Learning Offerings for Direct Service Providers
At the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health, we recognize the essential role that direct service providers play in supporting infants, young children, and families. To empower professionals in relationship-based settings, we offer a comprehensive suite of training and reflective opportunities tailored to meet their needs. We are committed to providing direct service providers with the knowledge, tools, and reflective spaces needed to thrive professionally, enhance their impact, and support healthy development and strong relationships in the communities they serve.
Reflective Practice Intensive
The Reflective Practice Intensive is a comprehensive, year-long professional development program tailored to direct service professionals working in relationship-based settings. This program blends foundational training with ongoing reflective support, strengthening participants' reflective functioning and relationship-based skills. Through four structured training sessions and monthly 1.5-hour reflective consultation groups, professionals develop critical skills in empathy, perspective-taking, effective relational engagement, and maintaining attunement to both self and others. Participants gain practical strategies to manage complex dynamics in their work, build trusting relationships with clients and colleagues, and enhance their capacity for reflective and relationship-centered practice.
Audience: Up to 26 people
Additional Reflective Consultation Group: Up to 8 people
Format: In-Person or Distance Technology; Distance Technology only for RSC groups
Reflective Practice Booster
The Reflective Practice Booster is a focused, one-day training designed for professionals and teams already trained in and integrating reflective practice into their work. This session reinforces reflective and relationship-based skills, offering tools to deepen practice, navigate challenges, and sustain reflective functioning. Through experiential learning and reflective dialogue, participants refine their ability to remain present, explore parallel processes, and foster growth-oriented environments.
Audience: Up to people 26 people
Format: In Person or Distance Technology
Core Knowledge & Skills Training
The Core Knowledge and Skills Training is a focused, one-day professional development offering designed to deepen understanding and enhance practical skills in key areas of infant and early childhood mental health and relationship-based work. This training provides direct service professionals and teams with a comprehensive exploration of foundational topics, integrating reflective practice with core knowledge to support effective and responsive care.
Participants will engage in experiential learning and reflective dialogue, blending theory with real-world application to strengthen their capacity for attuned, relationship-based practice. Training topics are adaptable to the specific needs of each team and may include:
Attachment and Bonding: Understanding the foundational role of early relationships in development.
Early Childhood Development: Exploring physical, social-emotional, and cognitive milestones.
Trauma and Resilience: Addressing the impact of adverse experiences and promoting healing.
Behavioral Development and Social Competence: Supporting children’s capacity to regulate emotions and build healthy relationships.
Family Engagement: Enhancing skills to work effectively within diverse family and community contexts.
Reflective Functioning and Self-Awareness: Building capacity to remain present, explore parallel processes, and apply reflective skills in practice.
The training blends targeted knowledge building with opportunities for reflective inquiry, allowing participants to integrate new insights into their work with infants, young children, families, and communities. Teams leave with practical tools, a deeper understanding of best practices, and strengthened reflective capacity to enhance their day-to-day impact. Can be provided in person or via distance technology.
Audience: Up to 26 people
Format: In Person or Distance Technology
Core Knowledge Reflective Workshops
The Core Knowledge Reflective Workshop offers a focused, three-hour training experience designed to help direct service professionals and teams explore specific challenges or "sticking points" within their practice. These workshops provide a unique blend of targeted training, reflective space, and collaborative problem-solving, creating an opportunity for organizations to delve deeply into critical topics of their choice that impact staff, programming, and organizational culture.
Each session is tailored to address real-world challenges related to integrating core infant mental health (IMH) knowledge and skills into reflective relationship-based practice. Organizations can select topics that align with their team’s needs.
Through facilitated discussions, interactive exercises, and guided reflection, participants gain practical strategies and insights while enhancing their reflective capacity and professional growth. These workshops are ideal for organizations seeking to create brave and collaborative spaces where staff can explore challenges, build trust, and strengthen their skills in both reflective practice and IMH-specific knowledge areas.
Audience: Up to 16 people
Format: Distance Technology only
Reflective Consultation Groups for Direct Service Professionals
Reflective Consultation Groups provide an ongoing, dedicated space for direct service staff to engage in thoughtful dialogue, explore professional challenges, and deepen self-awareness. These virtual groups meet monthly, offering a consistent reflective space to process the emotional and relational aspects of their work, enhance empathy, and develop critical reflective functioning. This format supports professionals in integrating reflective skills into practice, promoting healthier workplace dynamics, and sustaining well-being.
Audience: Up to 8 people
Format: Distance Technology only
Looking for a specific training but can’t find it? Fill out our interest form and let us know!