New Hope

Monday, July 21, 2008 – 6:50 P.M. My sister (Alice) and I had a very good session with my therapist (Dale) at the mental health clinic today.  I now believe that Alice understands how important it is for me to have close family ties. I am sure that both Alice and Dale realize that I am having a great deal of emotional pain because my brother (Lee) and I are no longer close to one another.   Our conversations covered a wide range of topics.  When I finally found the nerve to let Alice know the extent of the sexual abuse I received from our mother, I thought she was going to go through the roof! She said if she and her husband had known about that at the time it was happening, they would have gotten me away from mother right away.   I said I had told our brother about the abuse twice, and that Lee believed me the first time, but not the second time I told him. Dale said that Lee might have been in denial at the time because of any part he may have had in my abuse.   At one point, I finally admitted that I thought I had been responsible for my own abuse. This did not go over well with either Dale or Alice. Both of them said I was not to blame.   Alice said that Lee was no longer the kind person he was when all of us had been growing up. She said that she believed he changed when he got married.   Dale said he wanted to have two more sessions with me alone, and after that, he wanted Alice to join us for another two sessions. She agreed to do that. He also said that at some point, he wanted Lee to join us. I flatly refused to ask Lee, but both Alice and Dale said they would handle that.   According to Dale, he had two primary concerns with me: stopping my alcohol and substance abuse, and helping me get rid of my depression as much as possible no matter how long it took.   I came away from the session feeling much better than I had in a long time.   Quotes for Success: “I believe that the true road to preeminent success in any line is to make yourself master of that line.”   Andrew Carnegie