Mentalization, Clinical relationship and therapeutic process

Mentalization is the mental process by which a subject interprets, implicitly or explicitly, their and others’ behaviors as significant on the basis of intentional mental states (desires, needs, feelings, beliefs and personal motivations). The mentalization construct and the attachment theory permit new interpretation of clinical relationships. Moreover, they lead to the development of specific individual, family or group psychotherapeutic techniques for personality disorders and, more in general, for those patients that present difficulties in expression and control of emotions and impulses and more vulnerability to stress.