For Professionals

Research shows that early childhood experiences are the most significant predictor of mental health in later life.

For this reason, we develop, run and disseminate training interventions emphasising preventative mental health strategies for infants and children under the age of seven and their parents and caregivers.

Our intervention models focus specifically on the First 1 000 Days in order to support the growth of children in a way that enables them to become emotionally mature adults, competent parents themselves and good citizens.

We provide psychological interventions that have historically only been accessible to a limited and moneyed sector of the country’s population.

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Persona Doll Training

Practitioners learn to use dolls as a tool to teach emotional literacy to young children. The doll, given a persona by the practitioner, helps children talk about difficult experiences and feelings.

An Introduction to Parent-Infant Psychotherapy

This course provides an introduction to infant and perinatal mental health theory, observation of interactions between caregivers and infants and working with the relationship between mothers, fathers and their infants.

Newborn Behavioural Observation (NBO) System training

This training provides health professionals who work with parents during the perinatal period, with an easy to use tool for the careful observation of 18 newborn capacities and behavioural adaptations.

Working with the Caregiver-Infant Relationship

This course for caregiving professionals provides an understanding of attachment and infant development. It focuses on the crucial importance of the relationship between primary caregiver and infant for future functioning.

Working With Groups

These experiential, theoretical and practical courses have helped people from a variety of backgrounds who work in, or lead, groups to reflect on the conscious and unconscious dynamics in society.

Parent-Infant Psychotherapy Reading Group

Reading group, for graduates of the Ububele Introduction to Parent-Infant Psychotherapy course. It is an on-going learning space, for individuals interested in the field.

Parent-Infant Psychotherapy Seminar Group

A weekly supervision group for mental health clinicians doing parent-infant psychotherapy.

Internship site for Counselling and Educational Psychologists

Ububele is an HPCSA accredited internship site for student counselling and educational psychologists, who have completed the first year of their Masters’ degree. It is an annual full-time programme.

Thinking about the Early Child

This course introduces participants to emotional aspects of learning and development of young children, as well as facilitating self-awareness in the childcare workers themselves to increase sensitivity and thoughtfulness in their work.

The role of Observation in the Clinical Situation

A series of experiential workshops which aim, through the emotional experience of film, literature and case discussion, to enhance and develop the psychotherapist’s existing clinical observational sensitivities and abilities.

Baby Mat Training

The Baby Mat training course equips trained infant mental healthcare practitioners to provide the Baby Mat Service in a clinic (or similar) setting. It covers dynamic administration and therapeutic techniques.

Research and Development

Ububele's research division was established in order to research and disseminate information on Ububele’s interventions and trainings.