(By LISA BROOKES KIFT, MFT)

People can be incredibly brave. It is hard for some to even get through the door of a therapist’s office let alone open up their most wounded parts to another soul.  I am touched by the strength of people to be able to present themselves in the ways that they do.

People can be incredibly insightful. It amazes me how wise and intuitive some are.  It’s a joy to observe and participate in this with people committed to figuring it all out and making the changes they want in their lives and relationships.

People can be incredibly resilient.The fact that people figure out strategies to survive in the ways that they do to overcome the most horrendous situations is humbling.  When everything “should” point to a life of chaos after a traumatic childhood but doesn’t – one explanation is they just “came out of the gate” that way and had tools from the onset that others don’t necessarily have.  This has been one of the most awe-inspiring lessons of all.

People all primarily want to feel accepted, connected and okay. At the end of the day, if you filter through all of the presenting issues, relationship cycles and the “process vs. content,” people really all yearn for a sense of emotional safety.

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