I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a Qualified Supervisor for Registered Mental Health Counselor Interns in the State of Florida. In my 23 years of experience as a therapist I have learned that what most see as mental illness and pathology, I see as normal reactions in individuals who have experienced severe traumas and negative life experiences; many times, at the hands of the parents who were supposed to love and protect them as children. These experiences continue to impact many individuals well into adulthood and in all important areas of normal life functioning, including family life, school, work, community life, and the relationship we hold with ourselves; rendering the individual feel disconnected, confused, and misunderstood.