Mentalization-Based Treatment for Developmental Trauma

Nicole Muller is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and family therapist at Centrum Hecht Opleidingen in Holland, a specialist centre for training of professionals and treatment centre of children, youth and their families, specialized in attachment and trauma disorders. She is a MBT-CYP practitioner, supervisor and trainer. Emma Morris is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and MBT-CYP practitioner, supervisor and trainer based in the UK. She is the founder and co-director of the Multi-Family Project and co-director of the Trauma Recovery Space, a specialist trauma clinic. She is co-author of High Conflict Parenting Post Separation: The Making and Breaking of Family Ties (2020) and Systemic Multi-Family Therapy: Concepts and Interventions (2024).Nick Midgley is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Professor of Psychological Therapies with Children and Young People at UCL and Anna Freud, London, UK. His books include Therapeutic Work for Children with Complex Trauma: A Three-Track Psychodynamic Approach (2023), Short-term Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy for Adolescents with Depression: A Treatment Manual (2016), and Minding the Child: Mentalization-Based Interventions with Children, Young People and their Families (2012).

‘I highly recommend this book to clinicians working with children and families affected by developmental trauma. Its practical application of the MBT-C model and its theoretical depth and commitment to inclusivity make it an invaluable resource for practitioners seeking to enhance their clinical practice. Whether you are a seasoned clinician or new to the field, this book offers a wealth of insights and tools to support your work with traumatized children and their families. By engaging with the book's multidimensional approach—spanning assessment, treatment, and systemic interventions—readers will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of developmental trauma and the transformative potential of mentalization-based treatment. Above all, this book serves as a testament to the power of compassion and understanding in fostering healing and connection in the lives of children and their families.’ Francine Conway, Ph.D., Chancellor, Distinguished Professor, Rutgers University-New Brunswick‘This outstanding book brings the mentalization-based clinical approach to children and young people fully up to date, significantly broadening its scope and showcasing a vibrant array of interventions. Rich in techniques and practical insights, it offers invaluable guidance for all practitioners working from a developmental perspective—whether with children, adolescents, or adults.’Professor Peter Fonagy CBE FMedSci FBA FAcSS, Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences

• Part I: Introduction and Theoretical Overview0: Introduction Nicole Muller, Emma Morris and Nick Midgley Holland, United Kingdom1. The impact of developmental trauma on children: a mentalizing perspectiveNicole Muller and Emma Morris Holland, United KingdomGlossaryPart II: The mentalization-based assessment of children who have experienced developmental trauma 2. Drawing the picture: assessment of children as scaffolding for treatment in the context of developmental trauma Nicole Vliegen and Norka MalbergBelgium, Spain3. A mentalization-based approach to the assessment of parents and carers and familiesKarin Ensink and Jordan Bate Canada, United States of AmericaPart III Mentalization-based treatment with the traumatized child 4. Time-limited Mentalization Based Treatment with young children who have experienced developmental trauma: the case of IsidoraMarcia Olhaberry Chile5. Time-limited Mentalization Based Treatment with school-age children who have experienced developmental trauma: the Case of TaroMomoko Nakanishi and Junko Yagi Japan6. Time-limited Mentalization Based Treatment with school-age children who have experienced developmental trauma: The case of PamirSibel Halfon, Hazal Çelik and Dilara Güvenç Turkey7. Unraveling traumatic ‘luggage’ and paving the way to Mentalization Based Treatment: the case of Yurko, a forcefully displaced Ukrainian boy and his family Natasha Dobrova-Krol and Nicole MullerUkraine, Holland8. Mentalization-based group treatment with children who have experienced developmental traumaMaria Højer Nannestad DenmarkPART IV Mentalization-based work with parents, carers and the systems around traumatised children9. A mentalization-based approach to working with traumatized children and parents together: the case of Sara and her parentsSaara Salo Finland10. Working with parents who have experienced adverse childhood experiences in Mentalization-Based Treatment: the challenge of blocked careMasja Juffermans and Hanneke van Aalst Holland11. Mentalization-Based Treatment from the perspective of a parent of a traumatised child: an interview with C. EvansEmma MorrisUnited Kingdom12. A mentalizing approach in youth protection services: Working with those who care for traumatized childrenVincent Domon-Archambault and Miguel M. TerradasCanada13. The Reflective Fostering Programme: A psychoeducational mentalizing group for foster and kinship carers Sheila Redfern and Nick MidgleyUnited Kingdom14. Concluding remarks: Clinical adaptations of the Mentalization-based treatment model for children in the context of developmental traumaEmma Morris, Nick Midgley and Nicole Muller United Kingdom, Holland