Working through the body in metacognitive interpersonal therapy to change relational patterns in dependent personality disorder: The case of Lia.

Persons with dependent personality disorder (DPD) have difficulties describing their inner world, and in realizing their negative ideas about the self, such as being weak, unworthy or powerless are just ideas. As a consequence, they tend to over-rely on others and may lose control over their emotions. Treating these persons can gain benefits from including body-focused techniques as they can promote a) awareness of internal states, b) better emotion regulation, c) the capacity to consider their negative ideas about themselves as not necessarily true, and d) gain power of and agency. We will describe the therapist used body-focused techniques in the context of Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy when treating Lia, a 40-year-old woman suffering from DPD who also suffered from generalized anxiety disorder and had difficulties in making autonomous choices. She had a romantic relationship with a man she described as distant and judgmental so she felt lonely and not entitled to express her discomfort or capable to break up. The therapist used body-focused techniques, together with behavioural exposure, mindfulness and guided imagery, to let Lia be more aware of her thoughts and feelings, and then to regulate affects and realize she had previously capacities. At therapy termination anxiety diminished and she could break up with the partner and start a new one where she felt free to express herself. We suggest how bodily-focused techniques can be used to enhance therapy effectiveness in DPD.

Abordagem de narrativas como método de pesquisa em saúde pública: aproximações conceituais e contribuições da psicanálise / Narrative research in public health: conceptual approximations and contributions from psychoanalysis / Enfoque en narrativas como método de investigación en salud pública: aproximaciones conceptuales y aportaciones del psicoanálisis

Este artigo refere-se à parte de uma pesquisa de doutorado, realizada em hospital de alta complexidade do Sistema Único de Saúde, cujos participantes são os profissionais de saúde. O objetivo deste artigo é analisar o potencial da abordagem das narrativas como método de pesquisa e intervenção nos serviços de saúde, traçando aproximações com a teoria psicanalítica. Sua relevância no campo da Saúde Pública está calcada no reconhecimento do papel do sujeito como agente de mudanças. O texto divide-se em duas partes: na primeira, explora as especificidades do trabalho na área da saúde, o paradigma da saúde pública no que concerne à gestão e possíveis contribuições da clínica ampliada para esse modelo. Na segunda parte, analisa o uso das narrativas como método de pesquisa nesse campo e as aproximações conceituais entre a narrativa em Walter Benjamin e a psicanálise em Freud. Busca na literatura referências sobre experiências análogas que fundamentem a proposta ora realizada e conclui pela importância de, no momento atual, apostar na força germinativa das narrativas como fonte criativa de novas formas de cuidar.(AU)

This article derives from a PhD research conducted with health professionals at a high-complexity public hospital from the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). It analyzes the potential of the narrative as a research and intervention method in health services, outlining approximations with psychoanalysis. In the field of Public Health, the narrative approach acknowledges the individual as an agent of change. The text is divided into two parts. The first presents an overview of the peculiarities involved in healthcare, the Public Health paradigm regarding service management and possible contributions from the expanded clinic to this model. The second analyzes the use of narratives as a research method in this field and the conceptual approximations between Benjamin's narrative and Freud's psychoanalysis. It searches the literature for references on similar experiences to support the present proposal and concludes by highlighting the importance of betting on the creative power of narratives as a source for new ways to care.(AU)

Este artículo es parte de una investigación doctoral, realizada con los profesionales de la salud de un hospital de alta complejidad del Sistema Único de Salud de Brasil. Su propósito es analizar el potencial del enfoque en narrativas como método de investigación e intervención en los servicios de salud, esbozando aproximaciones entre las narrativas y la teoría del psicoanálisis. Su relevancia en el campo de la salud pública se basa en el reconocimiento del rol del sujeto como agente de cambio. El texto se divide en dos partes: La primera investiga las especificidades del trabajo en el área de la salud, el paradigma de la salud pública en la gestión de los servicios y las posibles contribuciones de la clínica ampliada a este modelo. En la segunda parte, analiza el uso de narrativas como método de investigación en este campo y las aproximaciones conceptuales entre la narrativa de Walter Benjamin y el psicoanálisis de Freud. Este estudio busca en la literatura referencias sobre experiencias similares que apoyen la propuesta ahora realizada y concluye con la importancia de, en el momento actual, apostar por el poder de las narrativas como fuente creadora de nuevas formas de cuidar.(AU)

