A teenager requested my assistance in processing an early childhood trauma, which was manifesting in the present day as difficulty forging intimate relationships. We explored her relationships with her parents and siblings, and in doing so we discovered the ways she learned to protect herself from being hurt; her greatest defense as a child had been isolation.

Through therapy, she learned to apply techniques that centered her and decreased anxiety when she felt overwhelmed. She slowly came to trust her own ability to assess for danger and identify potential warning signs in others. She can now find joy in connecting, and she is working as a mentor for traumatized children.