Attachment 8. - Attachment & Mentalization

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We continue the series on attachment with a presentation about the relationships between attachment and mentalization, their influence on one another, and their importance for future development.
Nicolas Lorenzini is a Clinical psychologist, MSc in psychoanalytic studies, Ph.D. in psychology. Psychoanalytic psychotherapist in Berlin. Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University College London. Lecturer at the International Psychoanalytic University and Touro College Berlin. Assistant to Professor Peter Fonagy. Member of the executive committee of the International Attachment Network.
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[@becky3541]

Thank you so much for this ! Currently on my doctorate for counselling psych writing a paper trying to get my head around it ! So fascinating and it now makes sense !

[@jasminepolson]

Does MBT achieve integration of the parts of Self? How is it different from internal family systems therapy and shadow/trauma work?

[@alexbalistreya]

Hi Jasmine,
I write from first-hand experience in the mentioned therapy models as a patient with borderline and early childhood trauma (sexual abuse). To answer, I would say yes, mentalization can provide increased tools for integrating self. Still, I would say it works a bit differently than the internal family systems model and trauma modalities. I began in trauma therapies, which operated mainly with somatic integration, getting my body and stress response into a more workable conscious awareness. Specifically, I worked in a form of EDMR known as brain spotting for a year. Then I found I could have more of me online, though not yet integrated. I then worked for a year with an IFS therapist. I think this allowed me to target parts and learn to connect, and learn to trust myself more and my experience. I now have been with a therapist who does MBT, and I see it as working very consciously with cognition work and mentalizing myself in the context of others (and my life’s events). It may be hard to describe, but I see that simply, yes, MBT has helped me achieve integration. Still, without the steps I took through the different other modalities, I feel I wouldn’t be as capable of being conscious and present for the MBT work and for the type of treatment and therapy to stay as a lasting transformative therapy. I have learned to increasingly mentalize myself in the context of others and my experiences that I lacked before MBT. Before the treatment, I was primarily in splits and experiencing a lack of integration and lower conscious awareness around relational interactions.
I had a therapist say I was able to graduate to MBT. I am sure others and other analysts may have different perspectives, but this is mine from first-hand experience. I think all kinds of modalities have had their positive and lasting transformation on my conditions. I realized while in IFS treatment specifically, I came to a point after about a year of seeing this therapist every week that I acquired enough tools to mentalize internally. Still, I needed help mentalizing in connection with actual people outside me. I could talk to the parts till the cows came home, meaning endlessly. Still, it took the cognitive work or “graduation,” as I mentioned, to really apply some more higher cognition to bring about workable behavioral and relational changes in my life.
I understand the concept IFS lays out of self-leadership, which is supposed to ripple out in your real-world relationships. But for me, I found the inner work done in IFS, which I consider somatic work, didn’t easily translate until I got real-world “invitro” assistance through MBT and transference-focused psychotherapy. Others may disagree, but I see all these modalities are forms of mentalizing but the specifics of MBT in targeting actual self/other relational understanding and work in the arena of higher capacity contextual understanding is a unique and very beneficial model of therapy that has helped me experience more integration.
I hope this helps you understand.

[@judithbreastsler]

you're very handsome