Session 1: Identities, Power, Privilege and Reflective Supervision
May 17, 2023 from 1-4pm
This session will explore the ways in which our intersecting social identities are tied to our values, beliefs, privileges, and experiences, shaping how we are with each other and those we support. There will be space to pause and reflect upon our cultural backgrounds, privilege, and power dynamics and how they show up in reflective supervision/consultation (RSC), and what we actually think, feel, and do. This session will explore the importance of self regulation and wellness, providing practical strategies or tools available to practitioners. Additionally, the participants will be invited to engage in critical self-reflection, planning, and dialogue with one another.
During this training participants will:
-
Understand the role of intersecting identities, privilege, bias, and power in RSC
-
Learn strategies to regulate their emotions and promote wellness to maximize regulation in RSC
-
Engage in critical self reflection and dialogue
-
Develop a plan for their next steps
About Our Presenter:
Amittia Parker, PhD, LMSW, MPA, IMH-E® is a researcher, trainer, and mama scholar. She is an Assistant Professor at Georgetown University. She provides training and technical assistance for the National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety. Amittia’s research, scholarship, and service focuses on advancing minority mental health and equity, particularly among families that are pregnant and parenting young children. Amittia has worked for 15 years as a mental health consultant across a variety of settings, including home-based services, childcare centers, school-based services, and health clinics. This practice experience inspires her research on Black maternal mental health, infant and early childhood mental health, and supports across contexts for wellness and healing. She serves in leadership roles in local, state, and national venues focused on infant and early childhood, Black communities, and Black social workers.
Session 2: Ethics, Boundaries and Culture: Considerations in Reflective Supervision
May 31, 2023 from 9am-12pm
Reflective supervision/consultation (RSC) is considered best practice within the infant and early childhood mental health profession and is a cornerstone of how IECMH professionals are supported in their work with very young children and families. This relationship-based perspective within supervision calls for consideration of multiple perspectives, an honoring of another's experiences related to culture and identity, and a focus on racial equity. The way we each consider race, culture, identity and IECMH relationship-based work can blur the boundaries between professional and personal responses and can add complexity to the identification of ethical issues within the implementation of RSC. Central to our work and critical to assessing and understanding ethical and boundary issues is a cultural and diversity informed lens. This training will integrate this lens throughout our exploration of ethics, ethical theory, and ethical decision-making within reflective supervision and IECMH work.
This training series will include discussion of ethical theory and ethical decision-making frameworks with a focus on real-world experiences. Case examples (from the presenters and from the participants) will be used to bring the content to life by integrating theory and practice through case presentations and small group discussions.
During this training participants will:
-
Define “professional ethics” and “professional boundaries” as related to RSC.
-
Explain the importance of integrating culture within our understanding of ethical and boundary issues.
-
List at least two unique perspectives related to RSC that could impact the clarity of professional boundaries.
-
List two ways to ensure ethical practice within RSC.
-
Identify the connection between an understanding of culture and racial equity & the implementation of RSC within IECMH settings.
About Our Presenters:
Carla Barron, PhD, LMSW, IMH-E®, is the Clinical Coordinator for the Infant Mental Health Dual-Title Training Program and Assistant Research Professor at the Merrill-Palmer Skillman Institute/Wayne State University. She facilitates a graduate level IMH seminar, engages in research, and provides community trainings on a variety of topics related to professional wellness, early infant development, home visiting, and reflective supervision/consultation. She facilitates reflective supervision/consultation with infant and early childhood mental health professionals across Michigan and nationally. For over 15 years, she worked as an infant mental health specialist providing home- and community-based IMH treatment to infants, toddlers, and their caregivers in the areas of child welfare, early childhood education and mental health. Carla’s research and scholarship interests are focused on the professional’s experience of reflective supervision/consultation and its impact on professional growth and wellness; as well as how race and diversity influence these professional relationships.
Beverly Weathington, LMSW is the Community Engagement Coordinator at The Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute of Wayne State University. Through her work with the Healthier Urban Families Program, she is committed to providing education and research opportunities to vulnerable urban families and the professionals who serve them. She is passionate about providing information that addresses the challenges of at- risk families while valuing their strength and resiliency. She is also the Implementation Coordinator of The Wayne State University Social Work Family Clinic. The clinic, using the Infant Mental Health intervention model, will provide clinical support to mothers with PMADs (Perinatal Mood and Affective Disorders) and their babies and young children.
Session 3: Considerations for Group Reflective Supervision/Consultation
June 14, 2023 from 2-5pm
Group reflective supervision/consultation (RSC) is often used by programs and consultants but it is rarely talked about specifically as a modality. Group RSC includes many unique challenges, complexities, and rewards. In this training, we will identify differences in group and individual RSC, touching upon logistics and relationship dynamics present in groups. Our presenters will share scenarios from the field and together we will examine and review your way of being as a group RSC provider.
During this training participants will:
-
Become familiar with differences between individual and group RSC
-
Recognize your own readiness to facilitate a group
-
Identify considerations for group facilitation
About Our Presenters:
Kristi Armstrong, LMSW, IMH-E® is an Infant Mental Health (IMH) Consultant with over 20 years of experience. She is a licensed Master Social Worker and is endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Specialist. Kristi has experience as a clinician, consultant and trainer in the field of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (I/ECMH). She is the past Director of Endorsement and Reflective Practice for the Washington Association for Infant Mental Health and led a complex project involving four states to create “Reflective Supervision: A Guide from Region X to Enhance Reflective Practice Among Home Visiting Programs” which is utilized across the globe. Currently, Kristi provides both individual and group reflective supervision/consultation, as well as multiple IMH trainings. Kristi builds connections with others to create a space of trust and openness for meaningful reflection. Kristi is married with two daughters, a dog, a cat and enjoys spending time in the sun.
Carol Young, MA, LPC, LMFT, IMH-E® is an Infant Mental Health (IMH) Consultant with over 30 years of experience. She is a licensed Marriage Family Therapist endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Mentor-Clinical. She has experience as a clinician, a home visitor, a consultant and a trainer in the field of IECMH. Currently, Carol provides individual and group reflective consultation for a wide variety of professionals; reflective supervision/consultation training; infant mental health trainings focused on relationship-based practice, sensitive conversations, and many other topics. Carol creates an opportunity for the creation of brave space to reflect about work directly with and on the behalf of young children and their caregivers. She was a principal contributor for the “Reflective Supervision: A Guide from Region X to Enhance Reflective Practice Among Home Visiting Programs” and in the development and implementation of training for home visiting programs utilizing the NEAR@Home Toolkit. Mindfulness, gratitude, and compassion are Carol’s guiding principles. She reminds herself daily that joy exists in the journey not the destination.
