This is a playful way of helping an individual to use Explicit mentalization. It is probably best for younger children, but in the right, and playful, context, even adults or adolescents can enjoy this.

• Use a proforma (see the slides at Mentalizing manoeuvres for an example) of a "scan" that shows a head in outline, with some "thought bubbles" inside it.
• Use some drama in introducing this highly technical piece of equipment (vast expense, etc).
• Hold up the "scan" in front of the person's face, whose behaviour you are asking the other person to mentalize
• It is possible to do this in an individual session, using a "virtual" version of the subject, instead.
• Ask the young person (or indeed parent, etc) to wrtite in his or her "scan" of the thoughts and feelings in that person's head at present.

Example Scan

feel free to design a better one... or print this one off...


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NmPuE3zluPEoOc82-FguG_rnNPf34k7iUvLGaAZn6Pk/edit