Advisory Board

Debbie has been learning about the Satir model since she participated in one of Virginia’s Family Cluster Groups at the age of 9. She learned from and had a consulting business with her mom, Lois Campbell, who was a registered clinical counsellor. Debbie and Lois used Satir principles in their workshops ranging from teambuilding to mother-daughter retreats. Debbie has earned her MA in Counselling Psychology and PhD in Educational Psychology, and had a private practice for 12 years working with clients in community and school settings using Satir as one of her main theoretical orientations. For the past 11 years Debbie has been teaching in Adler University’s Counselling Psychology programs, and introducing students to the Satir model as one of three theories covered in the Couple and Family Therapy course.

Sibel Erenel (Usluer) is a California licensed marriage & family therapist, and AAMFT approved supervisor. She is the founding director and trainer of Satir Insan Gelisimi ve Aile Terapisi Enstitusu (Satir Human Growth & Family Therapy Institute) in Istanbul, Turkey. She is also clinical supervisor at 2 university Couple’s & Family Therapy Master’s programs.

Sibel Erenel is also a founding board member of Turkish Association of Couple’s and Family Therapy (CATED) and has served as an executive board member of International Family Therapy Association-IFTA. Sibel is the president of YÖRET Foundation which aims to work on child rights and ending violence against children; promoting psychological wellness and resilience in children, youth, parents, mental health specialists, also promoting peaceful environments in schools and in the community.

Sibel was a student of Kaye Bishop LMFT-a first generation Satir trainer, for 5 years where she learned the Satir Model. She has worked with children with developmental disabilities and their families; at-risk youth, victims of violence, high conflict families and couples.

In 2006 Sibel Erenel developed a 3-year Satir model-based family therapy program providing training to counselors and therapists in Istanbul. She collaborated with the Satir İnstitute of the Pacific to enhance the training program as subsequently approved by Satir İnstitute of the Pacific (SIP) Director of Training John Banmen. In 2011 she received the “Satir Model Satir Transformational Systemic Family Therapy Leadership Award” which was awarded to 14 people in the world. She received the “Unsung Hero Award” in 2013 for her training program and being a pioneer of the Satir Model in Turkey, by SIP.

Sibel currently works with individuals, couples and families in her practice. In all her professional and volunteer work, she works to create “peace within” individuals, “peace between” couples, peers, and “peace among” family members, children and among community members to create peace.

Hao Zongyuan has a master’s degree in applied psychology, she is a registered psychologist and a member of the Chinese Psychological Society. She is also a certified Satir Model Counsellor, supervisor and trainer. She is a Senior Faculty of the Banmen Satir China Management Center.    Currently she is running workshops in the following areas: Programs for psychological counsellors in the education system (universities, secondary and primary schools), personal development self care programs for professional helpers such as classroom teachers, physicians, nurses, teachers, police officers and counsellors.  She has also developed and runs an “Empowering Women “ program nationally and she  does the BSCMC Level I & Level II counsellor training program for the various Satir Centers  across China.    She has intensive training with Dr. John Banmen and Maria Gomori and other foreign trainers since 2006. She has been working at the BSCMC since 2009 and is now its vice-president. She has published a book of poems inspired by the Satir Model and has contributed artistic drawings to three Satir Model books. She also had her own meditation CD produced. In her teaching and training she brings hope to the participants helping them to connect with their deeper level of life and to become more responsible for their own well being.

Pichai Ittasakul is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry at the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok. Thailand.

Dr. Ittasakul has extensive training in the Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy. He is the professional trainer, supervisor and therapist in Satir Model. He has directed training for a variety of groups and initiatives in Thailand, including those for therapists, teachers, community groups, non-profit organizations, and corporate groups.

