Mentalization-Based Treatment: Reflective Parenting

Reflective Parenting (RP)

Reflective Parenting is a model of parenting which focuses on the application of theoretical ideas from mentalization, attachment theory and reflective functioning in promoting positive outcomes for children’s emotional and behavioural wellbeing, where there are difficulties in the parent-child relationship. It was originally developed for children with behavioural difficulties (or conduct disorder) where children showed difficulties in emotion regulation leading to behavioural problems. Reflective Parenting makes distinct and explicit the need for self (parental) mentalizing and other (parent to infant, child, or adolescent) mentalizing. It is offered only to parents, not children or young people. Research (Suchman et al, 2010,) has shown that it is parental self-mentalizing that has the greater impact on the quality of parent-child interactions, over and above the parents’ capacity to mentalize the child. Reflective Parenting is a psychoeducation intervention and not a therapy. It aims to support professionals in primary and secondary care settings to work collaboratively with groups of parents, to identify difficulties in the parent-child relationship and intervene directly to improve the connection between parent and child via the 8-week manualised programme.

About this training in Reflective Parenting (RP)

This training will provide an introduction to the Reflective Parenting model and will focus on the practical application of Reflective Parenting in both a group setting and in individual work with parents, but predominantly on the manualised group model. Participants will learn how to employ a mentalizing stance in their work with parents and how to apply mentalizing principles to managing behavioural problems in young children and enhance a parent’s ability to understand what goes on in their child’s mind. Participants will be coached in using a range of mentalizing tools unique to the Reflective Parenting model helping parents to connect with their children in positive and meaningful ways.

The training is based on the following text: Reflective Parenting: A Guide to Understanding What’s Going in in Your Child’s Mind .

Anna Freud brings together those with a stake in the mental health of children and young people. Please subscribe to our mailing list to receive a bi-monthly e-newsletter and occasional updates about Anna Freuds training and events.

Testimonials

"Very good training. Relaxed but informative, plenty of experiential learning and time for discussion. I left feeling I had learned a great deal which we are keen to put into practice." - Participant

"It was great to be able to access the training online. I was glad the days were shortened as the online work does seem to be a lot more tiring. I had a very good experience. I found the material was well presented and thought provoking." - Participant

"Very helpful framework to consider- applicable to a large number of families. Will be very useful in my work going forward, the course was engaging!" - Participant

"I hope many other people have the opportunity to go to this course. Excellent teachers that added a very good atmosphere." - Participant

