This TEDxSantaCruz talk is part of 22 surrounding our theme of “the Art of Hope.” Defined as the anticipation of something desired happening, hope is ferocious, persistent, necessary; hope is a powerful force for invention, change, and social justice. To hope is to be human.

Our fifth TEDxSantaCruz event was held on December 7, 2019, at the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz, CA. http://www.tedxsantacruz.org/ Abigail Makepeace is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, the founder of Makepeace Therapy, a writer, and a thought leader in trauma’s impact on relationships. She has a private practice in Los Angeles, where she works with couples and individuals to help them discover the root causes of unwanted patterns and destructive behaviors. Through these revelations, she empowers her clients towards the path of forgiveness and healing and helps them break these habits so that they can live more fulfilled, healthy, and joyful lives. Treating past trauma, which presents as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a large portion of her practice. Abigail is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and incorporates this somatic treatment to help clients suffering from PTSD. She believes healing is possible for everyone and that one changed life contributes to changing the world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx