When is truth relevant?

The experience of knowing and having the truth about oneself known in the context of therapy is not an end in itself; rather, it is important because the trust engendered by this experience ("epistemic trust", or trust in new knowledge) opens one up to learning about one's social world and finding better ways to live in it. The consequences of a lack of epistemic trust in terms of psychopathology are discussed. The role of mentalizing in the therapeutic relationship is emphasized, and it is suggested that although the Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) developed by Anthony Bateman and Peter Fonagy may be a specific and particular form of practice, the "mentalizing therapist" is a universal constituent of effective psychotherapeutic interventions.