A scared, confused, anxious 10 year old walked into your office on a cold, February day. I walked in skeptical of how you would actually help my family, myself, and my life.
I came to you with a broken mind. A mind that would make myself think that my parents would be murdered while I was at a sleepover. A mind that would make myself throw up at a friend's house just so I could go home. A mind that made me threaten to kill myself while I was away at Girl Scout camp so I could shorten my week long stay to only a couple of short days. I was spiraling out of control until the only life I knew was pain and anxiety. The only way my parents thought I could get healed was to see someone like you. They were right.
I was quiet our first visit. I didn't say much. I let my parents do the talking until you made them exit the room so you could talk personally with me. I told you that I was afraid of leaving my parents' side in case something happened to them. I told you that I was afraid of hanging out with people because I was afraid they wouldn't like me. I told you that I would get so anxious that I would have trouble breathing and I told you that my family life was terrible because all of the arguments we would get into. You didn't say much after that, but you said you would see me in a week.
Years went by seeing you every other week. You put me on medicine that would calm my anxiety, and I realized my overthinking was almost non existent. However, I still didn't believe you were helping me. I thought you were teaming up with my parents, and I believed everything was my fault. Our family life was getting worse and worse, and I could not accept the fact that it was all based on my behavior. I stopped wanting to go to you, and became hesitant about our appointments together. Thankfully, we were able to fix it.
In high school, I still continued to see you every other week. You told me ways to focus my energy on success and fun. You showed me how to get organized and how to set a schedule so I could be as successful as possible. You taught me how to get over my first breakup, and you pointed out how unhealthy that relationship actually was so I wouldn't repeat it in the future.
I graduated high school and I thought our sessions were done. I had a bond with you that I did not have with anybody else. You fixed my family, me, and my life. I gave you a hug goodbye, and thought I would never see you again. Turns out, I still needed you in college. I would come home every weekend and see you on Saturdays. You taught me how to confront my problems head on instead of just forgetting about them. You helped me fix the breaking relationships I was making in college. I wanted to pack you away and send you to college with me.
Its been a little over a year since I've last seen you. I received a letter in the mail stating that you were becoming sick and you were retiring. My heart sank, and I didn't know how to thank you enough. This letter is thanking you, Doctor, for helping me become the person I am today. I look back and I see just how much you helped me. I can't imagine where I would be in life, if I was still living for that matter, without you. I owe you everything, and you inspired me to take on a Psychology major in college. I aspire to help people the way you helped me.
All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Love,
A healed mind and soul.
