Throughout our work, Angela would repeat to me, “I want to be one of your success stories.” Many times, she felt the way was too difficult, but as I continued to hold a safe place for her, she developed the courage to face her fears one by one, dismantling the entire structure of her constructed “personality” and reclaiming her original innocence and wholeness.

Adults with histories of being abused as children present unique challenges for counselors. For instance, these clients often struggle with establishing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance. They may rapidly shift their notion of the counselor from very favorable to very unfavorable in line with concomitant shifts in their emotional states.