(Just one of 32 stories that will touch your heart)
Childhood Mother  
There were times when we divided our groups by gender.  On those occasions, we often had a female therapist engage the men and a male therapist engage the women. 
As clinically appropriate as it might have seemed, sometimes I learned more about the women from these groups than they learned from me.  In retrospect, I felt most effective when the group gained an energy of its own and left me in its dust.  Sometimes it was just our mission to provide the environment in which individuals felt comfortable engaging. 
Some years ago, I had been doing groups in the same facility for several months.  As a result, while people came and went from the group, there was a cohesion which seemed to survive the one or two arrivals and departures each month. 
On one occasion, the group had a fairly powerful dynamic where it needed little prodding from the facilitator to get them engaged.  This when a new woman arrived.  As I recall, she was in her early 20’s, intelligent and well groomed.  The group was engaged in what we clinically call “Recapitulation of the Primary Family Experience.”  In recovery, one might call this a fourth step group where we look at our resentment in an effort to overcome our anger.  The “most often” resentments reported being “Mom, Dad, God and oneself”.  
This group had started themselves off on parents, when our new woman began an energetic tirade about her apparent rage at her mother.  The anger was palpable.  Her tone of voice was forceful.  This is often to be expected when one will defy anyone who attempts to re-direct their anger.
One of the women in the group gently asked her to pause and began to ask the appropriate questions: “What is your mother’s name? What kind of work does she do?  How old is she?”
The response that stopped everything in its tracks was when the young woman of 22 or 23 reported that her mother was 39 years old.  The women in the group immediately reacted.  
“OMG, you were born when your mother was 16 years old?!”  
Our subject replied quietly, and a bit puzzled; “Yeah.”
The group of women erupted something like this:
“ WTF?  Your mother could have had an abortion or given you up for adoption.  Your mother willingly gave up her childhood for you?   She must have loved you soooo much!”
Imagine how the women then turned to each other and expressed their wonder and affection for the woman who had given up her adolescence and childhood for this woman. The banter in the room became a rushing sound as they expressed their admiration for the childhood mother.
In defense of our new client, caring for an infant at this age, with all the social stigmas that go with it would anticipate that the child, when grown, will face some emotional difficulties.  This anger might be seen as predictable.  But back to the group:
The response of our subject could have been denial and rage at the group.  But it was apparent, deep down inside, that she had been moved by the women in the group.  She became silent.  Her hands went to her mouth as everything began to change in her head.  There was a look of wonder on her face, and the beginning of little tears in her eyes.  She was mostly quiet and reflective for the balance of the three hour group.
Suffice it to say that the following week in our gender group, she appeared with an enthusiastic narrative about how she had reached out to her mother and they were talking every day. The smile  on her face was infectious.  Imagine these women, as a group, rejoicing in this remarkable event.  It was apparent that our young lady had been transformed forever, along with her mother.
Of course, I sat quietly, grateful to be present in this moment where all of us have been changed forever.  It is a privilege to be present in such a moment.