MBT for Adolescents Training

UCLA LUSKIN CONFERENCE CENTER
MARCH 4-6, 2027 8:30AM - 4:30PM

up to 18 CEs included

Presenter: Dr. Carla Sharp

Fee: $1575
EARLY BIRD PRICING: $1375 (ends Oct 1)

Mentalization-Based Treatment for Adolescents (MBT-A)

A 3-day intensive training in MBT-A

About the Training

Mentalization-Based Treatment for Adolescents (MBT-A) is a treatment approach for working with adolescents presenting with a wide range of mental health needs including; interpersonal difficulties, emotional dysregulation, impulsivity and self- harm.

Our training provides a practical introduction to the key elements of MBT-Adolescent, empowering participants to apply this model effectively in clinical settings. Gain insights into the complexities of working with adolescents, understand the pivotal role of mentalizing in relationships, and learn strategies for self-esteem, affect regulation, and impulse control.

In this course, participants will also explore:

How mentalizing difficulties derive from social interactions over time, starting with parent-child interactions
How mentalizing failures reflect and cause insecure attachments
How psychotherapeutic interventions can re-instate mentalizing, support emotional regulation, and strengthen relationships

Participants will:

Gain insight into the critical nature of adolescence and explore how mentalizing theory enhances our understanding of the developmental needs of young people.
To develop knowledge about the essential features of MBT-A and learn effective applications in your work with adolescents.
To enhance practitioner proficiency in adopting a mentalizing stance when working with adolescents and their families.
To develop practical skills in utilising MBT-A techniques to help adolescents restore and maintain accurate representations of others' minds and their own, reducing impulsivity and interpersonal distress.

Prerequisites: Introduction to MBT course & therapeutic experience with children
*if you have already completed the MBT Intro from an MBT Global Network Center, you do not need to register for the Intro Course

click here for more information about the Introduction to MBT on-demand course

Meet the Presenter

Dr. Carla Sharp

Dr. Carla Sharp is John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Houston and Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, and director of the Adolescent Diagnosis Assessment Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) clinic and the Developmental Psychopathology Lab. Her work has significantly advanced the scientific understanding of the phenomenology, causes, correlates and treatment of personality pathology across the lifespan, with a specific focus on mentalizing as cause, correlate and mechanism of change. She has published over 380 peer reviewed publications, 50 book chapters and 8 books, including Mentalizing in Psychotherapy. Her research has been continuously funded by the NIH for over a decade. She is the recipient of the 2016 Mid-Career Award, North American Society for the Study of Personality Disorders, and the 2018 Award for Achievement in the Field of Severe Personality Disorders from the Personality Disorders Institute and Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center, New York, the Kernberg Award, for foundational contribution to the study of personality pathology in youth in 2024, and she is listed as top 2% of scientists worldwide. She serves as editor or co-editor on multiple journals. She served on the American Psychiatry Association workgroup for updating the APA guidelines for BPD and a workgroup for evaluation of nosological changes for personality disorder. She is a licensed psychologist and continues to be clinically active.

What is MBT-A?

MBT-A combines individual weekly sessions for adolescents along with Mentalization-based family therapy sessions (MBT-F) and aims to enhance an adolescent’s capacity to represent their own and others’ feelings accurately and in emotionally challenging situations. MBT-A has been shown to be effective in reducing self harm and depressive symptoms in adolescents (Rossouw & Fonagy, P. 2012).

This training draws on the following texts:

Who is this training for?

This training is designed for professionals in child and family mental health and for those with qualifications in fields such as child psychotherapy, psychology, arts therapies, family therapy, counselling, psychiatry, mental health nursing, and social work. Applicants should possess therapeutic experience with children. If you are unsure if this training is right for you, please contact us and we will discuss your suitability with the course training tutors.

For payment plan information, please contact us at: info@mentalizinginitiative.org

CE HOURS INCLUDED

Participants may earn CE hours valid in all 50 states, including New York, through approvals from:

APA
NYSED Boards
ACCME (CME)
ASWB

Accessibility & Accommodations:

Mentalizing Initiative is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible learning environment for all participants. In accordance with APA guidelines and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we are happy to arrange reasonable accommodations to facilitate your full participation.

If you require auxiliary aids or services (such as ASL interpreting, CART captioning, or alternative digital formats), please contact our Accessibility Coordinator, Ella McCoy, at info@mentalizinginitiative.org. To ensure the availability of these services, please submit your request by February 1, 2027.

FAQs

Are CE hours available?

Yes! Up to 18 CE hours are available. Partial credit cannot be given.

Can I sign up for just one date of the course?

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer partial registration.

What is the prerequisite course and how do I find out about it?

The Introduction to MBT course is required by the MBT Global Network. For more information,

click here.

Is my registration refundable?

The Mentalizing Initiative is a registered non-profit organization and we are unable to offer refunds past the registration deadline. If you are unable to attend, you may request to have someone attend in your place.

What if I took the MBT Intro through another program?

As long as the training center was an approved MBT Global Network training center, you have met the requirement.

Will there be a hybrid option for this course?

Not for this event, MBT focuses on the relational process, and we have found that it is best learned in person.

Will you offer a hybrid or online course in the future?

We offer MBT events throughout the year. Please join our mailing list to receive the latest MBT training event information. Click here for our upcoming events.

Click here

Where do I find out about lodging and accommodations?

Click here for our event information page.