Chapter 22 - The Clinical Observation|
During her sophomore year winter break, Lily took Dr. Brooks up on her offer. She spent three days a week at the child psychology clinic, shadowing the therapists and observing sessions through the one-way mirror in the observation room.
One afternoon, I drove to the clinic to pick her up for lunch. I found her standing rigidly in the observation room, staring through the glass at a small, seven-year-old boy who was aggressively throwing wooden blocks against the wall while Dr. Brooks sat calmly nearby.
"He's been doing this for twenty minutes," Lily whispered to me as I walked in. Her hands were clenched tightly by her sides.
"Is he angry?" I asked softly, watching the boy's frantic movements.
"He isn't angry. He's terrified," Lily corrected me, her voice trembling slightly. "His father is in jail for domestic violence. The boy throws things to test if Dr. Brooks will scream at him or hit him. He is trying to provoke the abuse he expects, because the waiting is too stressful."
Suddenly, the boy threw a heavy block that struck the one-way glass right in front of Lily's face. The loud THWACK made Lily flinch violently. She stumbled backward, her breathing hitching.
Without thinking, Lily grabbed her left wrist, her fingers desperately seeking the comforting shape of the smartwatch. I placed a hand gently on her shoulder, anchoring her to the present moment.
"Breathe, Lily," I murmured. "You are safe. He is safe."
She closed her eyes, taking a slow, deep breath, counting backward from five just as Dr. Brooks had taught her years ago. When she opened her eyes, the panic had subsided, replaced by a deep, empathetic sorrow.
"I'm okay," she said, letting go of her wrist. "It just startled me. It reminded me of Michael... how he used to throw things when Grandma Evelyn backed him into a corner."
"Do you need to step out?"
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"No," Lily said firmly, stepping back up to the glass. "I need to watch how Dr. Brooks handles this. I need to know how to fix it."
I stood silently beside her, watching her transform a moment of triggered trauma into a profound lesson in healing.
