On completion of the DPC (Advanced) - Theory, participants will be able to: 

• Demonstrate an understanding of principles of engagement, assessment and containment (including limit-setting) as they apply specifically to children and adolescents
• Be familiar with issues of confidentiality as they relate to working with children and adolescents
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of principles of attachment and neurobiology and implications for treatment of children and adolescents
• Identify the different ways in which children and young people may communicate (e.g., through play, drawings, other forms of behaviour), how these can be used to understand children and young people, and how they can be responded to therapeutically
• Clearly describe core principles of psychodynamic theory that are relevant to case conceptualisation and treatment of children, adolescents, their families, and the systems that support them, together with implications for treatment
• Clearly describe core principles of structured, time-limited therapy theory (specifically, cognitive behavioural therapy and related therapies) that are relevant to case conceptualisation and treatment of children and adolescents, their families, and the systems that support them, together with implications for treatment
• Link principles of developmental psychology theory with knowledge of these theoretical orientations
• Consider the rationale for selection of one form of treatment over another
• Recognise of the importance of understanding and treating children and young people using a systemic, contextual frame, and be able to use systems theory (including ideas from family therapy as well as other systems theories) to understand the context
• Consider how cultural and other factors may create ‘otherness’ and how to reflect on this in therapy
• Incorporate ideas from family therapy and systems theory in their understanding of children, young people and their families and the problems with which they present
• Establish an effective relationship with other systems involved in the care of children and adolescents, including by understanding the responses that systems may have to children, adolescents, and their parents

 On completion of the DPC (Advanced) – Theory plus Skills, participants will additionally be able to:

• Demonstrate experience in putting these principles into practice in treatment involving children, young people, their families, and other systems that support them

The DPC Advanced can be completed as theory only, or theory + skills.

Theory

Offered over three terms on Wednesday mornings, starting at 9:30am.

Term 1: Using theory to understand the relational world of children and adolescents (9:30am-12 midday)

• Introduction and overview of the unit and course
• Attachment and interpersonal neurobiology
• General psychodynamic theory as it relates to working with children and adolescents
• General psychodynamic theory as it relates to working with parents and systems
• General structured theory as it relates to working with children and adolescents
• General structured theory as it relates to working with parents and systems
• Ideas from family therapy
• Working with those we identify as 'others': the role of culture
• Practical implications (assessing developmental level for the purposes of therapy; reviewing what is working and what is not; self-care for clinicians)

Term 2:  Working with children (9:30am-11:30am)

• Introduction and overview of the unit and course: how working with children is different to working with adolescents and adults
• The beginning of therapy: engagement, assessment and containment (developing a therapeutic relationship)
• Formulation and intervention with children from psychodynamic perspectives (including the role of art and play)
• The additional role of structured perspectives in formulation and intervention with children
• Using psychodynamic perspectives in supporting parents of children
• The additional role of structured perspectives in supporting parents of children
• Working with systems that support children
• Endings

Term 3:  Working with adolescents (9:30am-11:30am)

• Introduction and overview of the unit and course: how working with adolescents is different to working with children and adults
• The beginning of therapy: engagement, assessment and containment (developing a therapeutic relationship and managing risk)
• Formulation and intervention with adolescents from psychodynamic perspectives
• The additional role of structured perspectives in formulation and intervention with adolescents
• Using psychodynamic perspectives in supporting parents of adolescents
• Structured perspectives in supporting parents of adolescents: single session family consultation
• Working with systems that support adolescents using cognitive analytic therapy
• Endings

Skills

Two 12-week blocks of small group, in-depth clinical supervision with experienced mental health clinicians, run during Terms 2 and 3 only.

Term 2:  Working with children (approx. 1.5-2 hour supervision sessions) 

Small group supervision of therapeutic work with children with mental health difficulties

Term 3:  Working with adolescents (approx 1.5-2 hour supervision sessions) 

Small group supervision of therapeutic work with adolescents with mental health difficulties.

All lectures and supervision are conducted at Mindful. There is some limited capacity to use videoconferencing at times during the course if participants are unable to attend, but this requires discussion with the course coordinator

Term 1: 19 Feb – 25 March; 15 April – 20 May

Term 2: 10 June – 26 Aug

Term 3: 16 Sept – 2 Dec 

Teaching staff include senior practitioners, supervisors and trainers from Take 2 Berry Street; child psychotherapists accredited with the Child Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Association of Australia; experienced clinicians and trainers who specialist in cognitive-behavioural and other approaches; and qualified family therapy practitioners and trainers. 

Assessment

Theory

• Attendance at a minimum of 80% of classes
• Satisfactory completion of in-session assessment tasks presenting relevant readings to the group, with an eye to implications for clinical practice with children and adolescents (as evaluated by the lecturer)

Skills

• Attendance at a minimum of 80% of supervision sessions
• Appropriate participation in supervision (as evaluated by the supervisor)
• Completion of 20 logged clinical contacts

Certification

A certificate of completion will be available to those who successfully complete these requirements.

Cost (excluding GST)
We will not be running the DPC Advanced in 2021. However, we are hoping to dveelop something that covers similar content (although in a slightly different structure). If you would like to recieve an email when we have any updates, please contact [email protected]