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    Mentalizing and Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT) Seminars: Seminar 2

    Exploring our own perspectives as well as those of other people, leading to more successful interactions and social relationships.

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    About this Seminar Series

    If we are mentalizing successfully, we are able to understand what is going on in our own minds and in the minds of other people, and realise how this is affecting the emotions, thoughts, and actions of ourselves and others. This understanding of our own perspectives as well as those of other people leads to more successful interactions and social relationships.

    Join us on this series to equip you with further knowledge, understanding and continue your development in mentalizing. Each half day seminar will encompass two topics accompanied by group discussion. We will invite participants to take part in small group work and encourage active participation.

    About this Seminar

    Timetable for the Seminar on 11th December:

    14:00 Chloe Campbell - Epistemic Trust - myth or reality

    15:45 Break

    16:15 Bob Drozek and Brandon Unruh - Mentalizing and pathological narcissism

    18.00 End

    Professors Bob Drozek and Brandon Unruh will review how to utilize the principles of MBT when treating patients with pathological narcissism (PN). While there are no evidence-based therapies for PN, research suggests that people with PN exhibit significant impairments in mentalization, and that MBT is more effective than generalist treatment for patients with symptoms of several personality disorders, including people with both BPD and NPD. Distilling the principles outlined in the presenters’ recent treatment manual, this course reviews the specific adaptations of MBT that are most relevant in order to address patients' challenges regulating self-esteem. 

    Key adaptations include the domain-based theory of mentalization; an expanded repertoire of affect regulation strategies; techniques to promote patients' agency; a prioritization of techniques to address pretend mode; and strategies to target teleological self-esteem. Taken together, these techniques simultaneously address patients’ core problems in their sense of self, as well as their ability to “read” and empathize with other people’s needs and rights.