Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) and Mentalization

About this course

We are currently refining the structure of this training in an online format and so the times and dates may change slightly. Participants will be notified of any changes with sufficient notice.

This course explores the way we work with non-mentalising in depressed and anxious patients in order to restore our patients’ mentalising and reflective capacities. This will be achieved through the use of teaching, clinical illustrations, video clips, demonstrations and role plays. Some knowledge of Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy is required: you may have completed the training and be a DIT practitioner or supervisor; you may be mid-way through the training or you may be working as a psychotherapist or psychologist who is familiar with this brief psychotherapy model. This course is a useful introduction to the area of mentalising but does not take the place of the more in-depth 3 day MBT training which primarily focuses on the use of mentalisation with borderline personality disorder.

The course will cover:

• Practical applications of mentalization based therapy techniques in brief psychodynamic work with depressed and anxious patients

• Recognising breaks in mentalization in this patient group

• Techniques for restoring mentalization in our patients and ourselves

• Mentalizing the transference and addressing breaches in the therapeutic alliance

Who is this course suitable for?

Those psychotherapists, psychodynamic counsellors, mental health clinicians and other allied professionals who have some familiarity with the DIT model of brief psychotherapy (but it is not essential to be accredited as a DIT practitioner). Please contact us if you have any questions about your eligibility for the course.

Aims of the course?

• To refresh and consolidate  mentalization techniques in brief psychotherapy (using DIT as the framework)

• To consolidate the “not knowing”, curious stance that is characteristic of DIT and Mentalization approaches to therapy

• To recognise signs of non-mentalizing and how best to restore patients’ mentalising including where there is misattunement in the consulting room

Please note, Peter Fonagy teaches, on average for half-day on this training course rather than the full duration of the training. At times, due to unforeseen circumstances his teaching time is reduced. The training is led by other experienced trainers. Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families reserves the right to change speakers without notice.