For mental health professionals who diagnose and provide therapeutic treatment services who want to specialize their clinical practice.
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Introducing:
Clinical Certificate Training
An introduction to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) clinical practice for children 0-5.
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Spanning a year, this in-depth training in relationship-based, developmentally appropriate assessments will help professionals in their assessment and diagnosis of children through an IECMH lens.Â
Starting Sept 10th"Our families deserve to be informed about Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health and the dynamics that surround understanding those concepts. Start the trend to educate our families in the rural south to enhance better outcomes for the future."
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-Teressa Patterson
Child Adolescent and Family Therapist, DMHÂ
Did you know?
Most infants and young children experience positive mental health; however, 15-26% of infants and young children experience social-emotional delays and mental health problems that, if not adequately addressed, lead to more considerable challenges in later years.
Mental health problems in very young children can interfere with daily activities that provide opportunities for learning and development, increasing children’s risk of future behavior and academic problems.Â
Signs of possible infant-early childhood mental health problems are varied and include:Â
Difficulties in caregiver relationshipsÂ
Persistent emotional distress
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Disruptions in sleeping or feedingÂ
Without a proper intervention, diagnosis, and treatment, these mental health problems often follow children into adolescence. This is why infant and early childhood mental health is crucial to their development.
Experiences in a child’s life between birth and age 5 can shape how they grow and develop, for better or worse.
Infant Mental Health focuses on building strong, healthy relationships, between children and their caregivers, fostering lifelong mental health and wellness for both.Â
As a diagnosing professional, this is where you come in!
IECMH Clinical Certificate Training
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The mental health training for children all early childhood clinicians need.
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Untreated mental health conditions in infants and toddlers leave children more vulnerable to long-term mental health difficulties. Â
As mental health professionals working with children, knowing how to approach infant and childhood cases with a developmental perspective and relationship based lens can be life changing for these little ones. Â
After completing the Clinical Certificate Training, professionals can face their caseload with a new perspective that aids in assessing and diagnosing young children through an IECMH lens.
As the only infant mental health organization in the state, we are able to provide comprehensive training from a Clinical Psychologist endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Mentor-Clinical.Â
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This certification will provide you with specialized knowledge and skills to:
- Strengthen your understanding of clinical disorders in infancy and early childhood
- Identify ways to apply these concepts into your clinical practice
- Approach diagnosis with a relationship-based and developmentally sensitive lens
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You can help babies thrive.
"The training provided a breadth of exposure to new information, resources, and ways of thinking. It added to the way relationship-based care was practiced before. I feel I have tangible tools to support these dyads...I think the format of the training was well structured for my learning and capacity- not too much to handle within my current role/work caseload."
-2024-2025 IECMH Clinical Certificate ParticipantÂ
Take a peek inside the  Clinical Certificate Training
Assessment Track:
- 4 month duration
- Introduction to Relationship-Based Assessments and Interventions
- Training in Working Model of the Child Interview and Crowell Procedure
- Training in DC:0–5™ Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood Version Â
Assessment & Treatment Track:
- Start with Assessment Track
- Additional 6 months (10 months total)
- Overview of IECMH Evidence-Based Practices including Attachment Biobehavioral Catch-up, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, & Preschool PTSD Treatment
- Clinical case conceptualization with other IECMH professionals
- Relationship-based Treatment Choice Considerations and Documentation
Every module includes:Â
âś… Access to lots of resources
âś… Seminal readings
âś… Tools for assessment
âś… Video recordings of the sessions
Plus you get:
➡️ Hours towards EndorsementÂ
➡️ Certificate of completion
➡️ CEUs
➡️ Community of professionals in similar fields to network and build relationships with
The Clinical Certificate Training equips professionals with a deep understanding of evidence-based treatments and interventions, bolstering the assessment and diagnosis of children through an IECMH lens.
Total Value:
$5997
Assessment Track Dates
Intro to Relationship-Based Assessments and Interventions
September 10th, 2025
9am-12pm
Working Model of the Child Interview
October 14th-16th, 2025
9am-1pm
Crowell Procedure
November 11th-13th, 2025
9am-1pm
Training in DC:0-5™
December 16th-18th, 2025
9am-1pm
 Treatment Track Dates
Overview of IECMH Evidence-Based Practices
January 14th, 2026
February 11th, 2026
March 11th, 2026
April 8th, 2026
May 13th, 2026
9am-12pm
Relationship-Based Treatment Choice Considerations & Documentation
June 10th, 2026
9am-12pm
Meet Your Trainer:
Dr. Mackenzie Soniak
I’ve worked across the lifespan throughout my career, but I have a special passion for working with young children and their families. I earned my doctorate from Antioch University of New England, with a concentration in child clinical psychology. I completed my pre-doctoral internship in Infant Mental Health at Tulane University School of Medicine and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Colorado School of Medicine with the Irving Harris Program in Child Development and Infant Mental Health. During this time, I also specialized in working with mothers and fathers during pregnancy and the postpartum period. I am endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Specialist by the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health.
I moved to South Carolina in 2020 to be with family. In my free time I enjoy spending time on the water, cooking with my family, and practicing yoga.
Interested in joining us?
Please fill out our application form to take the next step. Dr. Mackenzie Soniak will then reach out with to discuss your goals, your questions, and if you're a good fit for the training.
Fill Out ApplicationFAQs
Which track is right for me?
What if I'm unable to attend all the training dates?
Can I get CEUs for participating in this training?
Does this training count towards my Endorsement application?
About SCIMHAÂ
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SCIMHA is a collaborative, multidisciplinary membership association for all infant-, early childhood- and family-serving professionals in South Carolina. As a hub for healthy social and emotional development resources, we help babies thrive.
Our services, supports, and infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) professional development programs promote healthy growth for young children, help prevent mental health issues, and provide opportunities to treat mental health disorders early.Â
In addition to professional development, we connect caregivers to the resources and professional services critical to babies’ well-being and advocate for a connected system of care across the state to improve quality of life outcomes for young children.
“Every day infant and early childhood professionals work with babies and families to promote healthy development, repair relationships, and create a solid foundation for lifelong mental health. It’s difficult and emotional work, and it’s why SCIMHA was founded — to support you in this critical endeavor.”
