“How does this work, anyway?”
“I’ll suggest some things and get your reactions.”
“And that’s supposed to cure me? How?”
“Your reactions should lead us to more questions we can explore and, with any luck, you will eventually understand more about why you feel the way you do and what to do about it.”
“Okay.”
“But you don’t think it’ll work?”
“I’m willing to give it shot.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
“It’s just that I can’t see us getting very far in an hour.”
“Perhaps not, but this is only the first hour. There’ll be plenty more sessions after this.
“Can I ask you something before we start?”
“Shoot.”
“I’m wondering whether you’ve worked with anybody like me before—you know, someone who’s done the things I’ve done.”
“Well, Zeke, everyone’s different.”
“Okay, that makes sense. Oh, but I need to ask you something else.”
“Yes?”
“I want you to know that when I get going I sometimes use a lot curse words. And I’m wondering if your being a woman will make a difference in that regard.”
“Zeke, I’d prefer if you try to keep it clean. But since I was in the Navy for twenty years there’s probably not much I haven’t heard. But still, imagine you are talking to your mother or your sister and you don’t want to offend them. Maybe we can keep it at that level. Okay?”
“Got it, Doc.”
“Now, I’d like to take you back to that first day before the incident. Did anything unusual happen before or during work that led up the confrontation with your co-worker?”
“Well, yes. I’d have to say so.”
“What was that?”
“About an hour after I got to work, my supervisor started picking on me in my co-worker’s presence.”
“Would you care to be more specific, Zeke?”
“He began demanding to know exactly how much progress I had made on a report I was writing. He wanted to know the percentage of completion and the exact time I’d be done. He also wanted to know what else I was working on, which was idiotic since he knew I had no other assigned tasks.”
“How did that make you feel?”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Do you find the question objectionable?”
“It’s a cliché non-directional therapists use, right?”
“Perhaps the question will reach into your thoughts and lead to the next phase of inquiry.”
“Okay, what he said made me feel I was under attack.”
“Did your supervisor say anything else at that point that upset you?”
“Yeah. He said, ‘I don’t know what planet you live on, buddy, but your attitude is unacceptable in this department.’ He also told me he disliked me.”
“How did you respond?”
“I reminded him that when he started with the company I’d provided him information about the corporate culture and the products and services we provide.”
“What was his response?”
“He admitted that was true but asserted I’d been an asshole about it.”
“How did that make you feel?”
“I’ll suggest some things and get your reactions.”
“And that’s supposed to cure me? How?”
“Your reactions should lead us to more questions we can explore and, with any luck, you will eventually understand more about why you feel the way you do and what to do about it.”
“Okay.”
“But you don’t think it’ll work?”
“I’m willing to give it shot.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
“It’s just that I can’t see us getting very far in an hour.”
“Perhaps not, but this is only the first hour. There’ll be plenty more sessions after this.
“Can I ask you something before we start?”
“Shoot.”
“I’m wondering whether you’ve worked with anybody like me before—you know, someone who’s done the things I’ve done.”
“Well, Zeke, everyone’s different.”
“Okay, that makes sense. Oh, but I need to ask you something else.”
“Yes?”
“I want you to know that when I get going I sometimes use a lot curse words. And I’m wondering if your being a woman will make a difference in that regard.”
“Zeke, I’d prefer if you try to keep it clean. But since I was in the Navy for twenty years there’s probably not much I haven’t heard. But still, imagine you are talking to your mother or your sister and you don’t want to offend them. Maybe we can keep it at that level. Okay?”
“Got it, Doc.”
“Now, I’d like to take you back to that first day before the incident. Did anything unusual happen before or during work that led up the confrontation with your co-worker?”
“Well, yes. I’d have to say so.”
“What was that?”
“About an hour after I got to work, my supervisor started picking on me in my co-worker’s presence.”
“Would you care to be more specific, Zeke?”
“He began demanding to know exactly how much progress I had made on a report I was writing. He wanted to know the percentage of completion and the exact time I’d be done. He also wanted to know what else I was working on, which was idiotic since he knew I had no other assigned tasks.”
“How did that make you feel?”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Do you find the question objectionable?”
“It’s a cliché non-directional therapists use, right?”
“Perhaps the question will reach into your thoughts and lead to the next phase of inquiry.”
“Okay, what he said made me feel I was under attack.”
“Did your supervisor say anything else at that point that upset you?”
“Yeah. He said, ‘I don’t know what planet you live on, buddy, but your attitude is unacceptable in this department.’ He also told me he disliked me.”
“How did you respond?”
“I reminded him that when he started with the company I’d provided him information about the corporate culture and the products and services we provide.”
“What was his response?”
“He admitted that was true but asserted I’d been an asshole about it.”
“How did that make you feel?”
