after shutting the car door behind me and pressing the lock button, i walked over to the elevator in the parking garage. my therapist was located in a therapy building that held both physical and mental therapy.
the building itself had many different sections. some of the many included the community lounge, a service animal department where they trained pets
as well as kept the ones that already had training, and a children's center.
i took the elevator to my floor, walking to the front desk once the doors opened. i checked in with hillary, which was the receptionist, before getting the 'okay' to go ahead and continue down the hallway. once i reached her room, her door was closed along with the blue flag pulled out which meant she was still in session.
i didn't mind her patients going a little over their scheduled time. it was something you kind of understood more when the same thing happens to you from time to time. i just sat quietly in one of the comfy chairs that sat in a little area next to her office and picked up a magazine.
"hm, justin bieber has had yet another incident. when will my future husband ever learn?" i joked to myself, turning the page to see which celebrity's were best dressed.
before i knew it, dr. darnell's door opened to reveal a short, older girl who seemed to have been crying. "i'll see you in a week, shelley. if you need anything, remember, i'm only a call away," dr. darnell spoke as the girl walked down the hallway.
she then turned to me, inviting me in and closing the door behind her as we both took a seat. "so, olivia, how's everything been?" she smiled, grabbing her patient notepad and a pen as she made herself comfortable in her signature chair.
"pretty good, and yourself?" i smiled.
she laughed, smiling wide, "always asking about me, olivia. maybe i'm your patient!" she clicked her pen, writing something down.
"so, how's your anxiety been? better, i hope," she sighed, looking up to me while pushing her glasses back up her nose. i nodded, huffing, "it's okay. not as bad as it has been."
"and any panic attacks?" she asked, looking up momentarily while she wrote. a lump grew in my throat as i nodded, "only one since last visit, though."
i saw no reason to lie, seeming adrian usually checks in with her and she would know if i was to lie. stacey kept writing in her journal, probably about my panic attacks, and continued to ask questions.
"what do you think triggered them?" she asked. i simply shrugged, not really having an explanation.
she just nodded slowly. "do you think the stress of fame and keeping your channel up is part of it? or maybe you've started doubting your self worth again?" she asked, looking up as she took a halt to her writing.
"it's possible," i said, mentally wishing we'd change the subject and talk about something else now.
lucky for me, the rest of the session consisted of her asking more questions and still recommending i get a prescription for xanax.
she'd recommended them to me a while back, but it's against my wishes to take them. i know they've become addicting in today's day and age, and i don't really want to be apart of that.
last but not least, she started asking about my love life. "have you told that guy you say you're crazy about how you feel yet?" she smirked, clicking her pen before writing once more.
i looked down as i hid a smile, "no, and i don't plan to any time soon." when we first discussed my love life, i had mentioned a certain someone whom i had my eye on but was too scared to say how i feel. ever since, she's been checking in to see if i have. she thinks it will help reduce some of my stress.
