How you are is as important as what you do.Note 1
A short, interactive tour of the ten elements at the core of an effective consultative stance, ending with a quick quiz.
The ten elements at a glance
Applied to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, this premise asserts that the power of the practice lies in the consultant’s demeanor in relationships with consultees: the Consultative Stance.
- Mutuality of endeavor
- Avoiding the position of sole expert
- Wondering instead of knowing
- Understanding another’s subjective experience
- Considering all levels of influence
- Hearing and representing all voices, especially the child’s
- The centrality of relationships
- Parallel process as an organizing principle
- Patience
- Holding hope
Notes
- 1. Pawl, J. H. & St. John, M. (1998). How you are is as important as what you do… in making a positive difference for infants, toddlers, and their families. Washington DC: Zero to Three/National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families.
Source: Element text is reproduced from 10 Elements Comprise the Essential Core of an Effective Consultative Stance, Center of Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (2025).
Practical Certificate in IECMHC
How you show up is a skill you can build
The Practical Certificate gives you room to practice the consultative stance. You learn the consultative relationship, record a first meeting with a teacher, and talk it through in monthly reflective supervision with a licensed clinician.
See the Practical CertificateI am learning how I show up matters just as much as the strategies I bring with me.