Guardians of Hope: Navigating Vulnerability, Uncertainty, and Anger in Child-Parent Psychotherapy

Psychologist and psychotherapist with solid experience in research and teaching. She holds a bachelor’s degree as well as a doctorate in Clinical and Dynamic Psychology from the University of Rome “La Sapienza.” Her training was further enriched with a specialization as a psychotherapist at ISIPSè (Institute of Self Psychology and Relational Psychoanalysis) and a training at UMass Boston’s Early Relational Training Program, which allowed her to delve into affective dynamics in early life and emotional regulation in children. Dr. Banella is currently in clinical practice and teaches child and adolescent psychopathology at St. John’s University in Rome. She is the founder and teacher of the Brazelton Touchpoints Center in Italy, a family and child support organization, and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy (IARPP). Among her major contributions are articles published in peer-reviewed journals and chapters in edited volumes, such as “Mutual Regulation and Unique Forms of Implicit Relational Knowing” and “Brazelton’s Touchpoint Approach to Parenting Support Interventions.” She has also addressed related topics such as emotional regulation in premature infants and psychodynamic methods applied to child diagnosis. In addition, she has translated and adapted the work of Edward Tronick, into Italian. Recognized for her integrated approach to clinical psychology, Dr. Banella combines psychodynamic theories with evidence-based practices and strives to promote child mental health and relational psychoanalysis through research and teaching.