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trigger warnings: mentions of bullying, ed, and purging
The road to recovery isn't easy for anyone. It isn't a one day challenge and suddenly you're healed by night. It can take weeks, months, and even years. For most people, therapy isn't just a solution for healing their problems. Some people just need someone to talk to. Everyone has a story and they're all different. Some people are in therapy for an alcohol addiction, others for drugs, others for something that happened in their childhood, and others for something that happened recently in their lives. In the back of her mind, Odessa didn't think she needed therapy. She had her mother, a man that was like a father to her, and her friends. She thought they were better than therapy. But she was lying to herself. No matter how much she loved and trusted the people in her life with her problems, they didn't have all the answers. Therapy was the best option for Odessa in her road to recovery.
She sat on the leather brown couch of the California Therapist office. Today was her first day. After the talk she had with Miguel, Odessa sat down with her mother and discussed everything that had been going on. Thalia decided therapy was the best option for her. Addison Carmichael was a kind woman with kind expression on her face. Odessa felt comforting to her. Her legs were crossed and she tapped her nails on her thighs, her blue eyes darting to the cream walls of the office.
"How are you today, Odessa?" Addison asked the girl.
Odessa nodded timidly. "I'm good."
"Your mother tells me you've been having some trouble the last several weeks. Do you want to tell me about it?"
"That's why i'm here, right?" She said with a nervous laugh. Realizing how rude it sounded, her eyes widened. "I'm sorry. That was mean. I get sarcastic when i'm nervous."
Addison laughed. "It's fine, honey. You can trust me. This is a safe space for you to talk about your problems. Strictly between us."
Odessa nodded and looked down at her hands. "Um, I don't know where to start, really. . ."
"Should we start with your eating disorder? When it first started?"
She winced. "Wow, starting off strong," she said to herself. "Um. . . There was a fight at my school a few weeks back. It was all over the news. It was really bad. My best friend got pushed off the second stair balcony and he ended up in the hospital. He was almost paralyzed,"
Addison wrote what she said down in her notes. "Is your friend okay?"
"Yes, he's doing amazing. He's slowly learning how to walk again." She said with a smile.
"That's wonderful, Odessa. Recovery takes time. It's different for everyone. But if you really want it, it'll be kind to you." The woman informed kindly. "Now, did your disorder start before or after the fight?"
