Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT)

Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT) was developed by Anthony Bateman and Peter Fonagy specifically for individuals with BPD. They describe mentalizing as the process by which a person is attuned to another person’s mental state – their thoughts, desires and feelings. BPD diminishes a person’s ability to mentalize and this lack of empathy can disrupt their ability to regulate their emotions and manage their impulses, impacting their social interactions with others. The overall goal of MBT is to enhance awareness and appreciation of the emotional states of other people in order to avoid those negative interactions.