IMH Course Descriptions

Core Courses

Overview of Infant Mental Health: Neurobiology, Regulation and the Developing Brain 20 CEC contact hours / 2 quarter units

This course provides students with an overview and introductory understanding of Infant Mental Health, including working definitions and essential professional infant mental health competencies. Participants will engage in activities that will foster observation and reflection skills while increasing knowledge about brain development, sensory and regulatory systems, neurobiology of attachment, relationship formation, caregiver capacities, attachment and developmental trauma and its effects on the growing infant/toddler, caregiver-child dyad, and family system.

taught by Michelle Daly

Focus on Attachment and Development: Use of Self, Theoretical Foundations, and Reflective Practices
20 CEC contact hours/ 2 quarter units

This course incorporates knowledge of neurobiology, attachment and development through use of the essential reflective component of infant mental health practice. Participants will be presented with an overview of attachment theory, domains of infant/child development, relationship formation, concepts of reflective supervision and parallel process. Students will become familiar with theoretical foundations, reflective practice, and the use of self in the context of infant mental health services. Participants will acquire skills in observing, listening, theorizing, and reflecting through multi-modal expressive arts activities.

taught by Michelle Daly

Relationship as Client: Child-Caregiver Dyadic Interaction and the Family System 20 CEC contact hours/ 2 quarter units

This course offers an opportunity to deepen understanding and assessment of child-caregiver dyadic interaction as well as intervention and treatment approaches to providing services for this vulnerable population and their families. Participants will cultivate skills including observation and communication of relational assessment and interaction patterns within the child-caregiver dyad in the family system. Students will develop skills related to observation and reflection through examination of video, discussion, and expressive arts activities.

taught by Michelle Daly

From Reflection to Action: Reflective Practice, Intervention, and Treatment
20 CEC contact hours/ 2 quarter units

This course offers knowledge and skills development related to exploration of reflective practice, trauma-informed interventions, treatment planning, and cultural awareness. Participants will become acquainted with methods of assessment, intervention and treatment. Students will explore and reflect upon skills development related to infant mental health competencies, such as multiple perspectives and diversity, and how to further incorporate and apply knowledge and skills in various settings. Knowledge and skills acquisition will proceed through expressive arts activities and discussion.

taught by Michelle Daly

"Southwestern College has been an amazing part of my journey. This education endeavor as an art therapist has been a series of miracles for me. I've seen such a shift in myself. It's been a beautiful experience."

Crystal Hoffman, Graduate

"I'm honored to be applying myself in a clinical environment and my experience at Southwestern enabled me to not only work as an art therapist but to facilitate mindfulness groups. A dream within a dream job I had not even fathomed."

Anna Mills, Graduate

"My experience at Southwestern has been truly transformational. From the lessons learned in Consciousness class to my light figure project and vision quest. The impact on me and on my soul has been absolutely profound."

Stephanie Albury. Graduate 2012

"I'm thankful for everyone at Southwestern College...The deeper sense of myself has been seen, heard, honored and found. I'm so grateful to be able to share it with other people."

Cynthia Alexis, Graduate

"I chose to go back to school for my 50th birthday. Little did I know I would be re-birthed... This is sacred work for me. May the work that we do be of service and benefit to all."

Eliza Buck, Graduate

"This is the place that empowered me to do things the way that I do them, the way I'm good at doing them. I've come to surmise that to be an art therapist; to me means being an artist at therapy so the therapy is the art. The creative engagement with another, with each other, that is the art. "

Renee Borsberry, from Art Therapy Capstone Presentation

"The New Earth Institute of Southwestern College offers an array of educational and transformational opportunities to the community. It has been a rich and rewarding experience, enabling the college to grow and expand our mission of transforming consciousness through education. True education engages and awakens all parts of one’s being, allowing for the integration of mind, body and spirit. It cultivates reverence for life and nurtures us in the journey of the soul.”

Katherine Ninos, Vice President

"It has been an extremely amazing journey; the past two years. There has been a lot of pain, a lot of joy and a lot of learning. I think the thing I've learned the most about this experience is trusting the process."

Denise Moore, Graduate

"I feel so much gratitude for being part of this caring, supporting, reflective, soulful community."

Linnea Knoespel, Graduate

CrystalHoffmanGraduate
AnnaMillsGraduate
StephanieAlburyGraduate2012
CynthiaAlexisGraduate
ElizaBuckGraduate
ReneeBorsberryfromArtTherapyCapstonePresentation
KatherineNinosVicePresident
DeniseMooreGraduate
LinneaKnoespelGraduate