Dr. Ittasakul has served as the Vice President of the Satir Association for Human Development and Psychotherapy since January 2022. He has strongly intention to implement Satir model to Thai people to create the peace within, peace between and peace among Thai community. Additionally, he has is eager to promote Satir model to Medical Professionals in Thailand particularly who work in the field of Psychiatry. He strongly believes that Satir model is not only useful for the patients but medical professionals can use this model to take care of themselves.

Dr. Ittasakul and colleagues hosted Thai Satir community group meetings via Zoom to support Thai society in 2020, during Covid-19-pandemic situation.

Dr. Marie Lam is the Senior Supervisor and Senior Counsellor of Hong Kong Satir Center; Certified Clinical Supervisor and Certified Marriage and Family Therapist of Hong Kong Marriage and Family Therapy Association. She is also the faculty member of BSCMC (Banmen Management Center) and provides co-training for the course of Clinical Supervision with Dr. John Banmen for the Hong Kong Satir Center for Human Development and Taiwan Satir Association, as well as in Shanghai and Beijing.

After graduating from Fu Jen University, Taiwan, Dr. Marie Lam later obtained a Master Degree in Public Health from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and a PhD in Therapeutic Counselling from The Open International University for Complimentary Medicines and Medicine Alternative Institute Sri Lanka.

Inspired by the first Satir Model workshop led by Satir’s associates Dr. John Banmen, Dr. Maria Gomori and Jane Gerber in 1986 and Virginia Satir herself in 1988, Dr. Marie Lam embarked on her spiritual journey.

In the next two years, Dr. Marie Lam fervently followed Satir’s workshops in Hong Kong delivered by Satir’s three associates. These workshops deepened her spiritual growth and gave her an in-depth study of the Satir model. In 1988, Dr. Marie Lam began to interpret all the workshops of Dr. Maria Gomori and Dr. John Banmen in Hong Kong and Taiwan, expanding her understanding of the essence of their works and laying a solid foundation for the teaching of the Satir model.

Since 1989, Dr. Marie Lam began to lead Satir model workshops in Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. To continue the teaching of Satir to the Chinese community, Dr. Marie Lam and several other like-minded friends established the Hong Kong Satir Center for Human Development on April 13, 1989, in the mission to fulfilling the mission of Virginia Satir, through the commitment to promote human kindness through Satir Model.

Dr. Marie Lam was the former President, Vice President, Program Director of Courses and Training and Board Member of the Hong Kong Satir Center for Human Development. Besides, she was former board member of Taiwan Satir Center established by Shiuh-Li Cultural and Educational Foundation. She is also one of the founders of Taiwan Satir Association.

In the past two decades, Dr. Marie Lam has worked tirelessly in contributing to Satir Centers worldwide. In addition to developing the Satir training courses, she also actively nurtures torch-bearers in their professional counselling and ensures the quality of Satir courses. In 2011, she received the Living Treasure Award by the Virginia Satir Global Network and later the Pacific Satir Leadership Award by the Satir institute of Pacific.

Her translation works include “Meditation & Inspirations”, “The Satir Model, Family Therapy and Beyond” and “Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy – Sample Iceberg Process Questions of the Satir Model (A Beginner’s Manual)”

Dr. Rick Miners is a Registered Psychologist who works in private practice, where he has extensive experience with ABLE Developmental Clinic in assessing and treating children, youth and adults with developmental, learning, emotional and behaviour challenges. Across multiple settings, he also provides family therapy, consultation to schools, executive coaching, supervision (of early career psychologists) and/or team leadership. Previously, he conducted research on mindfulness, led mindfulness-based stress reduction programs and has served as university lecturer, organizational health facilitator, sub-investigator and research therapist (MAPS’ international multi-site MDMA-PTSD treatment study) and structural engineer. Rick works from an integrative perspective, drawing primarily from Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy, mindfulness-based, cognitive behavioural and Indigenous Focusing-Oriented Therapy for Complex Trauma approaches. He has experience with Indigenous healing rites, formal training in psychedelic psychotherapy and has been a therapist for over 20 years.