Every Sunday, I try to post an excerpt from my novel, The Awakening of Russell Henderson. Here’s another. The book is available at http://www.amazon.com/author/edwardlehner.

The next day Karen and I went to meet Robert, our young, soon to be, long term therapist. The three of us had a brief discussion centered on our family issues. Karen went first. She came out later with red eyes, but smiling. I gave her a quick hug and followed Robert into the inner sanctum. I told him about everything, including my earlier aborted counseling. 

I quickly liked his laid back but direct approach. I gave a brief overview of what I had discussed with my first counselor back in Chicago, mainly my parent’s reaction to my perceived failure. I talked briefly about my journey and my relationship with Hanna. That took up most of the session, so other than taking copious notes, he didn’t have much time to give much direction other than encouraging me to get back to my journaling the had fallen by the wayside after I left the retreat center. 

He said, “When you write your thoughts and feelings down in black and white, they become real, concrete, we can look them as more real than simply internalizing them. It truly helps us to understand ourselves better.”

“I never thought of journaling in that way. Thank you.”

“So, that’s your homework. Also, bring questions. From what you have told me, you seem to have moved on a lot, but there are some family things we need to talk about. Can you come next week same time and day?”

“Sure. I’ll be looking forward to it.’

I found Karen reading a magazine in the small waiting room. She too had rescheduled for appointments the next week. Neither of us talked on our way to her house. Once parked, I asked, “So? How was it?”