A experiência intersubjetiva na ludoterapia humanista sob uma perspectiva fenomenológica / The intersubjective experience in humanistic play therapy from the standpoint of phenomenology / La experiencia intersubjetiva en la ludoterapia humanista desde una perspectiva fenomenológica

Esta pesquisa qualitativa objetivou compreender, fenomenologicamente, a experiência vivida por psicoterapeutas e crianças no acontecer clínico da ludoterapia humanista. Foram realizados 26 encontros dialógicos individuais com nove psicoterapeutas e sete crianças, registrados pela pesquisadora na forma de Narrativas Compreensivas que incluíram suas impressões impactadas subjetivamente pelas falas e expressões corporais dos participantes. A análise fenomenológica culminou com a escrita de uma Narrativa Síntese. Os resultados indicam que a relação psicoterapêutica é percebida como: facilitadora do crescimento psicológico da criança; intensificadora do fluxo de mudanças ao dinamizar os processos pessoais infantis; geradora de motivação na criança para a relação interpessoal, a partir do envolvimento subjetivo do terapeuta; potencializadora da tomada de consciência com base na corporeidade; propiciadora da integração de experiências por meio do brincar; reveladora das singularidades individuais, catalisando o desenvolvimento; e, por fim, benéfica à atualização de significados e sentidos da experiência pessoal e relacional. Evidenciou-se, entre os psicoterapeutas, uma concepção da ludoterapia humanista que prioriza a compreensão dirigida ao estilo próprio de cada cliente em relação aos modos de sentir e expressar-se no mundo e à estruturação do processo psicoterapêutico a partir do relacionamento com a criança. Concluiu-se, assim, que a experiência desse tipo de relação interpessoal facilita a constituição na criança de singularidades que imprimem um sentido existencial próprio ao seu mundo de relações e historicidade. A relevância do processo psicoterapêutico para o crescimento psicológico da criança apresentou-se também pelo seu caráter psicoprofilático, reverberado no encadeamento de processos associados à experiência pessoal dela.(AU)

This qualitative research aimed to understand, phenomenologically, the lived experience of psychotherapists and children in the clinical event of humanistic play therapy. A total of 26 individual dialogical encounters were held with nine psychotherapists and seven children, registered in the form of Comprehensive Narratives by the researcher, which included her subjectively impacted impressions about the participants' speeches and body expressions. The phenomenological analysis culminated in a Synthesis Narrative. The results demonstrate that the psychotherapeutic relationship is perceived as: facilitating the child's psychological growth; intensifying the flow of change by streamlining children's personal processes; generating motivation for the child to get involved with interpersonal relationship, based on the subjective involvement of the therapist; potentiating awareness raising based on the corporeality; enabling the integration of experiences by playing; revealing the uniqueness, catalyzing development; and, finally, benefiting the updating of meanings and senses of personal and relational experience. A conception of humanistic play therapy became evident among the psychotherapists, which prioritizes the understanding directed to the own way of each client regarding how to feel and express themselves in the world and the structuring of the psychotherapeutic process based on the relationship with the child. Thus, it was concluded that the experience of this interpersonal relationship facilitates the constitution in the child of singularities that bring their own existential meaning to their world of relationships and historicity. The relevance of the psychotherapeutic process for the child's psychological growth was also shown by the psycho-prophylactic character reverberated in the processes associated with the child's personal experience.(AU)

