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In MBT group treatment, a safe and trusting environment is created that allows people to improve their skills to identify what other people are thinking and feeling, and the reasons that they may behave the way they do. This is done by group members hearing from each other and learning about how they are thinking and feeling, and reflecting their understanding of different points of view in the group. No one is told what they should be thinking or feeling, but every member of the group is there to be curious and learn how others see the world. Everyone is there both to teach others about how they see things, and to learn from others about how they do. The group is a safe space for its members to discover each other’s thoughts and feelings, and points of view. Over time, groups members improve their capacities to mentalize, and in doing so, to better handle some of the negative feelings that have often been part of their relationships with others and with how they feel about themselves.
The individual therapy sessions, that take place once a month, can be used to discuss things that happened in the group, as well as discussing issues that the client may not feel ready to discuss in the group yet.
By improving our understanding of ourselves and other people, and the ability to consider other people’s thoughts, feelings, and reasons for behaving, MBT improves the ability to manage negative emotions such as anger and frustration that often get in the way of having good, stable relationships. Improving understanding of how mentalizing can go wrong also enhances the ability to keep mentalizing in challenging situations, rather than just reacting without thinking. This helps people to manage feelings like sadness and anger better and to learn to better tolerate the frustration which all our lives expose us to.