Other peoples' experiences which do not match up with our own or even conflict with our own do not have to be a threat. Life and the world is too complex for any of us to comprehend fully and opposing lessons are sometimes useful and other times disadvantageous.

The key components to validation (imo) are acceptance of the past, an honest view of the present, and a compassionate, reasoned through, and optimistic view of the future. Validation only requires a genuine conversation, not a scramble for a finite amount of 'correctness.'