When I can TRUST the people close to me, I translate this to mean I am WORTH being loved and cared about. Because I have the “safety net” created by a trusted support system I feel like I can tackle stressors in my life and be effective. Because my caregivers have been accurately attuned to me emotionally and reflected my thoughts back to me accurately, I can TRUST myself to read the thoughts and feelings of others accurately because I recognize those thoughts and feelings. The ability to recognize and share in the feelings of others is empathy.