Introduction to RFT in Early Intervention: Fall 2025

from $125.00

This course will run from August 14 - September 25th with meetings on alternate Thursdays from 6-7 pm US Eastern time. Please see below for all dates and a complete overview.

Relational Frame Theory views generalized derived relational responding—relational framing—as the core skill involved in human language and cognition, essential to the development of flexible, fluent conversational skills and academic progress. If you, like many behavior analysts, are new to RFT, struggle to understand RFT concepts, or aren’t sure how RFT fits with your existing analytic tools (including Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior) particularly in early childhood (0-6), this workshop is for you. Dr. Siri Ming has been there and done that as part of her own journey of learning and applying RFT, and in this workshop she presents a user-friendly introduction to RFT and the basic premise that relational frames are generalized, contextually-controlled patterns of arbitrarily-applicable derived relational responding. With examples from recent research and applications of RFT to early intervention, you’ll learn the importance of derived relational responding and the transformation of function through relational networks to the development of generative language, and you’ll be introduced to assessment and intervention tools to use in your own practice that will show you how RFT and Skinnerian VB can be integrated in language intervention programs to powerful effect.

The workshop is divided into three modules, each of which will take two weeks to complete. In every module, you'll see three-four sequential lessons to complete that consist of short videos, readings, and asynchronous discussion activities; you should anticipate spending about 15-20 minutes per lesson on these instructional activities (i.e., about an hour per module). Each module also has a variety of application activities that you should expect to spend more time on, with your clients or in your organization, such as trying out assessment and teaching protocols.

Every other week on Thursdays from 6-7 pm Eastern (US) we will have a live group meeting to discuss your questions and experiences with the material in the module, as well as dive a bit further into the concepts and research relevant to the module. This course provides 6 CEUs.

All workshops within Constellations have three price tiers. Click here for our pricing guide and see below for meeting dates and to download a complete overview.

We also have low-cost pay-what-you-can scholarships available. Priority will be given to those who primarily serve underserved, disadvantaged and minority populations, clinicians who are members of minority groups themselves, and to early career practitioners or students in developing countries. Please click here to apply.

Price Tier:

This course will run from August 14 - September 25th with meetings on alternate Thursdays from 6-7 pm US Eastern time. Please see below for all dates and a complete overview.

Relational Frame Theory views generalized derived relational responding—relational framing—as the core skill involved in human language and cognition, essential to the development of flexible, fluent conversational skills and academic progress. If you, like many behavior analysts, are new to RFT, struggle to understand RFT concepts, or aren’t sure how RFT fits with your existing analytic tools (including Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior) particularly in early childhood (0-6), this workshop is for you. Dr. Siri Ming has been there and done that as part of her own journey of learning and applying RFT, and in this workshop she presents a user-friendly introduction to RFT and the basic premise that relational frames are generalized, contextually-controlled patterns of arbitrarily-applicable derived relational responding. With examples from recent research and applications of RFT to early intervention, you’ll learn the importance of derived relational responding and the transformation of function through relational networks to the development of generative language, and you’ll be introduced to assessment and intervention tools to use in your own practice that will show you how RFT and Skinnerian VB can be integrated in language intervention programs to powerful effect.

The workshop is divided into three modules, each of which will take two weeks to complete. In every module, you'll see three-four sequential lessons to complete that consist of short videos, readings, and asynchronous discussion activities; you should anticipate spending about 15-20 minutes per lesson on these instructional activities (i.e., about an hour per module). Each module also has a variety of application activities that you should expect to spend more time on, with your clients or in your organization, such as trying out assessment and teaching protocols.

Every other week on Thursdays from 6-7 pm Eastern (US) we will have a live group meeting to discuss your questions and experiences with the material in the module, as well as dive a bit further into the concepts and research relevant to the module. This course provides 6 CEUs.

All workshops within Constellations have three price tiers. Click here for our pricing guide and see below for meeting dates and to download a complete overview.

We also have low-cost pay-what-you-can scholarships available. Priority will be given to those who primarily serve underserved, disadvantaged and minority populations, clinicians who are members of minority groups themselves, and to early career practitioners or students in developing countries. Please click here to apply.

Overview

Meeting Dates

  • Introductions: August 14 6-6:30 pm US Eastern (this is an initial meeting of just 30 minutes, to meet each other and get oriented to the platform)

  • Module 1: August 28 6-7 pm US Eastern

  • Module 2: September 11 6-7 pm US Eastern

  • Module 3: September 25 pm US Eastern

Module One —RFT, VB & EIBI, Oh My!
• RFT distilled: Relational framing as operant behavior
• Relational frames as the building blocks of generative language
• Integrating RFT and Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior

Module Two —Getting Technical: Defining properties of relational framing repertoires
• Non-arbitrary vs arbitrary relational responding
• Deriving relations: mutual and combinatorial entailment
• Transformation of function
• Contextual control

Module Three —Getting Practical: Assessing and teaching early relational framing repertoires
• Understanding early learner skills as foundations of DRR
• Assessing, training and capitalizing on coordination/equivalence
• Assessing and teaching non-sameness relations
• Typical development and relational framing repertoires

Objectives

Experiential Objectives

1. For learners you work with, identify what repertoires of relational responding or foundations for relational responding are important to assess.
2. Practice implementing a protocol for assessing early derived relational responding repertoires with respect to frames of coordination (sameness/equivalence).
3. Practice implementing a protocol for assessing or teaching early derived relational responding repertoires with respect to a non-equivalence relation.

Technical/Educational Objectives

1. Describe how Skinnerian verbal operants can be considered within relational frames.
2. Describe the importance of establishing a foundation of contextually-controlled nonarbitrary relational responding as well as early relational framing repertoires in early intervention.
3. Define and give examples of the properties of relational framing with respect to both sameness (equivalence) and a variety of other (non-equivalence) relations.
4. Define and give examples of non-arbitrary and arbitrary stimulus relations with respect to a variety of relational patterns.