Therapy: Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT)

Mentalization is an important concept that refers to an ability to think about thinking and about feeling. It is an important skill that helps us to understand our own mental states and that of other people, and how these impact on our behaviour.

MBT can help you to make sense of our thoughts, beliefs, wishes and feelings and to make links between these states and our actions and behaviours.

Mentalization underpins all human relationships. However, some people find it more difficult to mentalise in certain situations than others. MBT aims to enhance that capacity.

When we focus on what is going on in our mind and in the minds of other people we can understand and alleviate our distress as well as problematic behaviours.

MBT can be particularly useful for people who suffer from long-term difficulties in relationships and who experience intense and overwhelming emotional distress which may result in destructive behaviours. It can also be helpful for people who may feel and act distrustful of other people and have difficulty in reading and understanding other people’s responses to them.