Mentalization-Based Treatment for Adolescents (MBT-A)

"Very informative, great interaction with trainers and peers, went at the right pace and loved it all." Participant, October 2023

"Really engaging content and presentation by both facilitators. Good use of videos to further explain concepts." Participant, February 2024

"The content and delivery was exceptional. I felt that I came away each time with a practical and theoretical skill that was generalisable in my work." Participant, February 2024

This training assumes a foundational understanding of mentalization. Prior to the MBT-A training, completion of the self-guided online training “An Introduction to Mentalizing and Mentalization Based Treatments with Children, Young People and Families” (MBT CYP) is mandatory.

Access to MBT CYP, a flexible six-hour self-directed course featuring short videos, presentations, and activities, will be provided one month before your MBT-A training begins. Covering vital topics such as the importance of mentalizing, effective and ineffective mentalizing, and its relevance in childhood, adolescence, and family contexts, MBT CYP establishes the theoretical groundwork essential for maximising your experience in the MBT-A training. If, for any reason, you require access to the training sooner than one month prior to the training start date, please let us know and we will be able to grant you access. 

After completing the online Introduction to MBT CYP training and the MBT-A training you will have a sound understanding of mentalizing theory, its relevance in relationships and adolescence and its importance in practice with adolescents. You’ll have developed a range of skills in assessment and case formulation for adolescents as well as having developed skills in understanding and managing self-harm. We hope you will be able to bring this knowledge to your current practice, whatever setting you are working in. 

For those who want to be registered as an MBT-A practitioner, ongoing support and supervision will be important. This will help you to continue to develop your skills in implementing MBT-A techniques and support your ability to hold a mentalizing stance in working with adolescents. If you’d like to be recognised as an MBT-A practitioner, supervision with an MBT-A approved supervisor on two cases is essential.  

You can access individual or group supervision with an approved MBT-A Supervisor through online supervision groups with Anna Freud. Email the training team on mbtcyp@annafreud.org with the following information:  

• Your name 

• Preferred language 

• The MBT- model you would like supervision in.  

A member of the training team will email you back with upcoming dates, times, and fees for any current and future online supervision groups you might join.  Alternatively, you can arrange your own supervision by accessing the approved register of MBT-A supervisors: 

UK

Alan Larney, alan.larney@gmail.com, Clinical Psychologist/Group Analyst, language(s): English

Daiva Barzdaitiene, daivab150@gmail.com, Consultant Psychiatrist in General Psychiatry (eating disorders), language(s): English

Gerry Byrne, byrnegerry@mac.com, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist language(s): English

Fiona Duffy, fiona.duffy@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Dr Hannah Kate Williams, hannah.williams@swlstg.nhs.uk, Psychiatrist and Medical Psychotherapist, language(s): English

Holly Dwyer Hall, dwyerhall@btinternet.com, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, language(s): English

Ioanna Vrouva, i.vrouva@ucl.ac.uk, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Judith Thorp, judith.thorp@blueyonder.co.uk, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, language(s): English

Kim Wyatt-Brooks, dr.kwbrooks@gmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Lisa Shaverin, lisa.shaverin@icloud.com, Therapist, language(s): English

Louise Duffy, louise.duffy@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Lucy Robertson-Ritchie, lucy.robertson-ritchie@nelft.nhs.uk, Systemic Family Therapist, language(s): English

Lynne Conway, lynne.conway@ggc.scot.nhs.uk, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, language(s): English

Sarah Harmon, sarah.harmon@nhs.net, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English, French

Sheila Redfern, sheila.redfernpsychology@gmail.com, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Skirma Povilenaite, skirma.povilenaite@nelft.nhs.uk, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, language(s): English

Zoe Given-Wilson, zoe.given-wilson@nelft.nhs.uk, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Austria

Kathrin Sevecke, kathrin.sevecke@tirol-kliniken.at, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, language(s): Austrian, German

Bulgaria

Martin Kolev, martin.koleff@gmail.com, Psychotherapist, language(s): Bulgarian

Canada

Karin Ensink, karin.Ensink@psy.ulaval.ca, Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Psychology, language(s): English, French

Mark Nicoll, mark.Nicoll@albertahealthservices.ca, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Chile

Paula Lobos Sucarrat, paulalobs@gmail.com, Psychologist, language(s): Spanish

France

Mario Speranza, msperanza@ch-versailles.fr, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, language(s): French, English Germany

