The Power of Mentalizing An introductory guide on mentalizing, attachment, and epistemic trust for mental health care workers

Sometimes relationships do not run as smoothly as we would like. Attunement to others can be difficult, and conversely, from time to time we feel misunderstood ourselves by the ones we love. This can lead to misunderstanding, frustration, and friction. If we mentalize more and better, i.e. give more attention to our own feelings, thoughts, desires, and intentions as well as to those of others, our interactions will be more pleasant and feel safer. This applies to every relationship - those with our children and pupils, and those with our partners and colleagues.

We all know a student, neighbour, client, or adolescent who feels alone and misunderstood. Maybe we see but hesitate to really connect and mean something to them. Or we think it that there is nothing we can do. This book shows how everyone can make a difference. Making someone feel important, mentalizing about someone, and connecting with someone who may not have felt contact for a long time does make a difference.

The Power of Mentalizing explains in an accessible way what mentalizing means and how it can help make a difference in our own lives as well as in the lives of others. The authors of this book draw on the rich developmental psychology literature on attachment, mentalizing, and epistemic trust. They use several examples to explain what it takes to really connect. In addition, they challenge the reader to self-reflect and to become a slightly better version of themselves.

Joost Hutsebaut, Clinical Psychologist de Viersprong, Tilburg University,Liesbet Nijssens, Clinical psychologist, ,Miriam van Vessem, Clinical psychologist,

Joost Hutsebaut is a clinical psychologist, working as a therapist and researcher in a specialized center for personality disorders (PDs). He holds a chair on 'Prevention and early intervention of personality pathology' at the Tilburg university, works with young people with borderline PD, and conducts research on the Alternative Model for PDs. Hutsebaut is also related to the Center of Expertise on PDs and co-authored the Guideline-Informed Treatment for Personality Disorders, a project to improve management of PDs. He published research papers on young people with PD, assessment of level of personality functioning, and generic treatment for PDs.


Liesbet Nijssens is a clinical psychologist and licensed psychodynamic psychotherapist in Belgium. She has experience in individual and group MBT, and has been working in day hospital and intensive outpatient MBT programs for patients with borderline personality disorders at de Viersprong, a specialized treatment institute for personality disorders in the Netherlands. Currently, she is engaged in MBT-P, an adaptation of MBT for parents with personality disorders and their infants. She is also involved in research on parental reflective functioning at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Nijssens is certified by the AFNCCF as an international MBT practitioner, supervisor, and trainer. She works for MBT the Netherlands and MBT Belgium, where she provides training and supervision in MBT, and supports treatment teams who are setting up MBT programs.


Miriam van Vessem is a clinical psychologist. She has experience in individual and group MBT, in both day hospital and outpatient MBT programs in the Netherlands. She is also involved in the development of an AMBIT program at her current workplace. She provides training and supervision in MBT.