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Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) Practitioner

In this two-day workshop, you will expand your existing knowledge, embed the basic skills of Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT), and enhance your expertise through hands-on demonstrations and role plays.

About this training

The aim of this two-day programme is to update your knowledge of current developments in MBT, increase confidence in delivering mentalizing interventions, and improve clinical skills to deliver MBT with adherence and high quality.

The course is required for everyone working towards MBT Practitioner certification with Anna Freud.

This course provides a supportive, practice-focused environment that helps clinicians translate MBT principles into meaningful therapeutic change for their patients.

Full competency and assessment standards can be found in the MBT Quality Assurance Manual.

Aims of this training

Through a blend of didactic teaching, practical skills development and supervised clinical application, the training will help you:

  • Deepen your understanding of mentalizing and the MBT therapeutic framework.

  • Strengthen your ability to apply MBT techniques effectively in individual or group work.

  • Enhance your clinical formulation skills, with a focus on personality disorder.

  • Build competence through live practice, feedback, and structured supervision.

  • Develop the reflective capacity essential for high‑quality MBT delivery.

  • Work towards meeting the competencies required for MBT Practitioner Certification with Anna Freud.

Who is this training for? 

This MBT Practitioner Training is ideal for mental health professionals who want to extend and improve the quality of their skills in delivering MBT. It is an essential course for those who aim to progress towards MBT Practitioner Certification.

The course is designed for clinicians who have already completed the MBT Basic Training, are actively using mentalizing techniques in their clinical work, and are engaged in continuing professional development.

You’ll benefit from this course if you:

  • Work in a mental health setting and have clinical responsibility for patient care.

  • Have experience delivering psychological therapies with individuals and/or groups.

  • Are ready to expand your MBT knowledge and clinical skills through supervised clinical practice.

  • Want to develop your MBT competencies in a structured, supportive programme.

  • Wish to learn to self-assess your clinical adherence to the model in your daily practice.

Applicants without a core mental health profession may also be eligible if they hold an appropriate clinical post and receive suitable governance and supervision.

For detailed entry and assessment requirements, please refer to the MBT Quality Assurance Manual.

  • For me, the training brought together the information given in the introductory course, leaving me with a better grasp of the model overall. It was particularly helpful to learn more about the not-knowing stance.

    Participant, October 2025

  • Overall, the training was excellent - really interesting and engaging, thank you.

    Participant, October 2025

  • The training is of high quality and very helpful.

    Participant, September 2025

  • I wanted to say thank you for this training and for the space to consider clinical practice for two whole days; THANK YOU!

    Participant, September 2025

  • I learnt a great deal, and the course enabled me to reflect on my current delivery of the model, and what changes, I/we as a service need to change/introduce.

    Participant, October 2023

  • I really enjoyed it and felt I learned a huge amount. I think due to how interactive it was, allowing for lots of discussions and case examples.

    Participant, October 2023

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