Our History

She was often called the “mother of family therapy."

As a public school teacher, Virginia realized that collaborating with her students' parents led to better classroom outcomes.
Her unique approach and ability to help difficult clients quickly led to recognition and demand as a consultant, author, and world-renowned trainer, as well as countless awards, including being voted “Most Influential Therapist."

Our Founder

In 1951, Virginia Satir embarked on her journey as a family therapist, becoming one of the pioneers in the field within the United States.

She was the founding member of the Mental Research Institute, where she developed and taught family therapy. Later, she served as the Director of Training at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. By the 1980s, Virginia Satir had gained international recognition, conducting workshops and training programs across the globe.

In 1986, Dr. John Banmen, a close colleague and friend of Virginia Satir, along with a group of professionals from Washington State, USA, and British Columbia, Canada, established the Northwest Satir Institute.

This was the first institute dedicated to fostering a community and providing training in Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy (STST). In 1998, the Satir Institute of the Pacific (SIP) was founded as a separate entity in British Columbia. It was registered as a non-profit society in August 1998 and later as a charitable organization.

Initially, SIP focused on offering training programs for therapists:

Foundational STST Level 1 program launched in September 1998
STST Level 2 program was introduced in November 1998

These programs have remained central to our offerings and are regularly conducted in British Columbia and online via Zoom. Over time, SIP expanded its offerings to include special event workshops, conferences, Train the Trainer programs, and Advanced Master Class Residential Programs, attracting participants from around the world.

Today, SIP members present training programs in over a dozen countries and offer workshops for school personnel and personal growth workshops for the public.

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Corporate team engaging in an interactive workshop. A diverse group clapping during a meeting, highlighting teamwork and collaboration.