I’m Just Sayin’,
I hear the chime on my office door. It’s my new patient arriving. Like many, he is dealing with debilitating grief surrounding the holidays.
I open the door and stop the Tibetan chime by gently placing it in my palm.
“Jared. I am very glad to meet you.” “l am glad to meet you too Doc.” I hold up my hand. “Jared, already you raise an excellent point. I am not an MD and I can’t prescribe medication, but if your therapy dictates that adding a doctor would help, I know a few psychiatrists we can call.
Oh you like my fish tank? Well I have found that the fish calm me and my patients. If you come 15 minutes earlier than your next appointment, you can watch their relaxing movements all alone.
Come on back and get comfortable. No, you don’t have to lie down on the couch. Just have a relaxing seat.”
Okay, so tell me why a guy like you is sitting in a Therapists’s office like mine on a nice, sunny day like this?”
“Sure, thanks, Linda. It all started with the Thanksgiving Dinner. With each bite I started feeling ill. I mean the meal was great and the people were ok, but I got up, took a walk down the street, got in my car and drove home. I got to my apartment and drank beer and ate nachos until I fell asleep.
And the scary thing is that I am not getting better, but worse. I’m worried about Christmas and everybody teasing me. They all tell me I am nutz and to just pull myself up by the bootstraps.”
“Well, Jared, I don’t even know what boot straps are, but I can tell you that there is no diagnosis entitled ‘Nutz’. Look on the burl wood table in the corner. There is dish of nuts. And the peanuts aren’t even nuts, they are legumes that come from seeds and personally I count them as vegetables.
Was there something different in the setting this Thanksgiving?”
Well, yes, but I don’t want to talk about it now.”
“Jared that is fine. Do me a favor, though? Write down some of the things that come to mind as you go through the week. Here is a little note book you can carry for that purpose. It has my name, number and email on it (advertising) if you need to get in touch with me.
You are not crazy, lots of people feel this way during the holidays. We will be able to lighten your feelings with a few sessions.”
I hear my Big Ben chime, It mean’s our time is up. It has been my pleasure meeting you Jared and I look forward to seeing you next week.”
“You too, Linda.”
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