Mentalization-Based Treatment with Children (MBT-C): Working with trauma

About this training

This training is for those who have already attended the MBT-C Basic Training or have completed MBT-Families or MBT-Adolescents Basic Training and are seeking to further develop their skills in using a mentalizing approach when working with children aged 5-12 years who have experienced early relational or development trauma. 

This two day face to face training will focus how to use a mentalizing approach when working with those who have experienced early relational trauma including; physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect and the impact of parental conflict and domestic violence. Work with children with both internalizing and externalizing responses to trauma will be discussed.  

Aims of this training 

This course will provide further opportunities to learn about and practice the implementation and integration of mentalizing approaches with children and young adolescents including;   

• Understanding the problems with mentalizing in children who have experienced relational or developmental trauma.

• Formulating treatment goals and plans with carers and children who have experienced relational or developmental trauma.

• Promoting practitioner abilities in employing a mentalizing stance in working towards lessening a child’s epistemic hypervigilance and maximising their engagement in therapy.

• Developing practitioner skills in managing arousal levels in mentalization based therapies and the pre-mentalizing modes with traumatised children.

• Developing practitioner skills in helping children and caregivers in creating a coherent narrative around their early experiences.

• Understanding how to use the ending phase of therapy to work through themes like grief, mourning and existential loneliness, 

For those seeking an introductory course about MBT with children, see here.   

Who is this training for? 

This training is for those who have already attended the MBT-C Basic Training or have completed MBT-Families or MBT-Adolescents Basic Training and are seeking to further develop their skills in using a mentalizing approach when working with children aged 5- 12 years who have experienced early relational or development trauma.