Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) Narcissism Training
This intensive, 3-day training introduces you to a streamlined, common-sense treatment approach to treating these patients: mentalization based treatment for pathological narcissism, or MBT-N.
About this training
Despite the growing cultural and empirical interest in narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder, therapists often feel confused and overwhelmed about how to help patients struggling with these problems. This intensive, 3-day training introduces clinicians to a streamlined, common-sense treatment approach to treating these patients: mentalization based treatment for pathological narcissism, or MBT-N. The training reviews the deficits in mentalizing associated with pathological narcissism, describes how to give the diagnosis of narcissism to patients, outlines how to structure therapy sessions, and offers step-by-step techniques about “what to do and say” when sitting with these patients.
The course trainers explain how to address the most common clinical challenges associated with narcissism: disconnection from emotions; impairments in empathy; rigid thinking; monologues and intellectualization; unstable self-esteem; and tendencies to blame other people for disruptions in their relationships. This training qualifies as an official “basic” training in MBT, while also instructing participants in how to apply MBT’s evidence-based principles in order to help patients suffering from narcissistic challenges.
Please note: this training is £900 for those who have already completed the MBT Adult: An Introduction online training.
Course session dates and times
Day one: 5 February 2025, 13:00–19:00 (UK time)
Day two: 7 February 2025, 13:00–19:00 (UK time)
Day three: 8 February 2025, 13:00–19:00 (UK time)
If you are interested in this training but no dates are available, please complete this expression of interest form. Once dates become available, we will contact you with more information and a booking link.
Aims of this training
Ability to implement basic interventions of mentalization based treatment
Diagnose pathological narcissism (PN) correctly, including collaboratively delivering the diagnosis in experience-near, patient-centred terms
Assess and identify core problems in mentalizing associated with PN
Articulate the interventional pathway for affect elaboration in the treatment of PN
Define therapeutic principles for addressing cognitive rigidity and emotional disconnection in PN.
Who is this training for?
This training is suitable for clinicians of all disciplines who treat adults and who are interested in applying the principles of MBT in clinical practice. It will be especially useful for clinicians who treat patients who exhibit traits of pathological narcissism, even if these patients do not meet full diagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorder. The training will also appeal to researchers and trainees who have an interest in learning about the diverse presentations of narcissism and its effective treatment.
Attendees must finish the "Mentalizing and Mentalization Based Treatment with Adults (MBT Adult) – An Introduction" online course before the training. Full payment grants access, and completion ensures optimal training engagement. The online course covers essential theory in four hours, providing foundational knowledge. Payment is required for training place confirmation.
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"A great training. the trainers were excellent, approachable and humble." Participant, March 2024
"It actually far exceeded my expectations as it was very clinically informative and connected theory with treatment strategies." Participant, March 2024
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Day one
13:00 – 14:00: Introduction to MBT and MBT for narcissism (MBT-N)
14:00 - 14:45: Core structure and techniques of standard MBT
14:45 – 15:00: Break
15:00 – 15:45: A mentalization-based theory of pathological narcissism / the domain-based model of mentalizing
15:45 - 16:45: Dinner break
16:45 - 17:45: Delivering the diagnosis of pathological narcissism
17:45 - 18:00: Break
18:00 – 19:00: The trajectory of interventions in MBT-N [Video]
Day two
13:00 - 14:00: Clarification and the affect elaboration pathway [Role-play]
14:00 - 15:00: Context-focused interventions / Addressing nascent emotions and sub-dominant themes [Video and role-play]
15:00 - 15:15: Break
15:15 - 16:15: Process-focused interventions for pretend mode [Video]
16:15 - 17:15: Dinner break
17:15 – 18:00: Process-focused interventions for psychic equivalence [Video]
18:00 – 18:15: Break
18:15 - 19:00: Role-play of process-focused interventions for psychic equivalence
Day three
13:00 - 14:00: Process-focused interventions for teleological mode /teleological self-esteem [Video]
14:00 - 15:00: Role-play of process-focused interventions for teleological mode
15:00 - 15:15: Break
15:15 - 16:15: Techniques for mentalizing the therapeutic relationship [Video]
16:15 - 17:15: Dinner break
17:15 – 18:00: Group psychotherapy of pathological narcissism
18:00 - 18:15: Break
18:15 – 19:00: Bringing it all together: Questions and discussion
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Anthony Bateman
Prof Anthony W Bateman MA, FRCPsych consults to Anna Freud about MBT training. He is Visiting Professor University College, London and Honorary Professor in Psychotherapy University of Copenhagen.
He developed Mentalization-Based Treatment with Peter Fonagy for borderline personality disorder and wrote the manual for mental health professionals on Structured Clinical Management of Personality Disorder.
He received a senior scientist award from British and Irish group for the Study of Personality Disorder in 2012 and in 2015 the annual award for "Achievement in the Field of Severe Personality Disorders" from the BPDRC in the USA. In 2023 he was awarded the Gunderson Distinguished Career Contribution Award from the International Society for the Study of Personality Disorder.
Bob Drozek
Robert P. Drozek, LICSW, is an individual and group psychotherapist at McLean Hospital, specializing in the treatment of personality disorders, trauma and dissociative disorders, and addiction. Mr. Drozek serves as a therapist in the Gunderson Outpatient Program, a therapist and supervisor in the Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) Clinic, and a group therapist in the Division of Alcohol, Drugs, and Addiction. He is a teaching associate in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a supervisor of MBT through the Anna Freud Centre in London.
Mr. Drozek is certified and trained in a range of evidence-based therapies including cognitive behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive processing therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, dialectical behavior therapy, transference-focused psychotherapy, and MBT. His research centers in the psychoanalytic treatment of personality disorders—in particular borderline and narcissistic personality disorders—and his papers and book explore the role of ethical experience in psychotherapy, emphasizing the importance of agency, altruism, self-esteem, and personal meaning for both members of the therapeutic process. Mr. Drozek is the lead developer of MBT for narcissism—the first adaptation of MBT’s principles to help patients with pathological narcissism.
Brandon Unruh
Brandon Unruh, MD, is the medical director of the Gunderson Residence, an intensive, specialized residential program for women with severe personality disorders. His clinical approach is anchored in the integration of evidence-based treatments such as dialectical behavior therapy, mentalization-based treatment, and general psychiatric management.
Dr. Unruh came to a career in psychiatry and psychotherapy through interests in literature and philosophy, as well as science. He has published on a variety of topics including medical ethics, general hospital psychiatry, and literature and medicine. His academic interests also include the examination of philosophical and spiritual issues from psychiatric and psychoanalytic perspectives.
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All bookings must be made online; we do not accept phone reservations. Once the booking is live, we'll email our mailing list to notify them. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
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The online platform Zoom will be used to deliver this training. Prior to booking on, please ensure you meet the system requirements so you're able to join this training. Before the training, please test your equipment is working by going to Zoom.us/test and follow the instructions.
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