Sublime

students: If you do something to a patient that you would not do to your friends or children, consider whether you are unwittingly replicating a trauma from the patient’s past.

The Christian approach begins with a different analysis of the situation. We believe that, as badly wounded as persons may be, the resulting self-absorption of the human heart was not caused by the mistreatment. It was only magnified and shaped by it. Their mistreatment poured gasoline on the fire, and the flame and smoke now choke them, but their

with her clients, she says, “three lacks” are typical—lack of control, identity, and self-worth—along with a need to numb pain. “In a relational world . . . the human psyche devises a brilliant means to emotionally survive,”

Worry

I believe that when we can love all of our selves we will fulfill the promise offered in the 23d Psalm: “Lo, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me.” The “thou” of the psalmist is a being of unconditional love who can be present with us even as we face fear, death, and evil. This “thou”

As soon as she said it, Jesus walked into my garden and pulled up my tree by the roots. And I knew it was the fear of not being loved. My whole life made sense to me. Now I understood why, when people said, “I need to talk to you,” I felt like a little kid at the principal’s office about to get yelled at. Now I understood why, when Jen disagreed

If you prefer, seek a therapist who knows how to deal with secrets. This will be a person of mercy, with no particular drum to bang about right and wrong, who knows the difference between guilt and remorse and about the nature of grieving and resurrection of spirit.