Professional Training in Child & Youth Mental Health
Explore our path to building communities of care for children. From narrative therapy to neurodiversity-affirming practices, discover evidence-based training designed to deepen your professional practice and empathy.
We believe learning is a shared adventure. This is the kick-off of our Diploma in Narrative Therapy & Community Work, a collaboration with the Dulwich Centre Foundation, Australia, where a new cohort of practitioners begins their journey into respectful, non-blaming therapeutic practices.
In this short video, our co-founder Dr. Shelja Sen explains the core of our approach to trauma. We believe in moving beyond symptoms to understand a person's responses and resilience, creating safe spaces for alternate, richer stories to emerge through narrative practice.
Our flagship Certificate Course in Child and Youth Mental Health is now open for registration. This online program is designed for parents, educators, and therapists who want to build a community of care for young people, with an early bird discount available for a limited time.
There are only a few spots left for our Certificate Course in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. This IASTI-accredited program equips you with practical, strengths-based tools to enable positive change and is a game-changer for therapists, educators, and parents.
Joy and connection are at the heart of our training. Here, participants in our Neuro-Dramatic-Play program engage in hands-on activities, learning how play can be a powerful therapeutic tool for fostering emotional expression and building resilience in children.
Our courses are guided by seasoned experts. Meet our co-founders, Dr. Amit Sen, Dr. Kavita Arora, and Shelja Sen, who bring decades of clinical experience in child psychiatry and narrative therapy to our learning community.
We partner with leading institutions to elevate the conversation on mental health. This image captures a session we hosted with the New Zealand High Commission, focused on enhancing how education counsellors guide students with empathy and psychological insight.
This is what our online community looks like. Snippets from a live session of our CYMH 2024 course show learners from across India coming together to share questions, insights, and experiences in a supportive, interactive virtual environment.
About Featured
Most of our learners come to us looking for clinical tools, but they leave with a significant shift in perspective. Whether you choose a certificate or a diploma, you will be part of a cohort that prioritizes peer learning, video analysis, and real-world application over abstract theory.
Building a Community of Care
We believe that the best learning happens when we step away from traditional, top-down instruction. Our programs are designed for therapists, educators, parents, and students who want to move beyond symptom-focused approaches. Instead, we focus on understanding the child's context, their responses to hardship, and the meaningful stories they tell themselves.
Our Methodology
Our training, whether in New Delhi, Gurugram, or online, is highly practical. You won't find generic lectures here. We use:
- Video Analysis: Watching actual therapy sessions to understand the nuances of connection.
- Role-Plays: Safely practicing new techniques before taking them into your own professional space.
- Peer Reflection Groups: Sharing your experiences with a cohort to deepen your understanding.
Choosing Your Path
- Certificate Courses (8-12 weeks): These are ideal if you are looking to build a foundation in specific areas like ADHD, Autism, or Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. They offer a hybrid mix of self-paced learning and live Q&A.
- Diploma Programs (12 months): For those seeking a rigorous, long-term commitment. Our Narrative Therapy Diploma, in collaboration with the Dulwich Centre Foundation, is recognized by the University of Melbourne and involves intensive in-person teaching blocks and supervised practice.
- Workshops: Perfect if you are just starting your journey or want to sharpen a specific skill, like Neuro-Dramatic-Play or trauma-informed storytelling.
We don't just want you to finish a course and get a certificate. We want you to join a network of practitioners who are committed to making spaces safer and more accepting for the children and youth they serve.
Children First
We are a team of child psychiatrists and narrative therapists who believe that training should be as nurturing as therapy itself. We don't just teach modules; we build spaces where parents, educators, and professionals can grow together. We invite you to join our next cohort.
Looking for a specific training program?
Use the search bar to find programs based on your area of interest.
More from Professional Training & Certification by Children First