Abstract
Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) formulates eating disorders as disorders of the self. This article examines the meaning of self-hatred and self-directed negativity as manifestations of self-alienation and vulnerable mentalizing. Relevant concepts are examined to substantiate MBT as a clinical approach to negative self-representations and epistemic mistrust. In this context, MBT states that a clinician’s not-knowing stance is crucial to help elucidate underlying states of mind. Additionally, representing the patient as possessing an agentic-self is seen as crucial to the generation of curiosity about rigidified definitions of the self. Clinical vignettes are provided, and guidelines relevant to clinical practice are proposed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 357-374 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Psychodynamic Psychiatry |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Jan 2025 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- eating disorders
- epistemic trust
- mentalization-based therapy
- representational cohesion
- self-hatred
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychiatry and Mental health