Palm Beach circa 1900 – 1906. Reproduced from the collections of the Library of Congress.

My cousin is very brave when it comes to facing her feelings, and for years she’s practiced coping skills to help her with reactions from people who don’t want to discuss unpleasantries.

Several cousins got together for a picnic, and I listened to my cousin handle topics that truly used to terrify her.  She knows how to use skills like recognizing painful emotion when they appear, naming her deep experience and staying in direct contact with temporary negative emotion.  She responds honestly about how she feels by using specific language. Continue reading “watching her grow” »