Pathways and Triggers Brought to Life 69“Yes, he’s got everything under complete control,” the
father said sarcastically.
“PLEASE!” Mitchell boomed.
“If I told them to leave you alone, do you think they
would?” the therapist asked.
“No.” He glared at his parents. “I don’t.”
“Is it fair,” the therapist said, speaking carefully, “to say
that your interactions with your parents are very frustrat-
ing for you?”
Mitchell turned to his parents. “You’ve found another
genius,” he said. “We need to pay money and waste our
time on this guy telling us the obvious?”
“Mitchell!” said the father. “Don’t be rude!”
“STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!” Mitchell
boomed.
“I appreciate your looking out for me,” the therapist
said to the father. “But I actually want to hear what
Mitchell has to say.” The therapist looked back at
Mitchell. “I don’t think I can get them to leave you alone
without you being here.”
“I don’t think you can get them to leave me alone with
me being here,” Mitchell said. Then he paused for a mo-
ment. “How often do I have to come?” he asked.
“Well, to start, I’d like you to come every other week,”
the therapist said. “I’d like your parents to come every
week. Is that reasonable?”
“Fine!” he said. “Can we leave now?”