Prezi presentation by Liz Cracknell:



Mentalization (Allen, Fonagy, & Bateman, 2008; P. Fonagy & Bateman, 2008) offers the nearest thing to an integrative theoretical framework for the approach, that can applied to practical advantage across individual, family, social-ecological and inter-professional domains (See Taking Responsibility for integration).

Mentalization describes the imaginative activity of explaining the actions of another, or oneself, in terms of the intentional mental state (thoughts, beliefs, desires, etc) present at that time. It is axiomatic to mentalizing theory that more accurate mentalizing capacity in individuals or families makes for improved relationships, a reduction in the negative impact of misunderstandings, and, within the individual, improved meta-cognitive abilities (P Fonagy & Sharp, 2008; C Sharp & Fonagy, 2008a, 2008b; C. Sharp, Fonagy, & Goodyer, 2006).

The mentalizing therapist takes for granted the opacity of mental states in other people (we cannot mind-read!), and addresses this by assuming a purposeful, curious, inquisitive stance that vigorously affirms the value of working towards an accurate understanding of the intentional mental states in others and oneself.

There is an emphasis on the use of naturalistic language in the discussion of mental state phenomena, and a tendency to focus on the present rather than the past. The worker tends to make his or her thoughts and intentions as deliberately transparent as possible - which is what we cal the Intentional stance.

The approach speaks to an extremely old and widely assumed set of ideas, but perhaps offers a novel integrative approach to therapy. It is argued that one of the strengths of the mentalizing focus is that it provides an Integrative framework that knits together:

(a.) The understanding of one’s own thoughts and feelings that is central to cognitive therapy.
(b.) The understanding of the thoughts and feelings of others that is central to family therapy.
(c.) The appreciation of defensive processes and the reluctance to change, as well as a focus on the dynamics of present relationships that is central to psychodynamic therapy.

3 Levels of mentalizing in AMBIT

Now, whilst in Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) (Bateman & Fonagy, 2006) or Mentalization-Based Family Therapy (MBFT) (Fearon et al., 2006) the focus is almost exclusively on the therapists’ efforts to stimulate or sustain mentalizing in their patients, in AMBIT there is a separate but no less significant focus for team members - on taking direct and active responsibility for each other’s mentalizing capacity in the work, and to improve mentalizing across the professional network.