First Session: Theo Bishop

People often didn't show up, and Valli had a routine for it. He gave them some time, in case they were late. Then he called them to remind them. Normally he got excuses, and then they showed up for a second appointment, but sometimes they simply withdrew. Things were only a real concern if he couldn't get ahold of them at all, and neither could anyone else.

Thankfully, Theo was on time, and Valli ran through the usual basics. He invited him in, took a seat himself, and let Theo take a seat of his own. He had no clipboard, relying on his memory (and notes made after the session was over) to get by.

"My name is Valli Bryndisarson. You can call me Valli if you'd like, or pretty much any combination you prefer. I start all these sessions by laying out three quick things. One: I have a very slight aura that makes me appear more put together than I actually am. It won't change your thought process at all, but I prefer to disclose it. Second: If I see you in public, I won't acknowledge you unless you acknowledge me first. I understand not everyone wants to be recognized as going to therapy. Third, and most importantly: Whatever you say here is absolutely confidential. I'm only allowed to break confidentiality in cases where I believe someone is in immediate physical danger. Anything else is confidential, just between you and me."

Valli settled back in his chair, giving Theo a smile as he did.

"Any questions?"

"You can start talking if you'd like," Valli said. "There's no one right way to go about this. Really, if you feel like talking, you can talk. If you're not sure what to say, I'll hop in and nudge you this way or that. The first session's almost always about getting a feel for what your situation is like, because this island has as many peculiarities as there are grains of sand on a beach. So why don't we start with the most basic of basics..."

Valli trailed off, taking a moment to consider how he wanted to word it. Theo seemed nice - fairly normal - but Valli had learned a long time ago not to judge based on that.

"So why don't you tell me why you decided to participate in therapy."

He was a volunteer, and a person's reasons for it were always telling about the situation itself.

Alright. Straight to the point. He could handle it. Really, a part of him couldn't help but appreciate it: That he was getting straight to the point, and that Valli wasn't going to have to spend the majority of their session fishing it out of him.

"Grief is handled by people at different rates. It isn't uncommon for grief to be delayed, either. People might feel fine for weeks or months, and then for things to start... sinking in. For the reality of it to linger, even past what you might think. On TV and in movies, grief is just something that happens. It's almost instant. A loved one goes away and you cry tears and then you're over it by the end of the series. But that isn't how grief actually is. There's no wrong way to handle grief."

Valli paused for a moment, letting himself roll over into the idea.

"Generally there's something that brings it up, considering how long it's been. It's common to push the emotions down, only to have them come up again later when something makes you think of them. Can you think of anything that might have brought them to the surface?"

"Spare time can definitely affect things. Lots of people say that they want to keep themselves busy, and this is why. When you keep yourself busy, you don't have time to think. Only once you have the time, your brain just... goes. It runs through the options. It considers all the possibilities, all the what ifs. What you've described is normal."

That was important. Reaffirming that their experiences were normal. That it wasn't strange or unusual to grieve as they were.

"Seeking out caring people is an important part of the process. It means finding people who can support you, who can understand, or who can relate. People tend to stigmatize support groups, but it can be fulfilling to be around people who you know won't ever judge you, and who can relate."

"I have a list of good resources," Valli said, gesturing over to his desk. "I'll pull out a few for you, and you can take your pick as to which one you think might suit you the best." It was always better to let them choose, so Valli kept a list of multiple options for any given need like this.

The last bit sounded like a confession, and Valli's smile faded, traded out for one of focus. It was a bit of opening up, and he wasn't going to let them down by being flippant of things.

"It does make sense," Valli said. "Everyone has their own issues, and it can be difficult to talk to others about their own. It can feel like you're overstepping your bounds to ask, but it's impossible to bring up in normal conversation. When you see someone is hurting, people often become torn on what to do. Do you ask? Do you not ask? Everyone reacts differently, and unfortunately there's no correct answer."