Epistemic Trust and Mentalized Affectivity in Working with Parents in Therapy: A Mentalization-Based Approach

ABSTRACT

In this article, the authors extend the framework from their book, Working with Parents: A mentalization-based approach. They describe and link two critical constructs from the mentalization literature, epistemic trust and mentalized affectivity, and they demonstrate how to utilize them in assessment and treatment. In addition, they discuss the relevance of epistemic trust and mentalized affectivity in training and in supervision.

Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge our colleagues and students who have worked with us and contributed to the development of the ideas in this manuscript. Jordan Bate especially thanks the students in the Attachment & Psychotherapy Research Lab and Psychodynamic Practicum in Child Therapy at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. Elliot Jurist thanks the students in the Mentalized Affectivity lab at CCNY.

Disclosure statement

Jordan Bate and Elliot Jurist receive royalty payments from APA Books as coauthors of Working with Parents: A Mentalization Based Approach.

Patient anonymization statement

Potentially personally identifying information presented in this article that relates directly or indirectly to an individual, or individuals, has been changed to disguise and safeguard the confidentiality, privacy and data protection rights of those concerned, in accordance with the journal’s anonymization policy.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jordan Bate

Jordan Bate, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the School-Clinical Child Doctoral Program at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, where she leads the Attachment & Psychotherapy Process research lab and the Psychodynamic Practicum in Child Therapy at the Max and Cecilia Parnes Family Clinic. She also maintains a private practice with children and adults in New York City.

Marissa Pizziferro

Elliot Jurist is Professor of Psychology and Philosophy at the City College of New York and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is the Director of the Mentalized Affectivity lab and in private practice. He is the editor of a series of books, Psychoanalysis and Psychological Science with Guilford Publications. He writes a monthy Substack newsletter, Mental(izing) Health: https://elliot4cc.substack.com/.

Elliot Jurist

Marissa Pizziferro, M.A. is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at The City College of New York, where she is a research assistant in the Mentalized Affectivity Lab under Dr. Elliot Jurist and provides low-fee psychotherapy to children, parents, and adults in the university’s Psychological Center. Previously, she earned her Master’s degree from The New School for Social Research and was a member of the Center for Attachment Research.