Professor Arietta Slade

This MINDinMIND Legacy Interview is with Professor Arietta Slade, one of the most influential figures in attachment theory and reflective parenting.

Arietta’s dedication to developing reflective functioning in parents and clinicians, and her commitment to addressing the needs of underserved communities, underscores her impact on the field of infant mental health.

Arietta Slade is one of the most influential figures in attachment theory and reflective parenting. She is Professor of Clinical Child Psychology at the Yale Child Study Center and Professor Emerita of Clinical Psychology at the City University of New York. For the past 20 years, she has been co-directing Minding the Baby™, a multi-professional reflective parenting home visiting program for mothers and their babies impacted by trauma.

Arietta is in conversation with three very special guests:

• Professor Alicia Lieberman, creator of Child-Parent Psychotherapy and a world-renowned specialist on child trauma
• Dr Tanika Eaves, a clinical social worker and Assistant Professor of Social Work, who has implemented Slade’s work in clinical practice
• Professor Jeremy Holmes, a world leader in integrating attachment theory and psychoanalytic and a longtime collaborator with Arietta

We hear how Arietta Slade has developed innovative approaches to working with traumatised families and integrating psychoanalysis, attachment theory, and neurobiology into practical interventions.

Key points from the interview

• The development of Arietta’s interest in child psychology and attachment theory
• The influence of Mary Ainsworth, John Bowlby, and other pioneers in the Attachment Theory field
• The creation and impact of the Parent Development Interview and Pregnancy Interview
• The concept of reflective functioning and its role in parent-child relationships
• The development and effectiveness of the Minding the Baby™ program
• The importance of safety and threat reduction in therapeutic relationships
• The role of mentalization in therapeutic work and parent-child relationships
• Cultural responsiveness and humility in working with diverse populations
• The integration of psychodynamic, attachment, and trauma theories in clinical work
• Addressing racial inequities in maternal-infant health and mental health

Special Guests

Professor Alicia Lieberman

Alicia Lieberman is an internationally acclaimed clinician and the senior developer of Child-Parent Psychotherapy.

She discusses:

• The translation of complex psychodynamic concepts into practice
• The importance of working with babies and parents together
• Supervision as a place for teaching, challenge, and support
• The impact of trauma on early child development
• Cultural considerations in trauma-informed interventions

Dr Tanika Eaves

Dr Tanika Eaves is a clinical social worker and Assistant Professor of Social Work at Fairfield University. She worked with Arietta Slade for 12 years on Minding the Baby™ program.

She shares insights on:

• The practical implementation of reflective functioning in clinical work
• The importance of cultural responsiveness in interventions
• Flexibility in approach when working with traumatised families
• Current projects influenced by theMinding the Baby™ program
• The integration of concrete resource provision with therapeutic work

Professor Jeremy Holmes

Professor Jeremy Holmes is a world leader in integrating attachment theory and psychoanalytic thinking.

He discusses:

• The clinical applications of attachment theory in work with children and adults
• The evolution of their collaborative work over the years
• The importance of maintaining a developmental perspective in clinical work
• The challenges facing the field of psychotherapy and infant mental health
• The ongoing relevance of attachment theory in understanding human relationships

More about Arietta

Professor Arietta Slade is an internationally recognised clinician, researcher, and teacher. She is a founder in the field of reflective parenting. She has made significant contributions to our understanding of the clinical implications of attachment theory, the development of parental mentalisation, and relationship-based infant mental health practice. Her work on the Minding the Baby™ program, a multi-professional home visiting program for mothers and their babies impacted by trauma, has significantly impacted the field of early intervention for high-risk families.

Interviewer

Arietta is in conversation with Jane O’Rourke and Salam Solomon.

Jane O’Rourke is a Child, Adolescent and Family Psychotherapist and Founder of MINDinMIND. She was formerly a senior producer at the BBC and recently won the Association of Infant Mental Health’s Founders Prize. She runs the counselling service in a state primary school in London, United Kingdom.

Salam Solomon is the director of the Center for Prevention and Early Trauma Treatment at Child First and a board member of the American Psychological Association’s Division 39, section two.

Details correct at time of recording on 7 March 2023

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