Table of Contents

Preface; Part I. An Overview of the Model: 1. A history of mentalizing and MBT; 2. The supporting theory of MBT; Part II. The MBT Model in Practice: 3. What is mentalization-based treatment?; 4. The clinical process of MBT – a step-by-step guide; 5. MBT Group (MBT-G); Part III. Application and Adaptations for Mental Health Presentations: 6. Narcissistic personality disorder; 7. Antisocial personality disorder; 8. Avoidant personality disorder; 9. Depression; 10. Psychosis; 11. Trauma; 12. Eating disorders; Part IV. Application of MBT in Different Populations and in Different Settings: 13. Working with children; 14. Working with adolescents; 15. Working with families; 16. Working with couples; 17. Mentalizing in other settings; 18. Mentalizing and emergency care.

Promotional Information

A practical guide to the core concept of mentalizing and how this is applied in mentalization-based treatment (MBT).

About the Author

Anthony Bateman is Consultant to the Anna Freud Centre in London, Visiting Professor at University College London and Honorary Professor in Psychotherapy at the University of Copenhagen. Peter Fonagy is Director of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at University College London, Chief Executive of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families in London, and is National Clinical Advisor in NHS England on Children and Young People's Mental Health. Chloe Campbell is Deputy Director of the Psychoanalysis Unit at University College London. She is series co-editor of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families/Routledge Best Practice Series.

Reviews

'This book brilliantly brings together, in accessible language, the research and clinical wisdom that have accumulated over the past 20 years in mentalization-based theory and practice. It definitively establishes mentalization-based treatment as the transdiagnostic treatment it is. Requiring no prior exposure to mentalization-based therapy, this must-read guide provides clinicians with essential tools that can be immediately implemented. Read it! It will be worth it!' Carla Sharp, John and Rebecca Moores Professor, Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, CLASS, Department of Psychology, University of Houston

'Cambridge Guide to Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) is destined to become a seminal guide. The authors have invested decades in examining how mental processing influences our well-being and share their brilliant clarity of thought regarding mentalizing theory and relevant research. They further provide rich, detailed, and practical accounts of the guiding principles of MBT and describe potent interventions that can harness mentalizing capacities and improve treatment across a range of clinical problems. This book illustrates important ideas that will be relevant to psychotherapists at all levels who are working to improve their clinical practice.' Shelley McMain, Senior Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Director, Psychotherapy Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

'Must-read book for anyone practicing MBT. The guide is a mind melt of brilliant clinical, scientific and conceptual brains, clearly showing that MBT is not a 'guru-therapy' but democratic, full of life and kicking! Having collected the experiences of 30 years of training MBT, this guide is highly didactic with numerous detailed individual and group case descriptions giving insights in the magic potion of how to strengthen mentalization in very diverse mental problems and clinical settings. MBT follows recommendations of modern psychotherapy research by including all common factors and still provides a convincing narrative for the clinician in terms of disorder conceptualization, goals, tasks and change theory. With this guide MBT proves that it has become a stand-alone transdiagnostic treatment, with a strong theoretical and empirical underpinnings and – most important for clinicians – very clear and concrete directions for users.' Svenja Taubner, Professor for Psychosocial Prevention, Medical Faculty Director, Institute for Psychosocial Prevention, University of Heidelberg

'The charm of MBT is the balance between clear hypotheses and one's own critical ability to constantly question them. Thus, MBT is a psychotherapy factory in the best sense: creative, inspiring, and interface-compatible: for clinical practitioners oriented toward scientific evidence and for researchers oriented toward clinical implementation. This book is a catalyst that will greatly advance both the practice and theory of psychotherapy.' Martin Bohus, Professor Emeritus of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Heidelberg University; Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany