Clinical Aplication of the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and Mentalisation: Individual’s capacity for ‘representation’ (the move from physical realm to the mental) which lies at the heart of the change process
ONLINE WORKSHOP OVER 1 DAY
Requirements: The prerequisite for attending this course is Module 1: The Introduction to Attachment Informed Therapy and Its Clinical Application NB This workshop is a prerequisite for both Module 4: the Attachment Informed Approach to Complex Trauma course and the Module 5: Thriving into Parenthood course
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Date: Saturday 21st March 2026
Times: 9.30am to 5.00pm (BST) (including 50 minutes of breaks & 40 minutes lunch – total 1 hour 30 mins)
Alternative Dates and Timings: Please click links as timings may vary Friday 10th July 2026
Location: Online
Alternative Dates and Timings: Please click links as timings may vary Friday 10th July 2026
Trainer: Nicola Jones Scroll down to see more about the trainer
Cost: £110 if booked by 21st January 2026
£125 if booked by 21st February 2026
£135 Full price
We now offer insurance against cancellation. This must be purchased within 48 hours of booking the workshop. Click here for more info
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If your booking is accepted that means there was space for you. If it is full, email sambaker.pa@gmail.com to join the ‘reserve list’. Then, if anyone drops out we will notify you, if there is a ‘last minute’ place for you. We will also let you know when we plan a new date.
The AAI has significant clinical value, offering a window to the unconscious, giving valuable information about individuals’ early years of development, therefore helping to make sense of current presenting issues.
Intricately linked with the research behind the AAI is the development of a theory of representation: i.e. the development of infants’ inner worlds: which is interlinked with the ability to symbolise. Both are psychological processes which play central roles in how we understand ourselves
‘The sense of self develops from being mentalised in relationships and this development continues throughout life.’ (Allen 2013)
What you can expect from this workshop is to:
- Understand how the AAI measures an individual’s state of mind with regard to attachment, broadly put, to be able to see the ongoing impact in adults of beliefs formed in infancy about self, other and expectations of relationships (individual’s attachment styles)
- Practice the AAI questions and reflect on and discuss their use in the therapeutic process
- Experience how to analyse interviewees’ responses to ascertain attachment styles (the value of which will have become apparent in the Introductory Course) adding another dimension to gaining insights into clients’ unconscious drawing on Grice’s maxims of quantity, quality, manner and relevance
- Appreciate the intrinsic links between a person’s state of mind with regard to attachment and the capacity to reflect, the impact of security of attachment on this capacity and on the individual’s capacity to create relationships
- Learn how the capacity to reflect links with the concepts of representation and mentalisation, all of which are central to the process of change, breaking inter-generational patterns and the health of parent/infant relationships
- Practice ways to enhance client’s capacity for reflection and empathy
- Identify the symptoms of sub-optimal reflective function
Learning will be through presentation, large and small group discussions, skills practices and use of questionnaires. Some pre course preparation will be given along with handouts and a list of additional resources
This is part of the Advanced Certificate in the Clinical Application of Attachment Theory
Who is this workshop for?
Any counsellor or psychotherapist is welcome to join this workshop. Couples therapists will benefit. But since so many therapy clients have relationship issues, we also welcome one-to-one counsellors, psychotherapist and health workers. This workshop is also open to people who are training as a therapist / counsellor.
About the trainer:
Nicola Jones is an experienced relationship therapist and an accomplished trainer and facilitator. She trained with and worked for Relate, trained with The Bowlby Centre for 2 years and is accredited by the National Counselling Society. She has an MA in Gender Studies, SOAS, University of London (2008). Nicola has supervision with those who worked with or were supervised by John Bowlby. She is Vice Chair of the International Attachment Network and works privately in Bristol with individuals, couples and families. Her first career was as a lawyer and family business adviser. Nicola has presented internationally on a range of matters related to social justice.
Maximum numbers: 18
Approved for CPD : This course will give you 6.5 hours of CPD.
Our expectation: Is that you will attend this workshop for the full length of the course, have your video on, your mobile off, and fully participate.
- There are some online talks on zoom that allow you to come and go, or to choose not to participate in the exercise and breakout rooms. This culture has started to creep into our workshops. We have even had people say they want to leave to go and pick up children from school or walk their dog! People dropping in and out is very disruptive – especially when there may be group exercises that are planned for the same group to participate in a number of times.
- Because of this, we want to be clear about our expectations. This workshop has been planned with the assumption that you, and everyone else, will attend for the full time.
- So please be clear, that if you book on this workshop, we expect you to attend for the whole time, to participate in the breakout rooms and exercises and have your video switched on.
- Please also put your mobile to one side and on silent – checking your phone or texting will mean that you miss material. So we request that you only check your phone during breaks.
Therapists Insurance: By booking on this workshop you confirm that you have sufficient insurance to offer therapy to the public. (We are required by the NCIP, who accredit this workshop, to ask you to confirm this). If there is any discrepancy please let us know by contacting jonstow.cyh@gmail.com
Cancellations: Any request to change (eg defer to alternative dates) or cancel your place at a workshop, that is made at less than 21 days before the course start date will be charged in full. Any cancellation / amendments / requests to defer before 21 days, will be subject to a 12.5% handling charge.
Organised through Sleeping Mountain Ltd