When you have been abused and bullied much of your life, can you raise an emotionally healthy child? What if that child becomes abusive himself?

From an early age, my son, Seth, hit me on a regular basis. Because of my history, our interactions triggered me – to the point I began doubting I had the emotional strength to raise Seth successfully – but I knew I needed to push through those fears and stop the cycle of abuse that had been plaguing our family for generations.

I learned much later that Seth never wanted to hurt anyone. He is autistic. He felt at odds with the world around him and was expressing his discomfort the only way he knew how - through physical aggression. Regardless of the cause, I knew I needed to help him find more effective ways to communicate and release his frustrations. With patience, persistence – and a lot of trial and error – I found ways to get through to Seth that dissolved his anger, fostered open communication and trust between us, and helped him become the “Buddha-like” young man he is today.

In turn, Seth motivates me to continue processing my own past, which is helping me grow into the person I was always meant to be.

In other words, Seth and I have been mending our past and building the future - together.