As a national leader in clinical integration, The Family Institute at Northwestern University is hosting a virtual clinical series on attachment and emotion in family therapy as a sequel to the clinical summit in 2021.
Five leaders in the field will present their respective clinical approaches with a focus on supporting caregiver engagement and openness. The concluding session of the series will include all five presenters discussing similarities and unique aspects between their methods and the implications for the practice of family therapy.
This series is geared towards psychotherapists who work with parents, caregivers, and children across the lifespan.
Program Cost
- $100 for the entire clinical series OR $25 for each individual session
Attendees will receive CEUs for their participation. Recordings will be provided for later viewing.
Clinical Series Presenters
- April 1: Guy Diamond, Ph.D. (Attachment-Based Family Therapy) VIEW RECORDING
- April 8: James L. Furrow, Ph.D. (Emotionally Focused Family Therapy) VIEW RECORDING
- April 15: Adele Lafrance, Ph.D. (Emotion-Focused Family Therapy) VIEW RECORDING
- April 22: Kim Golding, CBE, D.Clin.Psy. (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy)
- April 29: Ncazelo Ncube-Mlilo (Culturally Sensitive Narrative Therapy)
- May 6: Group discussion between all five presenters
Increasingly, theories of attachment and emotion processing have been used to understand and guide the goals and process of family therapy. Such goals and processes are aimed at healing and strengthening the emotional attachment bonds between parents/caregivers and their children. One clinical path through which this occurs is joining with and supporting parents and caregivers to engage in treatment and increase their openness to their child’s experiences. Five renowned clinicians utilize various clinical methods related to attachment and emotional frameworks to guide this reparative process. These approaches utilize experiential dialogues directly in sessions to assist parents and caregivers in reconnecting with their capacity for collaborative communication. In this clinical series, these leaders will present their approaches individually and then meet to discuss their unique methods to support parents and caregivers.
Learning Outcomes
Attendees will obtain introductory understanding of each of the five approaches of supporting parents and caregivers towards engagement and openness. Attendees will be familiar with the strengths and unique aspects of each of the approaches presented. Attendees will gain practical knowledge and skills to integrate into their current practices.
Presenter Bios
Guy Diamond, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and President of the attachment-based Family Therapy Training Institue. His primary work has been in the area of youth suicide prevention and treatment research. As a prevention scientist, he has created a program of training, screening and triage for non-behavioral health settings (e.g., schools and primary care). As an intervention scientist, he and his colleague have developed and tested Attachment-based Family Therapy, with a focus on children, youth and young adults struggling with a range of internalizing disorders.
James L. Furrow, Ph.D. is a contributing author and the editor of five texts on emotionally focused therapy including "Emotionally Focused Family Therapy: Restoring Connection and Promoting Resilience." He is an ICEEFT certified trainer and supervisor and former Freed Professor of Marital and Family Therapy at Fuller Graduate School of Psychology.
Adele Lafrance, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, author, and developer of emotion-focused modalities including Emotion-Focused Family Therapy. She has published extensively in the field of emotion and health, including a clinical manual to support families published by the American Psychological Association. Adele has also written a popular parenting book, "What to Say to Kids When Nothing Seems to Work," and provides practical resources to parents and caregivers at no cost via mentalhealthfoundations.ca. She also offers workshops for the general public and mental health agencies worldwide.
Kim S Golding, CBE, D.Clin.Psy. is a clinical psychologist living in the U.K. Kim has always been interested in collaborating with parents or carers to develop their parenting skills tailored to the particular needs of the children and young people that they are caring for. She is a consultant and trainer in DDP and provides therapy, training, consultation, and supervision to a range of individuals and teams. Kim is the author of books written for parents, educational staff, and practitioners supporting children and families with experience of developmental trauma. In 2020, Kim was honored with a CBE for her work by her majesty the Queen.
Ncazelo Ncube-Mlilo, a renowned psychologist and narrative therapist, has over 25 years of experience addressing trauma, poverty, and violence. Based in Johannesburg, she developed the globally recognized Tree of Life (ToL) approach, empowering individuals to heal through culturally sensitive, strengths-based methods. Founder of PHOLA, she leads initiatives offering trauma counseling, mental health services, and practitioner training, transforming communities in over 60 countries. Ncazelo's innovative methodologies, including COURRAGE+ and O.U.T.T.R.A.G.E.D., target diverse groups, including survivors of abuse and gender-based violence. A sought-after trainer and speaker, she collaborates with global universities and organizations to advance culturally resonant mental health solutions.
