission is to promote systemic thinking and practice across all professional fields. A central long-standing goal has been the recognition of systemic therapy as a reimbursable form of psychotherapy within the German statutory health insurance system. The DGSF publishes the journal Kontext, along with leaflets, brochures and booklets, and operates a mailing list for members. It has developed ethics guidelines and works on networking, continuing education and quality assurance for affiliated training institutes. It cooperates with national and international associations and, together with the Systemische Gesellschaft (SG), awards an annual Systemic Research Prize. Unlike the SG, the DGSF's members include not only private, independent continuing-education institutes but also training centers and seminars at universities and colleges. The association's governance includes an executive board and a supervisory board (Aufsichtsrat), introduced through a revision of its statutes that took effect with entry in the association register at the end of May 2024. Astrid Beermann and Matthias Ochs were the last volunteer board chairs from 2022 to 2024. Previous board chairs include Anke Lingnau-Carduck and Filip Caby (2019–2022), Björn Enno Hermans (2013–2019), Jochen Schweitzer and Wilhelm Rotthaus. The DGSF maintains a head office in Cologne and organizes annual conferences, member assemblies and numerous specialist and regional groups. A major milestone came at the end of 2008, when the Scientific Advisory Board for Psychotherapy (WBP), based on an expert report jointly submitted by the DGSF and SG, determined that systemic therapy met the requirements for scientific recognition for both adult psychotherapy and child and adolescent psychotherapy, and could be recommended as a "method for advanced training." In November 2019, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) added systemic therapy for adults as the fourth "guideline method" in the psychotherapy directive. In January 2024, the G-BA extended this to child and adolescent psychotherapy.

The DGSF was formed in September 2000 through the merger of two predecessor organizations: the Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Familientherapie (DAF), founded in 1978, and the Dachverband für Familientherapie und systemisches Arbeiten (DFS), founded in 1987. The association is registered at the Cologne local court and recognized as charitable. It has grown to represent around 11,000 members, making it the largest association for systemic therapy in Germany. From its founding, the DGSF and its predecessor institutions have advocated for the recognition of systemic therapy as a reimbursable form of psychotherapy within the German statutory health insurance system. A key milestone came at the end of 2008, when the Scientific Advisory Board for Psychotherapy (WBP), based on a joint expert report submitted by the DGSF and the Systemische Gesellschaft (SG), determined that systemic therapy met the requirements for scientific recognition for both adult psychotherapy and child and adolescent psychotherapy, and could be recommended as a "method for advanced training" for psychological psychotherapists and child and adolescent psychotherapists. In November 2019, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) added systemic therapy for adults as the fourth "guideline method" in the psychotherapy directive. In January 2024, the G-BA extended this recognition to the child and adolescent psychotherapy sector. The DGSF publishes the journal Kontext (previously published by the DAF), a forum for scientific reflection on systemic and family therapy work. It also publishes leaflets, brochures and booklets, operates a mailing list for members, has developed ethics guidelines, and works on networking, continuing education and quality assurance for affiliated training institutes. It cooperates with national and international associations. Together with the SG, it awards an annual Systemic Research Prize. Unlike the SG, the DGSF's members include not only private, independent continuing-education institutes but also training centers and seminars at universities and colleges. Governance has evolved over time. A revision of the statutes introduced an executive board and a supervisory board (Aufsichtsrat), taking effect with entry in the association register at the end of May 2024. Astrid Beermann and Matthias Ochs were the last volunteer board chairs from 2022 to 2024. Previous board chairs include Anke Lingnau-Carduck and Filip Caby (2019–2022), Björn Enno Hermans (2013–2019), Jochen Schweitzer and Wilhelm Rotthaus. The DGSF's head office is in Cologne. The association organizes annual conferences, member assemblies, and maintains numerous specialist and regional groups that form the professional, practice-oriented and regionally active base of the association.

• 2024

  G-BA extends systemic therapy recognition to child and adolescent psychotherapy; new statutes introduce executive board and supervisory board.

• 2019

  G-BA adds systemic therapy for adults as fourth guideline method in the psychotherapy directive.

• 2008

  WBP recognizes systemic therapy for adult and child/adolescent psychotherapy based on joint DGSF/SG expert report.

• 2000

  DGSF formed in September through the merger of DAF and DFS.

• 1987

  Dachverband für Familientherapie und systemisches Arbeiten (DFS) founded, a predecessor organization.

• 1978

  Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Familientherapie (DAF) founded, a predecessor organization.

Cross-professional professional association promoting systemic thinking and practice, and advocating for the recognition of systemic therapy as a reimbursable psychotherapy method in Germany.

• Kontext journal

  A forum for scientific reflection on systemic and family therapy work, published by the DGSF (previously by the DAF).

• Systemic Research Prize

  An annual research prize awarded jointly by the DGSF and the Systemische Gesellschaft (SG).

• Ethics guidelines

  Guidelines outlining minimum requirements for professional standards and ethical rules.

1. 1Die DGSF – Wirksam in Systemen — DGSF e. V.dgsf.org
2. 2Über unsdgsf.org
3. 3Fach- und Regionalgruppen, Regionenratdgsf.org
4. 4Gremiendgsf.org
5. 5German Society for Systemic Therapy, Counseling and Family Therapywikidata.org
6. 6Deutsche Gesellschaft für Systemische Therapie, Beratung und Familientherapiede.wikipedia.org