Mental(izing) Health
End of the Year Letter
Dear Readers,
As the number of subscribers has grown, I figured that it might be a good time to articulate what I am seeking to do in this newsletter. In naming the newsletter, Mental(izing) Health, I am declaring a broad range of interests in any topics that mental health professionals currently face. More specifically, my newsletter represents an effort to elaborate on the relevance of mentalization for a wider audience, both within and beyond mental health professionals.
Mentalization has different sources but, in essence, denotes our capacity to understand others as well as ourselves. The construct stems from early life development, where we learn to be curious through caregivers who are curious about us. The construct has been imported from philosophy and theory of mind to be applied to understanding what goes wrong with (and treating) severe personality disorders (and more recently to other forms of psychopathology as well). Mentalizing is an inherently social enterprise that has its origins in evolution, enabling us to be more cooperative and to negotiate competition.
Succinctly stated, in this newsletter. I am aspiring to lead mentalization out of the consulting room and into the world. Sometimes I have focused on mentalizing within individuals, but I am especially motivated to include the dimension of mentalizing culture. We are, at this moment, poised at a perilous time, and our ability to mentalize has a heightened importance.
It is my hope that you enjoy reading the newsletter, and that you will consider subscribing, and perhaps opting for a paid subscription— now offered at an 20% discount until the end of January:
https://elliot4cc.substack.com/8d6cfb3d).
I would greatly appreciate it, too, if you could help circulate the newsletter on any list-serves you are on.
Of course, I also welcome any feedback you might have. I am happy to engage with readers who have responses to my writing, whether positive or negative, laudatory or condemnatory, playful or dismissive. Mentalizing responses are especially appreciated!
Thanks, and all my best for a happy new year,
Elliot Jurist