The Therapist

What happens when you spend too much time in grad school, mixing theory with pathologies you've stumbled across along the way.

The Therapist (poetic version of a brainstorm)

Narrative, Bowenian, solution-focused

Smiles creep inside (again)

And she has no idea where they come from

Is it the voices?

Is there a cheerful one?

Shut her up.

Yes.

Right.

Validate. Sympathize.

Axis two, borderline, bipolar

She remembers (everything)

Enter sigh

And she has no idea where it came from

Or where he went

Was it all a lie?

Is it locked somewhere inside?

Find him.

Yes.

Right.

Challenge. Strategize.

Axis one, major depression, addiction

High

And she knows exactly how to fix it

But can’t

He’d leave his children

Toss aside

(She’d never tell).

A couch waits

An appointment to keep

Asking her advice.

CSL, MRI, DBT, CBT

Tissues, if he cries.

“It’s not the weak who cry

But those who’ve been strong too long”

Hurting deep inside.

She smiles.

Knowing how to fix him

But knowing she can’t do his work for him

She’s free

To listen

To the voices.

Reviews

[Me]

Beautiful poetry to be read again and again.