This course is suitable for anyone working in primary or secondary care, children’s centre staff, mental health and other professionals who would like to support parents of children aged 4 to 13 years old.
The training is for practitioners who would like to run Reflective Parenting groups for parents of children of that age group. RP is based on a co-facilitation model which means that ideally, two practitioners train in RP. However, it is also acceptable for only one of two facilitators to be trained and to act as lead facilitator whilst running groups.
The training is also for professionals working with individual parents who would like to combine mentalizing theory and RP mentalizing tools with their usual practice in order to enhance parental mentalizing.
The training is not tailored to parents of infants or parents of adolescents, although the parental mentalizing tools can be applied across populations, with some adaptations which can be considered in the training and/or separately with Dr Theresa Schwaiger, Clinical Lead for RP.
We can also offer bespoke and tailored trainings to whole teams, please email mbtcyp@annafreud.org for further information.
If you are uncertain if this course is suitable for you, contact a member of the training team at mbtcyp@annafreud.org who will discuss your suitability with the Course Tutors.
- To learn about the key features of Reflective Parenting, its theoretical link to reflective functioning, attachment and theory of mind, and its application to working with parents with young children.
- To promote practitioner abilities in employing a mentalizing stance in work with parents.
- To develop practitioner skills in providing practical tools to parents to help explain and practice Reflective Parenting including the Parent APP and Parent Map.
- To describe and part train professionals in the running of a Reflective Parenting Group.
The online platform Zoom will be used to deliver the live elements of this training. Please ensure you meet the system requirements for Zoom before booking on to any online live courses. Before the training, please test your equipment is working by going to Zoom.us/test and follow the instructions. This will ensure you are able to join this training and resolve any technical issues before the training day.
The online platform Blackboard Learn will be used to deliver any self-guided learning and will provide access to handouts, materials, and homework. Most laptops/ PCs/ MACs/ IPADs and android devices work with Blackboard. Blackboard is best accessed through Google Chrome.
This training will assume a working knowledge of the concept of mentalization. Prior to starting this training, you must complete the self-guided online training “An Introduction to Mentalizing and Mentalization Based Treatments with Children, Young People and Families” (MBT CYP). You will be given access to the MBT CYP training one month before the training start date of your MBT-Parenting: Reflective Parenting training.
MBT CYP is a self-directed online training and consists of a series of short videos, presentations and activities that span six hours and can be worked through at your own pace. Topics covered include what is mentalizing and why it’s important; identifying effective and ineffective mentalizing; how mentalizing develops; its relevance in childhood, adolescence, and family contexts; and will introduce the mentalizing stance which underpins Mentalization Based Treatments. It is essential that you complete this training otherwise you will not have the theoretical knowledge to get the most out of the MBT- Reflective Parenting training you are scheduled to attend. 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-Reflective Parenting training you will have a sound understanding of mentalizing theory and its practice with parents utilizing the Reflective Parenting model. You’ll have developed a range of skills in establishing an alliance and working collaboratively with parents and will have developed skills in the use of the Reflective Parenting tools; Emotional Thermometer, Professional APP, Parenting App, Two Hands and Parent Map. 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 fully train in delivering a Reflective Parenting Group and become registered, as an MBT-Reflective Parenting practitioner, ongoing support and consultation is essential and will give practitioners access to the manualised 8-week group approach. This will help you to continue to develop your skills in implementing MBT-Reflective Parenting techniques and support your ability to hold a mentalizing stance in working with parents. If you’d like to be recognised as an MBT-Reflective Parenting Practitioner consultation whilst delivering an 8-10-week Reflective Parenting Group is essential.
After completing the online Introduction to MBT CYP training and MBT-Reflective Parenting, if you plan on running a parenting group, you will need to sign up for consultation calls (over Zoom) and in return you will receive the manual.
Please be aware that the RP group manual and slides will only be shared once two group facilitators have signed a supervision contract to ensure model adherence whilst facilitating their first RP group. You can contact mbtcyp@annafreud.org for further information on supervision fees. The group manual and group slides will not be made available to RP practitioners working with individual parents. We do, however, share a free resource pack covering the psycho-educative RP mentalizing tools for professionals working with individual parents which every delegate will receive following the training.
The model of consultation and pathway to registration as a Reflective Parenting Group practitioner are as follows:
- Only trained Reflective Parenting practitioners who run groups can become registered RP practitioners once they have received supervision whilst facilitating their first RP group. There is no registration pathway for RP practitioners working with individual parents.
- State your intention to run a group and decide with your line manager who will co-facilitate the group with you (should there not be two trained RP facilitators in your service). It is recommended that you start with a group of parents with children aged 4-13y with mild to moderate behavioural difficulties.
- Arrange with one of the RP trainers and/or the Reflective Parenting clinical lead (Theresa Schwaiger) to meet with a RP consultant after signing the supervision contract.
- Arrange to have a minimum of 6 meetings (5 consultations, plus one video clip review) with a RP consultant at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families.
- Once you have signed the supervision contract, you will be given access to the manual and all materials, including slides, to help you in running a RP psychoeducation group.
- You will need to ask your parents for consent to be filmed for the consultation calls – the minimum requirement is one videotaped group session. Group facilitators, working in pairs, select five clips from this one group session to send to their RP consultant for review before one of the five consultation meetings.
- Each group facilitator will complete a Reflective Parenting Wheel after each session where you will self-assess your mentalizing skills in each group – this will inform the consultations.
- You will administer a battery of measures pre and post group to the parents to evaluate outcomes from the group. This data will be shared with the RP clinical lead at the Anna Freud Centre to contribute towards gathering an evidence base. The measures will be shared with you by the RP clinical lead prior to you starting a group.
- At the end of the group and following 5 consultation sessions, your group consultant will register you as a Reflective Parenting practitioner if you have been sufficiently adherent to the model. This is not only to ensure adherence, but the consultation is to ensure good governance of the Reflective Parenting intervention.
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.
Before signing up for a live online training, be sure to check the system requirements.
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