Here is an example of mirroring and its alternative: A child is afraid to go to school for the first time. His mother says, “I know it’s scary, and it’s OK to have that fear. I’ll come to school with you today and stay with you for a while. When I come home, I’ll be thinking about you. Then I’ll come and pick you up right on time, and we’ll go for ice cream. You can be afraid, but don’t let it stop you from having the fun you will have at school and after school!” This child, and later the adult this child grows into, will not be likely to abandon himself later. He will trust his ability to
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