Esta investigación cualitativa tuvo por objetivo comprender, fenomenológicamente, la experiencia vivida por psicoterapeutas y niños en ludoterapia de orientación humanista. La investigadora desarrolló 26 conversaciones dialógicas individuales con nueve psicoterapeutas y siete niños, registradas como narrativas comprensivas que incluyeron sus impresiones impactadas subjetivamente por los discursos y expresiones corporales de los participantes. El análisis fenomenológico culminó con una síntesis narrativa. Los resultados demuestran que la relación psicoterapéutica se percibe como facilitadora del crecimiento psicológico del niño; intensificadora del flujo de cambio, optimizando su procesos personales; generadora de motivación para que el niño se involucre en la relación interpersonal a partir del envolvimiento subjetivo del terapeuta; potenciadora de la toma de conciencia a partir de la corporeidad; propiciadora de la integración de las experiencias por medio del juego; reveladora de singularidades individuales al catalizar el desarrollo; y beneficiosa para actualizar los significados y sentidos de la experiencia personal e relacional. Entre los psicoterapeutas se hizo evidente una concepción de ludoterapia humanista que prima por comprender la forma propia del cliente de sentirse y expresarse y la estructuración del proceso psicoterapéutico a partir de la relación con el niño. Se concluyó que la vivencia de este tipo de relación facilita la constitución en el niño de singularidades que le aportan un sentido existencial a su mundo de relación e historicidad. La relevancia del proceso psicoterapéutico para el crecimiento psicológico también se mostró por su carácter psicoprofiláctico, que reverberó en la cadena de procesos asociados con la experiencia personal del niño.(AU)

Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Mentalizing-Synergies in Clinical Practice.

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is an evidence-supported, relationally focused treatment for people living with depression and other psychiatric disorders in the context of stressful life events. Mentalizing, also relationally focused, promotes the ability to perceive, understand, and interpret human behavior in terms of intentional mental states of others or oneself, in order to support social leaning. IPT and mentalization-based treatments (MBT) both seek to improve interpersonal effectiveness, albeit with different emphases in the therapeutic process, with IPT promoting interpersonal problem solving and MBT promoting understanding of the obstacles to this outcome. In this article, the authors propose that the central intentions of IPT and mentalizing are essentially linked and complementary; understanding others and oneself in relationships facilitates interpersonal problem resolution and symptomatic recovery and enhances resilience. The clinical synergies of IPT and mentalizing are elaborated and illustrated through a case example of treatment for a socially isolated woman with depression and interpersonal sensitivities.

The role of mentalization in child psychotherapy, interpersonal trauma, and recovery: A scoping review.

Children who are exposed to trauma often develop difficulties with reflective functioning, affect, and emotion regulation. These problems are thought to arise from and are reflective of disruptions in the process of mentalization, or the human capacity to interpret and reflect upon the thoughts, feelings, wishes, and intentions of oneself and others. This scoping review sought to describe the empirical support for focusing on mentalization processes in psychotherapy for children who have been exposed to trauma. Two independent researchers searched electronic databases, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, and Cochrane. Search terms child, trauma, mentalization and mentalization-based therapy were applied. A total of 425 studies were screened against the inclusion criteria, to include 18 studies comprising quasi-experimental, cross-sectional, naturalistic, case-control, and case studies. In all, 3 themes were identified across the articles: (a) trauma and mentalization, (b) measurement of mentalization, and (c) charting recovery. The literature suggests the role of mentalization treatment in the remission of symptoms for internalizing and externalizing disorders and shaping mentalization deficits over time. Mentalization focused treatments may also improve reflective functioning, emotional regulation capacity and the quality of attachment. The implementation of a child mentalization-based model as a preventative intervention may contribute to increased positive outcomes for vulnerable children. This scoping review presents an overview of the evidence for program developers, mental health services, family support services and those in independent practice that wish to adopt a mentalization approach in child psychotherapy. Future systematic reviews are needed to support this evidence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Mentalizing in Interpersonal Psychotherapy.

Mentalization-how people understand their own minds and those of others-is an attachment-based, normative, cognitive, and affective capacity important to interpersonal relations and to certain kinds of psychotherapy. Mentalization seems related to aspects of, and may hold important implications for, interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). Weissman and colleagues' IPT manual does not explicitly describe improvement in mentalization as a targeted outcome of therapy, but IPT may utilize mentalization as an underlying process. Recent theory emphasizes the applicability of a mentalization model to many, if not all, types of psychotherapy and suggests particular value for affect-focused and socially focused psychotherapies such as IPT, despite IPT's differences in focus and diagnostic targets from mentalization-based treatments. This article reviews the overlap of these approaches and suggests the potential of mentalization to mediate IPT outcomes.