ABSTRACT
Altruism enables one to cope with conflict and anxiety by offering a channel for giving to another might have sustained oneself at another time, or to treat another in the way one would wish to have been. It provides an emotional structure for the therapist as well as reciprocal replenishing of psychic resources. Corresponding resilience traits are: concern about the welfare of others; a sense of mindful spirituality; moral reasoning capacity; insight capability and reflective skills; the ability to access interpersonal resources; and self-awareness. An example of altruism as a coping mechanism would be a former refugee from a war zone becoming involved in helping resettle new immigrants. People reveal their motives in both direct and subtle ways. The approach provides an opening into conscious and unconscious motives propelling behavior and beliefs.
