UNEXPECTED VOWS

part-4(safe)

Karan sat quietly, still processing everything that had just happened. His breathing had calmed down, his shoulders slightly less tense. Teju gently withdrew her hand from his, letting him settle into silence for a moment longer.

She flipped to a fresh page in her notepad, her voice steady and kind. “Karan… I know this wasn’t easy. But you did well. Talking about what hurts is often harder than facing it. And you took the first step today.”

Karan managed a faint nod, avoiding eye contact. His voice was low. “So… what now? I’m not even sure what I need.”

Teju leaned forward, folding her hands gently on the table. “That’s alright. You don’t need to have all the answers. That’s what we’re going to work on together.”

She took a breath and began explaining clearly but calmly, as if she were handling a fragile heart—because in a way, she was.

“You’re showing signs of clinical anxiety, possibly depression—though we’ll assess that more deeply in the coming sessions. What you’re going through isn’t weakness, and it’s not something you can just ‘shake off.’ It’s psychological trauma and emotional exhaustion, which have begun to affect your physical health too. The breathlessness, fatigue, mental blank-outs—they’re all connected.”

Karan listened closely, his brows slowly furrowing.

Teju continued. “I’m going to suggest a structured treatment plan. But before we talk about medication or anything medical, I want you to understand that healing starts with consistency.”

She slid a paper toward him with neat handwriting.

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Treatment Plan – Phase 1 (2 Weeks):

Therapy Sessions: Twice a week. Monday & Friday, 6:00 PM.

Breathing & Grounding Exercises: 15 minutes daily (morning & night).

Sleep Journal: Record sleep quality, thoughts before sleeping, any dreams.

Food Intake: Record what you’re eating. Are you enjoying it? Do you feel hungry? Do you feel like eating at all?

Phone Detox: No phone/screens 1 hour before bedtime.

Write Your Feelings: Try to write your feelings down in a diary or notebook.

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Karan blinked at the list. “This looks… intense.”

Teju smiled gently. “It’s not as bad as it looks. This is just to help you get back in touch—with yourself, with your emotions, and with your body. You’ve been carrying pain like armor for too long. Now it’s time to slowly remove it, layer by layer.”

He looked at her, uncertain. “Will this… really help?”

She met his eyes. “Yes. If you’re honest—with me, and with yourself. And if you show up. Even when you don’t feel like it.”

Karan looked down, nodding.

Teju stood up, moving to her cabinet. “I’m also giving you a mild prescription for now—natural supplements, nothing heavy. Just to help with sleep and anxiety. No side effects. But you’ll need to update me in our next session.”

She handed him the prescription, her expression softening. “Also, Karan… this room is your safe space. You don’t have to impress anyone here. You don’t have to hide behind a name, or an image. No one will know what you’re going through—it stays between you, me, and these walls. Whoever you are outside, here you’re just… human. And that’s more than enough.”