Connecticut Association for Infant Mental Health-CT-AIMH

03/23/2026

CT-AIMH Spring Conference 2026 – Don’t miss this one!

Celebrating Neurodiversity through the Lens of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health

Join us in-person on Thursday, May 14, 2026
8:30 am – 12:30 pm at The Woodwinds, Branford, CT
(Breakfast included!)

Featuring keynote presenter:
Kris Barnekow, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, IMH-E®
Infant Family Specialist & Endorsed Reflective Supervisor

Funded by Connecticut Children & Families, CT Social Services, and CT Office of Early Childhood.

Register today → https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/.../df77533b-f572...

We can’t wait to gather, learn, and celebrate with all of you!

Please like and share!

03/05/2026

Key Words: Sankofa, Decolonization, Revitalization, Infant Mental Health History, Storytelling, Healing Justice Funding: Irving Harris Foundation and the Academy of ZERO TO THREE Fellows The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. This manuscript has not been published elsewhere and is not...

02/17/2026

The importance of early relationships is central to the field of infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH), yet the role of fathers has too often been overlooked or relegated to the margins. This special issue seeks to reframe and elevate fatherhood by centering father’s voices, experiences...

01/27/2026

It’s time to tell America what babies really need.

Strolling Thunder 2026 is calling on families with babies and toddlers (0–3) to partner with ZERO TO THREE to become a leading voice for babies, pushing for policies that support good health, strong families and positive early learning.

Some families will meet with Congress in Washington, DC. Others will participate virtually. All selected families receive training, preparation, and support.

If you’re ready to share your story and help create change, apply by February 13: https://bit.ly/3LDrNXV

12/29/2025

CT-AIMH is proud to celebrate Family Educator Mili Lebron from the New Haven Family Resource Center for her outstanding work with families of young children!

Through the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Integrated Care Pilot, Mili provided compassionate parent support and service navigation, walking alongside families as they accessed the care and resources they needed. Collocated with the pediatric team at Fair Haven Community Health Center, Mili partnered closely with Dr. Katie Swec and Dr. Kamisha Bias to support families through developmental screenings, parenting support, and meaningful connections to essential services.

From Birth to Three and Parent-Child Psychotherapy to housing and other vital community supports, Mili was a steady, trusted presence for families navigating Connecticut’s service delivery system. While the work was challenging, Reflective Supervision and Consultation played a key role in strengthening her confidence and capacity ensuring families received care rooted in understanding, collaboration, and hope.

Thank you, Mili, for your dedication, heart, and commitment to families and young children. 💙👏

12/04/2025

Maternal substance use is a pressing public health issue that confers risk for maternal health, the parent-infant relationship, and child development. Integrated interventions that jointly address ma...

12/04/2025

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Reading to your child is more than storytelling. Recent research shows that when a mother reads aloud, her brainwaves literally sync with her child’s down to the millisecond. This neural synchrony strengthens connection, communication, and learning.

Children who experience this brain alignment develop language skills up to twice as fast as peers. Their ability to understand words, form sentences, and express ideas improves because their brains are mirroring and predicting patterns in speech. Beyond language, synchronized reading also promotes deeper, more restorative sleep, helping the brain consolidate learning and emotional regulation.

Neural synchrony works because the child’s brain becomes attuned to rhythm, tone, and emphasis in speech. Over time, this strengthens attention, memory, and social-emotional understanding. The simple act of reading together becomes a powerful tool for cognitive and emotional growth.

You don’t need perfect books or long sessions. Even short, daily reading moments can create lasting impact. The key is consistent, engaged interaction, letting your child feel seen, heard, and mirrored.

Storytime is more than words; it’s building the brain and nurturing connection at the deepest level.

12/03/2025

Did you catch this insightful video about infant mental health the first time around?
💡 Want to understand why infant-care relationships matter so much. Revisit what is infant mental health.

://youtu.be/8DiK-cGjX4Q?si=96-eKw-PEO5IuRlj

See related videos: https://www.easternct.edu/center-for-early-childhood-education/supporting-development/what-is-infant-mental-health.htmlInfant mental heal...

12/01/2025

🌱 Honoring this year’s CT-AIMH conference presenters and their powerful contribution to our field!

We were grateful to learn from the creators of My Hero’s Journey, a reflective workbook designed for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health professionals. Their work invites us to deepen self-awareness, explore identity, and strengthen anti-racist, relationship-based practice.

If you support infants, toddlers, or families, this resource offers meaningful guidance for understanding how our own experiences, stories, and biases shape the care we provide.

Learn more at racializedreflectivepractice.com.

12/01/2025

11/25/2025

✨ Thank You for Joining Us at the CT-AIMH 2025 Fall Conference! ✨

We had a day full of interaction and brave spaces together at The Woodwinds in Branford as we explored Communication as a Way of Being: Language that Fosters Partnership in Early Relational Health.

Rooted in Diversity-Informed Tenet #6, our learning centered on how language shapes Early Relational Health (ERH)—not just the words we speak, but the tone, intention, presence, and stories that guide our work.

Some of the meaningful reflections from the day included:
💬“Language is the house of being.”
💬 Who we are is as important as what we do—our identity and lived experience shape our language.
💬 Language can be a way of feeling and a way of being.
💬 Stories from the field reminded us that non-verbal communication can often speak the loudest.
💬 Language can hurt and heal. Communication is a journey that requires reflection, tools, and community support.

A heartfelt thank-you to our incredible presenters:💛 Megan Smith, LCAT, LPC, MT-BC, IMH-E® 💛 Samantha Coloson, MSW, IMH-E® 💛 Lanh T. Durlak, LMHC, NCC, IMH-E®

And thank YOU to all who attended for bringing your openness, your stories, and your commitment to building more culturally responsive and relationship-centered practices for Connecticut’s infants, young children, and families.

Together, we continue to build a workforce rooted in compassion, equity, and connection.