Therapist

Having a good first meeting with a therapist is like having a fantastic first date.

I’m telling you I think have found my therapist soul mate, Ruth. First of all her office is in this beautiful building in Beverly farms. When you walk in there is a tiny jewelry story and a florist. This florist is like something out of a movie. It’s lovely full of light and flagrant flowers as well as tiny flickering candles and smiling beautiful women. I immediately conjured up images of my weekly visits always ending in fresh flowers, which I can’t afford, but is a lovely notion.

Ruth’s office was just as pleasant as the florists. High white walls, tall windows filled with orchids, a cute country floral couch and tons of toys. I admit I am a sucker for packaging and before she even spoke she had won me over with her décor.

Then a series of amazing things happened. I began to talk. I am open about most things in my life but when it comes to those big scary reasons I’m in therapy I clam up and forget why I exist in the first place. However, with Ruth it just flowed. I didn’t dive in with all of my painful problems but I spoke like I write poetry, using lovely language that made my pain seem sort of pretty. It may have been the buzz I had off the beautiful building I was in, or it may just be that Ruth and I already sort of understood each other.

She didn’t jump to conclusions or need a whole lot of explanation or use any therapy lingo. Ruth asked all the right questions and understood my silences as they spoke for themselves. It was then that Ruth and I realized that we both love poetry. She, having been a creative writing teacher for years, began to recite Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope is a thing with Feathers.” In fact, of our 2 hour session, the final 30mins was dedicated to her reading me poetry and asking me for book recommendation.

Ruth used the perfect blend of taking things seriously and not over estimating anything. The only thing in our first meeting that kind of threw me off was that she suggested I needed not one but two therapist. My immediate reaction being ‘am I really that bad’ her reaction being ‘you are complicated.’ Fair enough Ruth. So I will be working with Ruth, who is a counselor not an MD, and another woman who is an MD. This arrangement, I’m not going to lie, kind of freaks me out. However, threesomes are all the rage right now so I’m not that surprised.

All in all it was a wonderful first date. Finally I have a little something that is going just perfectly. Despite Blue Cross Blue Shield being an absolute bitch for months I have finally found a therapist.