Mentalization

Alright kiddo, so mentalization is a big word that means understanding what other people are thinking and feeling. Just like how you have thoughts and feelings, everyone else does too! When we try to understand what others are thinking and feeling, we are mentalizing.

Let's say your friend is sad because they lost their favorite toy. To mentalize, you might look at their sad face, and think about how you would feel if you lost your favorite toy. You might say "I'm sorry you lost your toy, that's really sad. But we can look for it together!"

Sometimes, people don't show their feelings on their face, so we have to guess what they are feeling. Mentalizing helps us guess. For example, if your friend is playing with a toy and they look serious or focused, we might guess that they are really interested in their toy.

Mentalizing is important because it helps us understand other people and how they are feeling. When we mentalize, we can be kinder and more supportive to others. It can also help us build stronger relationships with our friends and family.