About this course
This training is based on the therapeutic model developed by Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families' Parent-Infant Project, as described in their book, The practice of psychoanalytic parent-infant psychotherapy (Baradon, et al Routledge, 2nd edition, London, 2015). This model is designed for babies 0-12 months and their parents or carers and will be introduced in this intensive 3.5 day training.
The trainers are all highly specialist practising Parent Infant Psychotherapists and supervisors. Films of confidential sessional material are used as a basis for the theoretical, technical and practical exploration of this model in practice. A focus on the baby as a subject in their own right and attended to directly will be a theme of the course. An applied psychoanalytic model forms the theoretical basis for the work.
Each training day will include seminars and technique-based discussions, anchored in clinical therapeutic video material. The following topics will be addressed:
- Theory and principles of psychoanalytic parent-infant psychotherapy
- Engaging the family in parent-infant psychotherapy
- Baby, parent/s and therapist – the therapeutic encounter
- The process of ending in parent-infant psychotherapy
- Working with families experiencing intergenerational relational trauma
- Therapeutic mother baby groups

- Who is this course suitable for?
Professionals working with infants and their parents or carers, who are interested in developing specialist therapeutic skills in this area. This course is particularly suitable for those offering work to parents/carers and their babies in Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Teams, Early Years services or CAMHS Under-Fives teams – Child Psychotherapists, Child or Adult Psychiatrists, Clinical or Counselling Psychologists, Systemic or Art Psychotherapists, Social Workers, Psychiatric Nurses, Nursery Nurses and allied professions.
- Aims of course
The aim of this course is to extend the understanding and skills relevant to therapeutically-based early intervention with families experiencing attachment difficulties, with infants that may already be showing signs of disorganised relating strategies or defences.
The course will examine the complexity of working therapeutically with infants and their parents or carers, and will focus on the psychoanalytic framework as set out in this model.
- System requirements for online training
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.
- 3.5 days
Tutors
The Anna Freud Centre 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 the Centre's training and events.