Mentalizing: Cause, Correlate and Mechanism of Change in Personality Pathology

Presenter: Carla Sharp, PhD

In this talk, taking a developmental approach, Dr. Sharp considers how disruptions in mentalizing may contribute to the development and maintenance of personality pathology. Using mentalizing-based approaches as a framework, the talk will explore how shifts in mentalizing within the serve-and-return between therapist and patient, and caregiver and child, may provide a window into understanding not only how personality develops, but how personality pathology is maintained, and how meaningful and lasting therapeutic change occurs.