His stepfather did it. The dialogue begins. Then come the tears and from there the realisation that to empathise with his victims will mean he must experience his own pain. The process is simple, and clear. Both this young man and I shall remember this for a long time.
Eye contact can be as potent a link to making connection as any smile.
For instance working with some young clients in Australia- young, skittish, anxious, angry, fearful and depressed. We decided to make a newsletter with these adolescents. Each client worked alone with me. I would simply record what they said and clean it up for sense. We sat together by the door of the unit of the prison looking out at the view to the sky, the roads and to freedom.