How we work

Guiding your practice

At Solas Oxford, we are dedicated to nurturing the professional growth and development of clinicians and researchers through specialised training in evidence-based approaches. Our programmes are specifically designed to not only teach but also empower clinicians to implement what they learn with confidence and precision. Here’s how we can guide your practice:

Our training programmes

Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme:

Our Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme equips you with the skills and understanding necessary to foster healthier parent-child relationships. This training is particularly valuable for clinicians interested in blending practical application with ongoing research.

MBT Skills and Advanced MBT Skills:

We offer comprehensive training in Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT), aimed at developing and refining your ability to apply MBT principles in various clinical settings.

The Attachment-informed Supervision and Training for Psychotherapists (AiSTP) Programme:

The Attachment-informed Supervision and Training for Psychotherapists (AiSTP) Programme provides practical, empirically supported strategies to help new therapists navigate the complexities of therapeutic relationships through a deep understanding of attachment theory. This approach aims to foster more nuanced and effective therapeutic interactions, ultimately leading to better outcomes in psychotherapy.

Training formats

Introductory Webinar

• One-hour lecture: Get introduced to our Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme, covering the concept of epistemic trust, a mentalizing formulation of maltreatment in parenting, and an overview of the programme enriched with clinical material.

• Two-hour extended lecture: Delve deeper with additional insights on elevation, research data, and adaptations for different populations.

Introductory Workshops

• Half-day training: Includes a lecture followed by an optional experiential group experience, enhancing your learning through active participation.

• Full-day training: Expands on the half-day session with two experiential experiences, providing a richer, more immersive learning environment.

Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme Basic Training

• Duration: Four or five days, depending on the MBT skills level of participants.

• Accreditation: Attendees are granted accreditation to run the programme under supervision, with opportunities for further advancement.

• Goals: Attendees will leave ready to implement the programme with supervision; understand both MBT generic and Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme-specific competencies; experience the parent’s perspective in a group setting, and engage in role-play as both therapist and parent.

MBT Skills Training

• Standard training: Covers fundamental MBT skills like epistemic trust and mentalizing across one or two days, with role-play integrated into practice techniques.

• Advanced training: Tailored refresher courses and bespoke training for specific clinical challenges, enhancing your skills and application of MBT principles.

Below is a summary the type and duration of each training programme.

Training Type	Duration	Description
One-hour Lecture	1 Hour	Overview of Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme
Two-hour Lecture	2 Hours	Extended insights on evaluation and research
Half-day Workshop	4 Hours	Includes lecture and experiential group session
Full-day Workshop	8 Hours	Includes comprehensive lectures and two experiential group sessions
Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme Basic Training	4 – 5 Days	Intensive training to enable participants to effectively run the programme
MBT Skills Training	1 – 2 Days	Covers basic to advanced MBT skills with role-play
Advanced MBT Skills Training	Tailored	Customised training for specific clinical challenges

Pathways for development

Clinicians and researchers trained in our programmes will have access to manuals, support materials, and ongoing supervision, empowering them to conduct groups or apply techniques in their work settings. Successful completion of the Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme Basic Training grants accreditation to run the programme under supervision, with opportunities for further advancement to become a Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme practitioner, trainer, or supervisor.

For those seeking to deepen their expertise, a developmental pathway is available, which leads to roles as trainers and supervisors in their specialised fields.

For more information on our courses, including detailed outlines and fees, please contact us directly. We are here to support your journey towards becoming a more effective and compassionate clinician, ready to make a significant difference in the lives of those you serve.

Clinical Research

We aim to deepen our understanding of the components of the Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme. With over a decade of implementation in various countries and promising preliminary evidence of its effectiveness, our aim is to delve deeper into how the programme operates. Our research endeavours are geared towards unravelling the mechanisms of change underlying the programme, identifying its core principles, and elucidating its key outcomes. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of these aspects, we seek to refine and optimise the programme to better meet the needs of our participants. Additionally, we aim to rigorously test the effectiveness of the programme through empirical research, ensuring that it continues to deliver impactful results for families worldwide.

Current Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs)

The Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme is undergoing randomised-controlled trials (RCTs) in England and Germany. In England, the Supporting Parents Project (SPP) is a two-arm multi-site randomised controlled trial which aims to evaluate the Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme in Children’s Social Care for parents of children aged twelve or under who have been on a Child Protection Plan in the last twelve months. Funded by a grant from What Works for Children’s Social Care the trial is conducted by the Child Attachment and Psychological Therapies Research (ChAPTRe) team, Dr Michelle Sleed, Professor Nick Midgley and Professor Pasco Fearon (Anna Freud National Centre and University College London). In Germany, an adapted version of the Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme was pilot tested (Volkert et al, 2019 ) and is now undergoing an RCT as part of the Understanding and Breaking the Intergenerational Cycle of Abuse (UBICA)-2 Project, led by Professor Svenja Taubner at the University of Heidelberg. The aim of this randomised controlled intervention study is to break the transgenerational vicious circle of child abuse through a prevention programme aimed at mothers and fathers who are considered a risk group for child abuse.

Attachment-informed Supervision and Training for Pyschotherapists (AiSTP) Programme

Attachment Informed Supervision and Training for Psychotherapists (AiSTP) Programme developed in collaboration with Alessandro Talia. This innovative programme leverages tools like the Patient Attachment Coding System (PACS) and the Therapist Attunement Scales (TASc) to predict and understand the attachment styles of both therapists and patients based on their communication patterns during therapy sessions. By focusing on how attachment classifications (secure, dismissing, and preoccupied) affect therapeutic dynamics, the programme guides trainees in developing more effective interventions and improving therapeutic outcomes. The AiSTP Programme emphasises real-time process observation over content analysis, enhancing trainees’ skills in listening, case formulation, and handling of countertransference. It provides practical, empirically supported strategies to help new therapists navigate the complexities of therapeutic relationships through a deep understanding of attachment theory. This approach aims to foster more nuanced and effective therapeutic interactions, ultimately leading to better outcomes in psychotherapy.

Cultural Sensitivity and Adaptation

As part of our commitment to cultural sensitivity and adaptation, we are actively working to tailor the Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme to diverse cultural contexts. The programme is currently successfully running or in the initial stages of implementation in countries such as Brazil, Chile, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Australia, Germany, Denmark, Japan, Portugal, Lithuania, Ireland, Israel, Argentina, Belgium and the UK. While not all countries have undergone systematic cultural adaptation, our efforts have resulted in valuable experiences and insights. We have published one study’s results outlining the systematic adaptation process in certain regions, which can be accessed here: https://osf.io/preprints/osf/rtf5y.

Building on this ongoing process, we are developing a model for replicating these adaptations in different cultures. We remain open to collaboration and welcome opportunities to further refine and expand our culturally adapted programme offerings.

Training Research

We are developing research on training clinicians, focusing on gathering data from participants attending the Lighthouse MBT-Parenting Programme. Our aim is to identify the key learning components of the training and assess its reach and impact. Through our research, we seek to understand the mechanisms of change induced by the training and examine the main learning components that contribute to enhancing participants skills. Our ultimate goal is to develop an impact study that evaluates the effectiveness of the training programme, providing valuable insights into its outcomes and informing future enhancements. By conducting rigorous research in this area, we strive to advance knowledge and practices in professional training and contribute to improving the quality of healthcare delivery.