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The first stage of Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is called Trust vs Mistrust. In this stage, which ranges from birth to 18 months, infants develop the ability to trust (or mistrust) the people and environment around them, most notably their parent(s). The most important way to develop trust between a parent and their child in this stage is to establish "sensitive, responsive, consistent caregiving" (Martorell, p. 150).

As an infant, my mother had far more confidence as a parent because I was the second child and she was more relaxed so she found it easier to respond to my cues (i.e. a hungry cry vs a dirty diaper cry). This crisis was resolved by her being able to respond quickly and appropriately which created trust between us.

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The second stage of Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is called Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt. In this stage, which ranges from about 18 months to 3 years old, toddlers go through a period commonly known as the "Terrible Two's" where they begin to learn how to navigate their new sense of independence. While it is important to allow children in this stage to explore and figure out what is right and wrong on their own, parents should still establish authority so that their child can grow to understand what is expected of them and how it feels when they do something wrong, i.e. shame and doubt. It is also important for parents to understand that these "expressions of self-will" (Martorell, p. 157) are natural.

During this period of my life, I did not have much independence or autonomy because I was ill with a medical condition and therefore did not cause many tantrums or have a “Terrible Two’s” phase. This crisis was resolved by growing out of this age group and getting healthier.

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The third stage of Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is called Initiative vs Guilt. In this stage, which ranges from 3 to 6 years old, children will develop the balance between the "two parts of the personality" (Martorell, p. 210), i.e. pursuing first instincts and desires vs the understanding that some actions have consequences. Throughout this stage, children will be eager to try and experience new activities which will lead to the development of guilt, which occurs when they face failure. It is important for parents to reassure their children when they face failure in order to build their desire to fix their mistakes.

A rather extreme example of this occurred when I was 4 years old, I got into a supply cabinet that I was told not to open and broke a glow stick which exploded the chemicals into my eyes and forced me to go to the hospital. This crisis was resolved by me understanding that I had made a mistake and felt guilty for not following directions.

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The fourth stage of Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is called Industry vs Inferiority. In this stage, which ranges from 6 years old to puberty, children will develop the understanding that if they do not meet the expectations of others (e.g. be parents, friends, or classmates) and do not receive the satisfaction of praise, then they will having feelings of being inferior, or that they are not good enough. While this is a "problematic" emotion, it is important that they go through these experiences which they can use as a guide to "learn skills valued in their society" (Martorell, p. 276) and become more aware of the emotions of others and themselves.

One time while doing math homework in elementary school, I was unable to figure out the answer and got upset and cried because I felt inferior for not understanding the material. This crisis was resolved by continuing to improve in school and not let myself get too overwhelmed.

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The fifth stage of Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is called Identity vs Identity Confusion. In this stage, which ranges from puberty to young adulthood, adolescents will go through the processes to discover their passions that may drive them to a future career, their moral compass that informs how they will live their life, and their growing sexual interests. Adolescents who go through this stage should develop a sense of fidelity, which may include identifying with "a set of values, an ideology, a religion, a political movement, a creative pursuit, or an ethnic group" (Martorell, p. 336).

One example of this stage in my life is when I got my first job at a summer camp which allowed me to become interested in teaching because I had no prior experience with kids. This crisis was resolved by me deciding to pursue teaching as a career.

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The sixth stage of Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is called Intimacy vs Isolation. In this stage, which lasts throughout young adulthood, people will begin to seek out intimate relationships with others, whether it be romantically, platonically, or sexually. These intimate relationships are a key part of development in young adulthood because it establishes that, without these relationships, there may be negative consequences such as isolation and loneliness. Positive consequences of having these relationships can include a person having a positive self-image, academic success, sociability, and better mental health (Martorell, p. 346-352), which allows for the conclusion that "good relationships foster adjustment, which in turn fosters good relationships" (Martorell, p. 351).

One example of this stage is when I felt isolated during my senior year of high school which was done in a hybrid schedule because of COVID and I did not get to see many of my friends. This crisis was resolved by finding other ways to keep in contact with my friends when we cannot see each other in person.

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The seventh stage of Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is called Generativity vs Stagnation. In this stage, which lasts throughout middle adulthood, adults develop the desire to improve the state of living for the next generation, possibly including their own children, because of the concern that they are not involved enough in helping others. Adults that go through this stage are at risk of developing "personal impoverishment" (Martorell, p. 11) if they do not engage with others.

The key to fixing this crisis and staying out of stagnation at this age is to be open to new opportunities and listen to my inner voice to decide what I should do with my life because stagnation occurs when someone does not focus enough on other people.

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The eighth and final stage of Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is called Integrity vs Despair. In this stage, which occurs in late adulthood, elderly people will question whether or not they have led a successful or worthwhile life. If they determine that they have done so, then they will grow an acceptance of death; on the other hand, if they have not done so, they will likely grapple with the "inability to relive life" (Martorell, p. 11) and their past mistakes or regrets.

The key to fixing this crisis is to have a guiding belief that I am in the right place at the right time and have a sense of purpose because then I can live a life that I can look back on and know that I did enough.