It Seems to Be Doing Some Good.
Shane walked out of his weekly therapy appointment one day – with his therapist – mid-way through the session.
The therapist glanced in my direction. “We’re just going to McDonald’s,” he said. “We’ll be right back.”
Shane was nearly giddy with laughter, but he barely cracked a smile.
Then they left.
I laughed quietly, thinking they were joking. I wondered where they were actually going. But they didn’t come back. And they didn’t come back. And they didn’t come back.
I started to believe they’d actually gone to McDonald’s.
Finally, they came back. Shane was slurping soda from a McDonald’s cup. Sure enough, they’d gone to McDonald’s. Apparently there is a McDonald’s within walking distance of therapy.
I have no idea what they did there, but they both seemed happy upon their return.
Shane’s OCD has almost been unnoticeable since he started with this new therapist. He’s doing exposures directly related to his type of OCD, and it seems to be doing some good. Shane hasn’t been visibly upset at home, and he seems to be able to get through his reading – even for AP Government – substantially easier than he could even last month.
The following week, after McDonald’s, Shane and his therapist didn’t use the whole hour for therapy. Shane was allowed to leave early, with a homework assignment – but the therapist made a suggestion as we were leaving.
“After next week,” he said, “we can look at doing therapy every other week, and starting to phase him out.”
“He’s almost done?” I asked, incredulous. It had only been about a month.
“I think he’s doing really well,” he said. “Shane? Do you think you’re doing well?”
Shane nodded. “I think so.”
I agreed. “He does seem to be doing a lot better.”
“So yeah, I think we can start phasing him out pretty soon,” said the therapist.
And we left.
On the way home, it was quiet in the car. Eventually I said to Shane, “Hey Shane?”
“Yeah?”
“If you’re okay with your OCD, what am I going to worry about?”
“Something will come up,” Shane said. Sadly, he was probably serious.