His Therapist

Chapter 19

Thea Mckay knew her patients. Pretty damn well one might say.

Thea Mckay was adept at understanding her patients on a profound level. Her skill involved not only interpreting facial expressions and gestures but also delving deeper into their emotional state. With this ability, she could anticipate her patient's thoughts and actions before they even spoke, providing her with a general sense of how to approach each patient on any given day. While this was a vital skill for a psychologist to possess, it was achievable by anyone who paid close attention to body language

Body language was the universal language that revealed a person's inner thoughts, intentions, and most of all emotions. Whether their slightest movements or change in expression were done consciously or unconsciously, one's body language revealed hidden information that went beyond what words could express.

Thea pursed her lips, leaning back in her chair, watching the young girl in front of her. She had her hands tightly clasped in her lap and her legs pressed together, trying to make herself smaller and avoid drawing attention to herself.

"How are you feeling, Cleo?" Thea emitted, breaking the silence in the room.

Cleo forced a smile. "I've been doing good."

Even an amateur would've been able to see through that.

"Has anything been bothering you recently?" Thea continued, not missing the obvious lie she gave her. But it had been a while since they'd sat down like this so she didn't blame her.

The girl opened her mouth to speak but Thea quickly cut in, adding to her previous words. "You can tell me anything, Cleo. This is a safe space."

The phrase was one she had used countless times before, but it held genuine meaning every time she said it. She always maintained a composed and steady tone when speaking with her patients, knowing that her emotions would be reflected onto her patients.

The girl glanced down at her lap as she fidgeted with her fingers.

"I-" She began but her voice faded out, unable to get past the first word.

Thea remained silent, allowing Cleo the time she needed to express whatever she had to say. Through their numerous sessions together and the support Thea had provided during her recovery, they developed a special bond. But it had been so long since their last session, and it seemed as if they were back at square one.

Thea couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration and anger towards herself for allowing her addictions to interfere with her work. She knew that her patients relied on her, and she let some stupid addiction get in the way. Her actions didn't only affect herself; it affected everyone around her, including her patients.

"I told finally told my boyfriend about the..." Cleo trailed off, unable to say the word that clearly weighed her down. Her hands had turned into fists before she let go, letting them rest on her lap.

Thea felt a lump form in her throat, knowing that men often responded poorly when confronted with their partner's sexual assault. Many viewed it as a "woman's problem" and often blame the victim for it.

"How did the topic come up?" Thea asked calmly.

"I don't know." Her voice was barely a whisper, filled with desperation. The topic was hard for her to speak on, despite the progress she had already made previously. Thea could sense Cleo's reluctance and knew she had to approach the subject delicately.

"What was his reaction when he first found out?"

There were two typical reactions. Anger or disgust. When a man learns that their partner has been sexually assaulted, it's natural for them to feel a range of emotions, ranging anywhere from anger to extreme disgust. The anger may stem from the fact that the perpetrator had violated their partner's boundaries, while the disgust may come from the graphic nature of the assault.