An Introduction to Relational Psychotherapy
This session will provide an introduction to the model of interactional attachment based infant-parent psychotherapy and the key focus on observable emotional interaction.
Infant parent psychotherapy is based on a transgenerational understanding of the interaction between the past of the caregiver and their attachment experiences, and their understanding and reflection on the infant. In clinical work we often see caregivers with unresolved traumatic attachment issues and the ways in which these shape representations of the infant and the quality of emotional interaction. Understanding distortions in early emotional regulation and working to enhance the parent’s capacity to reflect on the inner world of the infant is central to dyadic work.
The workshop will outline the approach to therapy focussed on relational trauma and the assessment of early relational disturbance. Clinical examples will be used to develop skills in psychodynamic formulation and approaches to discussing the meaning of the infant with vulnerable parents.
Video clinical material will be used to demonstrate disturbances of emotional regulation and interaction and participants will relate observable interactions to parental history and difficulties in parenting.
All clinical material to be discussed is confidential and only to be used for educational purposes.
About Dr Louise Newman
Dr Louise Newman is the Director of Women’s Mental Health at Albert Road Clinic in Melbourne.
Louise is an Australian Developmental Psychiatrist and has a particular interest in the field of infant psychiatry where she specialises in working with parents with babies up to three years of age. These parents often have psychiatric difficulties themselves and the resulting transgenerational issues and impact of trauma on early development is one of her primary research interests. With research staff at Monash University, she is investigating the impact of interventions for high risk parents. In addition, Newman performs refugee research on school aged children investigating the impact of traumatic experiences both before they arrive in Australia and as refugees. She is a strong advocate for young refugees and works to highlight the damage that can be caused to young people by detention and the refugee experience in Australia.
