Hello all. Today was my first sesion with my new patient since his phone call. I admit, I’ve been a bit shaken, but I think I have made the right decision in trying to continue his treatment.

Today when he arrived I asked him how he was feeling. He was very apologetic and amenable to every suggestion I made. He seemed willing to do anything he could to make up for his behavior on the phone. I explained the concept of hypnosis and how I thought it might help him face his inner struggles and fears. He said he’d be willing to try it if it could help him move past his pain.

He sat down and we began the treatment. After putting him in a trance-like state, I asked him to think about the halfway house where he lived. He said he could see the garden where he worked. I then told him to think about his time in England. He muttered phrases like “so alone” and “innocent.” I told him to think back to his family, when he was happy. He kept repeating the name “Lucy” as though he could see a woman in front of him. After a moment, I told him to think of what happened to cause him to leave. I asked him to tell me what it was. “They said I had committed a crime. They said I was a liar. But I wasn’t. They made me leave. The judge made me leave.”

He suddenly became rigid and fearful. He began repeating “Lucy” and “ashes” over and over again. He began to talk about vengeance and salvation and a chair, saying “Come on! Come on!” to the people he was visualizing.

I was able to calm him down this time and asked him about the people he said he’d killed, but he kept muttering about how his family and dreams were dead. This led me to believe that his phone call was merely an attempt to take control of his loss through delusions of violence. I ended his trance, and when he awoke, he was disoriented but calmer. I asked him what he remembered and if he knew who “Lucy” was. “She was my wife,” he answered. “She died.” I asked how she had died. “A man raped her while I was gone. She died after. I couldn’t save her.” He put his head in his hands and began to cry. All he could say was “I’m sorry, Lucy,” which he repeated over and over.

When he regained control, he thanked me and said that he needed rest but looked forward to our next meeting. Based on his response to this treatment, I am certain he can be cured through traditional psychological means and does not pose a risk to himself or those around him.