Svenja Taubner, svenja.taubner@med.uni-heidelberg.de, Professor for Psychosocial Prevention, Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalyst, language(s): Austrian, German

Carolina Bindt, bindt@uke.de, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist, Adult Psychoanalyst (DPG), language(s): German

Miriam Haagen, praxis@miriam-haagen.de, Psychotherapist for Children, Adolescents and Adults, Family Therapist, language(s): German

Marie-Luise Althoff, marie-luisealthoff@web.de, Psychoanalyst, Supervisor and Lecturer, language(s): German

Norway

Cilje Sunde Rolfsjord, rolfsjord@gmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English, Norwegian

Fredrik Cappelen, cappelen@gmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English, Swedish, Norwegian

Jennie Richard, garderup@hotmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English, Norwegian, Swedish

Line Indrevoll Stänicke, line.stanicke@gmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English, Norwegian

Line Brotnow, line.brotnow@gmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English, Norwegian

The Netherlands

Eva Raedts, ejomraedts@hotmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): Dutch

Haiko Jessurun, jhjessurun@tweemc.nl, Clinical Psychologist/Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, language(s): Dutch

Marianne Noten-Collet, m.collet@pantea.nl, Psychotherapist, Healthcare Psychologist, Family Therapist, Youth Therapist, language(s): Dutch

Mary Elfring, mary.elfring@upcmail.nl, Clinical Psychologist, Psychotherapist and Family Therapist and Supervisor, language(s): Dutch

Nicole Muller, nic_0408@hotmail.com, Psychotherapist and Family Therapist, language(s): Dutch, English

Noij Yvonne, y.noij@mbttraining.nl, Psychotherapist, language(s): Dutch

Panama

Louise Alkabes de Esquenazi, louise.esquenazi@gmail.com, Psychologist, language(s): Spanish

Spain

Celia Garcia de la Iglesia, cgarcia@fundacioorienta.com, Child Psychiatrist, language(s): Spanish, Catalan

Esther Urpinas Vila, eurpinas@fundacioorienta.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): Spanish, Catalan 

Israel Bobadilla González, ibobadilla@fundacioorienta.com, Child and Adult Psychiatrist, language(s): English, Spanish, Catalan 

Jordi Borras Galindo, jborras@fundacioorienta.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): Spanish, Catalan 

José Andrés Sánchez Pérez, sanchezperezjoseandres@gmail.com, www.mentescreativas.es, Child and Adult Psychiatrist, language(s): Spanish 

Maria Jesús Sais Badia, mjsais@fundacioorienta.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): Spanish, Catalan 

Mark Dangerfield, mdangerfield@fvb.cat, Clinical Psychologist, Psychotherapist and Psychoanalyst, language(s): English, Spanish 

Miguel Enrique Cárdenas Rodriguez, mcardenas@fundacioorienta.com, Child Psychiatrist, language(s): English, Spanish, Catalan 

Norka Malberg, nmalberg@gmail.com, Psychologist and Psychoanalyst, language(s): English, Spanish

Rubén Arevalo, rarevalo@fundacioorienta.com, Child Psychiatrist, language(s): Spanish, Catalan 

Sweden

Maria Wiwe, mariawiwe@gmail.com, Psychologist/Psychotherapist, language(s): Swedish

Switzerland

Martin Debbane, martin.debbane@unige.ch, Psychologist, language(s): French, English

Turkey

Ceyda Dedeoglu, ceydadedeoglu@gmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): Turkish

USA

Anna Elisabeth Middleton, elisabeth@emiddletonphd.com, Psychologist, language(s): English

Carl Fleisher, cfleisher@partners.org, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, language(s): English

Carla Sharp, csharp2@central.uh.edu, Child Psychologist, language(s): English

Jennifer Weaver, jennifer@weaverandassociates.net, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Achieving MBT-A Practitioner status involves the following steps: 

• Have a pre-existing professional qualification, e.g. as a counsellor, psychologist, social worker, family therapist, play therapist, arts therapist, psychiatrist, or psychotherapist working with children.

• Have read the MBT-A manual (book) and training handouts and attended an approved MBT-A introductory training (3 days or equivalent).

