Mentalization-Based Treatment for Families (MBT-F)

This training is suitable for professionals working in the field of child and family mental health.  Ideally, applicants should have a mental health qualification, for example, child psychotherapy, psychology, psychotherapy, arts therapies, family therapy, counselling, psychiatry, mental health nursing, social work and have experience of working therapeutically with children and families. The course assumes prior experience of therapeutic work with children. If you are unsure if this training is right for you contact the training team on mbtcyp@annafreud.org who will discuss your suitability with the course training tutors. 

• To learn about the key features of MBT-F including adaptations to online and remote therapy.
• To develop practitioner skills in assessment and developing a mentalizing family profile supporting case formulation.
• To promote practitioner abilities in employing a mentalizing stance in work with families.
• To develop practical skills in employing MBT-F techniques for working with families including using games and activities to promote mentalizing between family members, techniques to disrupt non-mentalizing patterns of relating and interventions to help families identify unhelpful ways of interacting.

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/ i-pads 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-F 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-F 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-F training you will have a sound understanding of mentalizing theory and its practice with families. You’ll have developed a range of skills in assessment and establishing a mentalizing family profile and focus area for work with the family as well as developing skills in supporting families to regain and maintain their mentalizing, reducing unhelpful patterns of relating. 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-F practitioner, ongoing support and supervision will be important. This will help you to continue to develop your skills in implementing MBT-F techniques and support your ability to hold a mentalizing stance in working with children and parents. If you’d like to be recognised as an MBT-F practitioner, supervision with an MBT-F approved supervisor on two cases is essential.

You can access individual or group supervision with an approved MBT-F supervisor through online supervision groups with the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families. Email the training team on mbtcyp@annafreud.org with the following information: your name; preferred language; and the MBT model you’d 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-F supervisors:

UK

Cathy Troup, cathytroupp@gmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Dickon Bevington, dickon.Bevington@annafreud.org, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, language(s): English

Emma Morris, emma.morris@annafreud.org, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Gema Hadridge, gemahadridge@hotmail.co.uk, Social Worker, AMBIT Trainer, language(s): English

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

Jane Dutton, janeduttonkohli@gmail.com, Family Therapist, language(s): English

Katherine Mautner, Social Worker and Play Therapist, language(s): English

Natasha Nascimento, dr.nascimento.therapist@gmail.com, Family and Systemic Psychotherapist, language(s): English, Spanish

Nick Midgeley, nick.midgley@annafreud.org, MBT-C and MBT-F Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, language(s): English, Japanese

Sally Wood, sallybwood@btinternet.com, Family Therapist, language(s): English

Sheila Redfern, sheila.redfernpsychology@gmail.com, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, MBT adult accredited practitioner, Lecturer and VIG practitioner, language(s): English

Theresa Schwaiger, theresa_schwaiger@hotmail.com, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English, German

Australia

Emma Keaveny, emma@dremma.org, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English

Raymond Ho, raymond.Ho@health.qld.gov.au, Family Therapist, language(s): English

Michael Daubney, drdaubney@gmail.com, Child, Adolescent & Adult Psychiatrist, language(s): English

Denmark

Anne Corlin, anne@refleksivtforum.dk, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): Danish, English

Susanne Wederkinck Nielsen, susanne@psykologiskperspektiv.dk, Psychologist, language(s): Danish, English

The Netherlands

Nicole Muller, nic_0408@hotmail.com, Psychotherapist and Family Therapist working with adolescents with trauma and PD with MBT-A, language(s): Dutch, English

Spain

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

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

Tuulikki Trias, tuulikki.trias@gmail.com, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist, language(s): English, Finnish, Spanish

Leticia Asenjo, leticiaasenjo@edai.cat, Clinical Psychologist, language(s): English, Spanish

USA

Efrain Bleiberg, ebleiberg31@gmail.com, Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, language(s): English, Spanish

After you have had some experience in delivering MBT-F along with supervision with an MBT-F approved supervisor, you might be interested in having your efforts recognised and joining a growing group of professionals internationally who have achieved MBT-F practitioner status. Below are the requirements for achieving MBT-F practitioner status.

• 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-F training handouts and attended an approved MBT-F introductory training (3 days or equivalent).
• Have had at least 6 individuals (or 10 group) supervisions on a minimum of two MBT-F cases. Supervision should be with someone from the list of approved MBT-F 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-F session with a brief case formulation including a mentalizing profile for the family and reflective commentary on the session, to be reviewed by an MBT-F supervisor (not the same person who supervised cases) and approved as demonstrating core elements of mentalizing stance and mentalizing practice for MBT-F. Please see case formulation 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-F practitioner names will be listed on the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families list of registered MBT-C practitioners. Once you reach MBT-F practitioner status you are encouraged to continue with CPD, in order to maintain and promote standards. You are encouraged to carry an MBT-F caseload (at least 2 cases per year), and should receive regular supervision or join a peer-supervision group with other MBT-F 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-F practice.

Please see here to download a form to complete for practitioner status. After receiving and reviewing your form, you will be issued with a certificate and your name added to the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families list of registered MBT-C 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

• 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 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.

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.

Please follow this link to book onto the face-to-face training in London.

If you’d like to commission this training for your team or organisation please complete our Commissioner Enquiry Form.