The act of acknowledging and accepting another person's feelings, thoughts, or experiences as legitimate and understandable. It doesn't require agreement, but rather recognition that someone's emotional response makes sense given their perspective.
From Latin 'validus' meaning strong or effective, originally used in logic and law to confirm truth or legitimacy. The psychological meaning emerged in the mid-20th century through humanistic therapy approaches emphasizing the importance of feeling understood.
Validation is like emotional oxygen - we can survive without it, but we can't truly thrive. Research shows that children who receive consistent validation develop better emotional regulation and self-esteem, while invalidation can literally rewire the brain for anxiety and self-doubt.
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