#3: Session 2 > MBT Problems with mentalizing

🎙️ Episode 3 – Session 2: Problems with Mentalizing

Welcome back.
In the previous session, we explored what mentalizing is.
Today, we take the next step: understanding what happens when mentalizing breaks down.

Because the truth is — everyone loses the ability to mentalize at times, especially under stress.

📌 What this session is about

• Problems with mentalizing occur when you become too certain about your own thoughts or someone else’s intentions.

• You may fall into black-and-white thinking, lose curiosity, or stop reflecting.

• Instead of understanding, you start reacting automatically.

• These moments often happen when emotions become intense and overwhelming.

🔎 Real-life examples

• You assume: “They ignored me on purpose” — without checking what really happened.

• You feel hurt or angry and react immediately, without thinking about other possible explanations.

• You explain everything from outside factors, instead of looking at your own feelings or reactions.

📚 Why it matters

When mentalizing stops, misunderstandings increase.
You may feel not seen, rejected, or confused — and others may feel the same about you.

Strong emotions can take over, leading to impulsive reactions, conflict, or withdrawal.

This is often the moment where relationships become strained.

✨ How MBT works with this

In MBT, you learn to recognize your “switch point” — the moment where you stop thinking and start reacting.

You begin to notice:

• When your thinking becomes rigid

• When your emotions take control

• When curiosity disappears

The goal is not to avoid these moments, but to recognize them earlier and regain your ability to reflect.

💡 Practice from Session 2

This week, pay attention to moments when you react automatically.
Choose one situation and write down:
1️⃣ What you were thinking
2️⃣ What you were feeling
3️⃣ What you did

Try to look back at the situation with curiosity instead of judgment.

🌟 Core message

Losing the ability to mentalize is part of being human.

The key is not perfection —
but awareness.

The more you recognize these moments, the more space you create between feeling and reacting.
And in that space, real understanding begins.