When conflict between adult and youth arises, each side quickly draws lines in the sand, daring the other person to cross the line. The tendency is to react in ways easiest and most convenient for oneself, rather than to maintain a proactive stance that aggressively meets the needs of the child and employs two of the most important commodities--time and patience. Unfortunately, many treatment programs and other interventions aimed at helping children in need take a punitive approach and hope to lure children into good behavior by restoring love and safety only if the children first start acting "better". This is a "lose/lose" proposition. The adult loses because his or her actions push the child away in a time of need. The child loses because the message received is one of unworthiness--that time and attention are contingent on behavior, not on his or her existence or untapped potential. This article describes an intervention that happened in the hallway of the administration building at Cal Farley's Boys Ranch. Life space crisis intervention (LSCI) provides reclaiming interventions that are restorative, protecting the integrity of traumatized youth and paving the way for "win/win" situations. LSCI helps adult caregivers take the first steps in assisting youth in effectively and appropriately resolving conflict, while keeping at bay the ever-present inclination to seize power and control.