• Have had at least 6 individuals (or 10 group) supervisions on a minimum of two MBT-A cases. Supervision should be with someone from the list of approved MBT-A supervisors. At least one case needs to be video/audio recorded and supervision offered based on those recordings. If the supervisions are in group, the practitioner's own work needs to be presented at least 6 times.

• With the supervisor's written agreement, to forward a minimum of one tape of an MBT-A session together with a patient case formulation letter to the young person and reflective commentary on the session, to be reviewed by an MBT-A supervisor (not the same person who supervised cases) and approved as demonstrating core elements of mentalizing stance and mentalizing practice for MBT-A. Please see patient case formulation letter and reflective commentary submission guidelines here. If not approved, the reviewer will provide written feedback on areas for further development and provide recommendations re: minimum supervised practice needed before the practitioner can re-submit.

Once approved, MBT-A practitioner names will be listed on Anna Freud's list of registered MBT-A practitioners. Once you reach MBT-A practitioner status you are encouraged to continue with CPD, to maintain and promote standards. You are encouraged to carry an MBT-A caseload (at least 2 cases per year), and should receive regular supervision or join a peer-supervision group with other MBT-A practitioners, and have the opportunity to present their own work to this group at least three times per year. Practitioners are also encouraged to attend conferences, courses and read relevant papers that will help to develop their MBT-A practice.

Please see here to download a form to complete for supervisor status. After receiving and reviewing your form, you will be issued with a certificate, and your name added to the Anna Freud list of registered MBT-A practitioners.

After becoming an MBT-CYP Practitioner in MBT-A, MBT-C or MBT-F and gaining further experience in using MBT-CYP with children and parents, you might be interested in developing skills in supervising others. There are two pathways in becoming a registered MBT-CYP Supervisor.

Pathway One

For those with no previous experience in supervising therapists working with children, adolescents or families.

• Be an approved MBT-CYP practitioner with one year’s experience of using MBT-CYP (MBT-A, MBT-C, or MBT-F)

• Have attended an approved MBT CYP supervisor training (2 days or equivalent either face-to-face or online)

• Have had at least 6 individual (or 10 group) supervisions on a minimum of two MBT-CYP supervisions. Supervision should be with someone from the list of approved MBT-CYP supervisors. If the supervisions are in a group, the supervisor's own work needs to be presented at least 6 times

• With the supervisor's written agreement, to forward a minimum of one tape of an MBT-CYP supervision, together with a brief reflective commentary on the supervision, to be reviewed by an MBT-CYP supervisor (not the same person who supervised cases) and have been approved as reaching the appropriate standard for MBT-CYP supervision. 

  The brief for reflective commentary submission guidelines will be uploaded here very soon. If not approved, the reviewer will provide written feedback on areas for further development and provide recommendations re: minimum action needed before the applicant supervisee can re-submit

• Once approved, MBT-CYP supervisors are encouraged, in addition to the CPD requirements set out above, to join a peer-supervision group with other supervisors and have the opportunity to present their own clinical work, and work as a supervisor to this group, at least three times per year. We also encourage attendance at other MBT trainings.

Pathway Two

For those with 3 years or more previous experience in supervising therapeutic practice with children, adolescents, and families.

• Be an approved MBT-CYP practitioner with one year’s experience of using MBT-CYP (MBT-A, MBT-C, or MBT-F)

• Have attended an approved MBT CYP supervisor training (2 days or equivalent either face-to-face or online)

• Forward a minimum of one tape of an MBT-CYP supervision, together with a brief reflective commentary on the supervision, to be reviewed by an MBT-CYP supervisor and have been approved as reaching the appropriate standard for MBT-CYP supervision. The brief for reflective commentary submission guidelines will be uploaded here very soon. If not approved, the reviewer will provide written feedback on areas for further development and provide recommendations re: minimum action needed before the applicant supervisee can re-submit

• Once approved, MBT-CYP supervisors are encouraged, in addition to the CPD requirements set out above, to join a peer-supervision group with other supervisors and have the opportunity to present their own work and work as a supervisor to this group at least three times per year. We also encourage attendance at other MBT trainings.

Please see here to download a form to complete for practitioner status. After receiving your form.

The online platform Zoom will be used to deliver this training. Prior to booking on, please ensure you meet the system requirements so you're able to join this training. Before the training, please test your equipment is working by going to Zoom.us/test and follow the instructions.

This training can be delivered live online or face-to-face. Dates and times will vary according to format so please carefully check the dates and times for individual courses before booking.

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