Takes One To Know One

Chapter 7

I followed Jasper and walked down the hall. We made a right turn and he directed me to an office door. I walk inside and he sits down next to a desk. It was a small office filled with a couch and a chair. I sat on the chair across from him and folded my hands on my lap.

“So,” he began. “I’m Jasper. I’m going to be your therapist while you’re here at Central Centers.”

“Alright,” I replied. He smiled at me.

“The first thing I normally do is ask why you’re here, so lets start with that,” he says taking out a clipboard with a paper on it, ready to take notes on what I say

I told him basically my life story. How Dylan bullied me and how I started to cut myself. How I have no confidence in myself and how my self-esteem is complete shit. How I feel no hope that I will ever get better. How I isolate myself from others and tell people “I’m busy” when they ask to hang out, when in reality, I’m sitting at home on my computer.

He scribbled some notes onto his clipboard, occasionally nodding while I spoke. He stopped writing and paused, just like how Christie does. I began wonder if the pausing is some sort of thing all therapists do.

“You’ve been through a lot,” he said, finally breaking the silence. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I mean, I haven’t really been through that much. A lot of other people here have it worse.” I wish I had it worse, I said to myself. After I said it, I began to question if I really did wish I had it worse. Is depression some sort of sick competition?

“It doesn’t matter what other people have been through, it just matters what you’ve been through,” he explained. “And you’ve been through more than a normal fifteen-year-old should. Do you get it?”

“I know what you mean,” I said, agreeing.

“How was your first day yesterday? I would’ve talked to you yesterday but I was stuck in meetings, sorry.”

“It was fine. It was just sort of different, I guess.”

“It’ll feel different and weird to be here at first. It’s a large transition. But you dealt through it okay, right? You made it through your first day in one piece. That’s always something to be proud of.” He laughs at what he said and looks back at me. The way he was looking at me made me feel like I should say something.

“Yeah, I did,” I finally said.

“Do you like it here? Do you feel comfortable? That’s probably the most important thing here – whether you feel comfortable or not. We’re trying to help you, we don’t want you to feel unsafe.”

“I feel comfortable here. Everyone is really nice and welcoming.”

“That’s great to hear. You know, most people come here with a sour face on and argue to volunteer in anything. You came in here yesterday and today with a good face on, motivating yourself and paying attention. That’s a very good quality to here in Central Centers.”

“Thanks,” I manage to say. “To be honest, I really didn’t want to be here. But I knew that whether I wanted to be here or not, my parents would make me come, so I guess I might as well make the best of it, right?”

His smile spread from ear to ear, “Right. I know we’ve just met but I can tell you’re going to do great here since you came in here with that type of attitude.”

He pauses again then says, “Alright, I think that’s all. I’ll let you go back now.” He gets up from his chair and I do the same. I walk outside the door and he pats me on the back while walking me back to the room for the adolescents.