trust
What is trust?
A willingness to be vulnerable based on the belief that someone (or yourself) will act with honesty, reliability, or care.
What is one sign that someone is trustworthy?
They consistently do what they say they’ll do.
Why can uncertainty make trusting difficult?
We can’t predict outcomes or guarantee safety.
What is the difference between a memory and a fact?
A fact is an event that happened, while a memory is our brain’s interpretation and storage of that event, which can be influenced by emotions, beliefs, and experiences.
What is a life transition?
A period of change where a person moves from one stage, role, identity, or situation into another, requiring adjustment and adaptation.
True or False: Trust means believing someone will never hurt you.
False. Trust means accepting some level of risk, not guaranteeing safety.
Can healthy relationships exist without trust?
Generally no. Without trust, relationships often become controlling, distant, or unstable
True or False: Waiting until you’re 100% certain before trusting someone is realistic
False.
Why can two people experience the same event but remember it differently?
Because memories are influenced by perception, emotions, past experiences, beliefs, and the meaning each person gives to the event.
Why can even positive life transitions create stress?
Because change creates uncertainty, requires adjustment, and may involve letting go of familiar routines, identities, or expectations.
What’s the difference between trust and blind trust?
Trust considers evidence and boundaries; blind trust ignores warning signs.
Name three behaviors that damages trust in relationships
Lying, manipulation, broken promises, disrespecting boundaries, secrecy.
A person says, “I need to know exactly how everything will turn out before I make a decision.” What fear is often underneath this need for certainty?
Fear of making the wrong choice, fear of regret, fear of losing control, or fear of not being able to cope with the outcome.
Why do people sometimes hold onto painful memories even when those memories hurt them?
Because memories can serve a protective purpose. The brain may hold onto painful experiences to prevent future harm, create meaning, or maintain a sense of control.
Why do life transitions often bring up grief, even when nothing “bad” happened?
Because transitions involve endings. People may grieve old roles, relationships, routines, identities, or versions of themselves they have to leave behind.
According to Narrative Therapy, what is one way our past experiences can affect our ability to trust?
Our experiences can create stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, others, and the world (for example, “people always leave” or “I can’t rely on anyone”), and those stories can influence how we approach trust.
What is the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation?
Forgiveness is the process of letting go of resentment, anger, or the desire for revenge. Reconciliation is the process of rebuilding or restoring a relationship, which requires trust, accountability, and changed behavior from both people.
Someone in recovery says, “If I cannot guarantee I will never relapse again, then trying is pointless.” What thinking pattern does this represent?
All-or-nothing thinking. The person is believing that uncertainty about the future means there is no value in taking positive action today.
How can memories influence a person’s identity?
Memories shape the stories people tell themselves about who they are, what they are capable of, and what they believe they deserve.
Why can life transitions challenge a person’s ability to trust themselves?
Because transitions remove predictability. Self-trust requires believing that even when someone does not know exactly what will happen, they can make decisions, adapt, and cope with challenges.
What attachment style is characterized by difficulty trusting others, discomfort with emotional closeness, and a tendency to rely heavily on oneself for protection?
Avoidant attachment
Someone apologizes but continues the same behavior. Would trust in the relationship increase, decrease, or stay the same? Why?
Decrease. Trust grows through changed behavior, not words alone.
What is the difference between accepting uncertainty and giving up?
Accepting uncertainty means recognizing that you cannot control every outcome while still making intentional choices. Giving up means stopping effort because the outcome is not guaranteed.
Are our memories reliable? Explain why or why not.
Memories are not always completely reliable because they are not exact recordings of events. They can be influenced by emotions, beliefs, trauma, stress, the meaning we assign to experiences, and information we receive afterward.
What is the Neutral Zone, and what theory did it come from?
The Neutral Zone is the uncomfortable in-between period during a transition where the old way of life has ended, but the new way has not fully formed yet. It comes from William Bridges’ Transition Model