The authors argue that 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 authors consider the consequences of a lack of epistemic trust in terms of psychopathology.
Keywords: Truth; analytic relationship; borderline personality disorder; culture; early relationships with caregivers; emotion; epistemology; learning; mentalization; representation; skepticism; therapeutic action; trust.
© 2016 The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, Inc.