Infant-Parent Training Institute

The Infant-Parent Training Institute (IPTI) is the only institution in New England that offers integrated clinical and theoretical training in infant mental health. The Institute is a unique resource for providing multidisciplinary training to direct care staff, supervisors and program directors. Participants in our training include: social workers, mental health clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, early child care providers, and Early Intervention Directors and Specialists. Professionals trained at IPTI bring a focus on the social-emotional health of the infant-parent relationship back to their work in human service agencies, early intervention programs, hospitals, early child care centers and private practice.

What is Infant Mental Health?
What can I do with Training in Infant-Parent Mental Health?

Program Offerings:

Infant Mental Health Fellowship:
The IMH Certificate Programs include coursework in infant/parent development, assessment, intervention and consultation; clinical practice in infant-parent psychotherapy; and case presentations.

Infant Observation Course:
Formal training in infant observation has long played a role in the training of psychotherapy professionals and child development specialists. Course includes weekly two- hour small group seminar, weekly observation of an infant-parent dyad, written observations and readings.

Ways of Looking at the Parent-Infant Relationship Monthly Seminar:
This course meets once a month on Friday mornings for two hours. The course uses readings, video and discussion to enhance students’ use of the infant mental health perspective in their own work.

10-Week Course in Maternal Mental Health:
This course will meet for a series of 10 consecutive Friday mornings in the Winter of 2008. The course includes issues of trauma, intergenerational parenting patterns, research on maternal depression, mothering under special circumstances and the possibilities for intervention, including medication, mind-body approaches and mother-baby psychotherapy.

Master Classes:
Guest lecturers renowned in the infant mental health field are invited to share their research and clinical expertise. Open to Institute students and the public.

CEU’s are Available for Some Disciplines:
Some courses may be eligible for Early Intervention Competencies. Information about scholarship and funding for training for Early Intervention professionals can be found on the EI Training Center website. Look for information on the Shishmanian Fellowship.

See the Connected Beginnings website for information about scholarships.

The Infant-Parent Training Institute is a Training Affiliate of the Cambridge Health Alliance Department of Psychiatry, which is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

For more information, call 781-647-JFCS (5327) or email your questions via our contact us page.