The lessons of childhood will often last a lifetime. Two lessons that I learned early in life were that loss can occur quickly, unexpectedly, and have monumental consequences such as when my father died when I was 9 years old. I also learned that losses can be assuaged or mitigated in many ways, not the least of which would be the replacement of my father with a father figure, who filled the needs of an adolescent and later an adult with a role model, keen insights, and emotional support. This article traces my experiences with personal therapy and addresses how lessons learned can be used and passed on to succeeding generations comprised of one's children and, in my case, my patients and students for the past 45 years.
© 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.