Abstract
In this portrait, Travis Wright documents young Goddess's capacity for strength in the face of trauma and neglect. Goddess, a sixteen-month-old child who has never laughed, is Wright's first client at his clinical internship during his graduate studies. Drawing on his work with Goddess, her mother, and her teachers, Wright explores the ways in which these many relationships help Goddess learn to laugh. Goddess's story provides a vivid depiction of the consequences of negative experiences in early childhood and the potential for programs to help children move beyond traumatic beginnings. The author describes how, through Goddess, he learns to see strength in behaviors he previously thought to be maladaptive. In reflecting on Goddess's agency in her transformation as well as on his own, Wright beautifully documents one child's journey from risk to resilience.
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