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Dr. Balis:
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Hello, Anna.
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Ms. Green:
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Hello, Doctor Balis. If you don't mind, I think I'll sit in this far corner today.
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Dr. Balis:
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I don't mind, but why?
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Ms. Green:
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I think I might be coming down with the stomach flu.
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Dr. Balis:
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That doesn't sound good. What are your symptoms?
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Ms. Green:
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So far, only cramping in my stomach. But I've heard the other symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, and a high fever.
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Dr. Balis:
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Have you been exposed to this flu?
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Ms. Green:
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Most of the people in my department got it. I'm one of the last ones to go.
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Dr. Balis:
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Well, I'm sorry. I hope it's just a stomachache and not the flu. But please try not to breathe on me too much.
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Ms. Green:
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That's my plan. And kissing is totally out of the question, of course.
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Dr. Balis:
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Of course. Now tell me about your week.
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Ms. Green:
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Well, there's not much to tell, except...
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Dr. Balis:
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Yes?
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Ms. Green:
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Well, Kathy is sort of staying with me.
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Dr. Balis:
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What?
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Ms. Green:
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It's not as bad as you think.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh? Please, tell me more.
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Ms. Green:
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Well, I came home last Monday night, and Kathy was there, sitting on my steps waiting for me.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see. Why was she there?
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Ms. Green:
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She said that she had no other place to go.
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Dr. Balis:
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That's clearly not true. You know that, right?
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Ms. Green:
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Well...
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Dr. Balis:
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There's her Aunt Helen, and her grandmother...
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Ms. Green:
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She said that she couldn't face her family right now.
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Dr. Balis:
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And why is that?
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Ms. Green:
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Well, you know. It's everything that happened. If I was Kathy, I wouldn't want to face my family, either.
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Dr. Balis:
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So you're sympathetic to her?
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Ms. Green:
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A little. Not much.
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Dr. Balis:
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But she is "sort of" staying with you.
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Ms. Green:
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It's just for a few days until she finds an apartment. That's all.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see. Does she have a job?
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Ms. Green:
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Not yet, but she's looking for one.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see. Does she have any money to rent an apartment?
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Ms. Green:
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I'm sure she does.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Green:
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Kathy said that it has really been impossible living with Martin since I left. She said that while I was there, there was at least a pretense that she and Martin could have a relationship. But after that...
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Dr. Balis:
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Are you by any chance blaming yourself for Kathy's problems with Martin?
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Ms. Green:
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No.
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Dr. Balis:
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You are, aren't you?
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Ms. Green:
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Well, a little. Kathy said that she was very vulnerable after the abortion. She said that she kept having these terrible recurring nightmares. And Martin wouldn't have anything to do with her. She told me how she kept trying to get his support. But when she told him about her nightmare seeing the cut up baby in the wastebasket, he just walked out for three whole days. Finally, she said that she just couldn't take it anymore. He never even called to find out what happened to her.
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Dr. Balis:
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Does Martin know that Kathy's with you?
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Ms. Green:
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Kathy left him a long message explaining why she left and how he could get in touch with her if he needed to.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see.
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Ms. Green:
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The nightmares are really bad. She wakes up screaming two or three times a night. And when I come by to see her, she's all white and trembly and totally wet.
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Dr. Balis:
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The nightmare is the cut-up baby in the wastebasket?
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Ms. Green:
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She was pretty far along, and she did see the fetus on the ultrasound or something. So she has a very clear image of what the baby looked like. And she said that she was once assaulted by this anti-abortion activist woman who kept shoving pictures of cut up fetuses who must have been still alive when they were shredded to bits like that. Kathy said that she was never able to get those pictures out of her mind. And after she had the abortion herself, the baby on that picture transformed into her own. It's really so horrible, don't you think?
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Dr. Balis:
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Did she ever tell you why she had the abortion?
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Ms. Green:
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Uh, no, not really. But I just don't feel right to press her on that issue right now.
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Dr. Balis:
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So Martin is not very sympathetic to Kathy's torment over the lost baby.
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Ms. Green:
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He is not at all. Kathy said that he forbid her to talk to him about it. She was never to mention anything relating to the baby, or the pregnancy, or the abortion.
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Dr. Balis:
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As I remember, Martin was really upset when Kathy chose to discontinue the pregnancy, especially since the baby was all right and was shown not to have Down's syndrome.
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Ms. Green:
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Yes, that's true. And I was upset as well, although I believe that Kathy ultimately did the right thing. I don't think that baby would have had a happy life given the situation. And Kathy had the right to chose what she wanted to do. It's her body.
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Dr. Balis:
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Let's drop the abortion issue for the moment. Tell me what are you planning to do regarding Kathy?
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Ms. Green:
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What do you mean, Doctor?
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Dr. Balis:
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Let me be more explicit. Kathy has no job, no money, and no place that she wants to stay other than yours. Right?
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Ms. Green:
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Look, Doctor. Kathy was my friend. We had a terrible falling out. But now she has come to me for help. I don't want her living with me. But I can't just throw her out, can I now?
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Dr. Balis:
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She is not your responsibility, Anna.
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Ms. Green:
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And I'm not planning to make her my responsibility, Doctor. I'm just keeping her from sleeping on the street while she takes a few days to find a place. That's all.
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Dr. Balis:
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Kathy has been staying with you since Monday?
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Ms. Green:
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Yes.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did you give her a deadline by which she needs to move out?
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Ms. Green:
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She was talking four, five days at the most.
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Dr. Balis:
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Tonight will be her fourth night.
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Ms. Green:
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Yeah. But this weekend she can go to the open houses...
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Dr. Balis:
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You searched for a place yourself just a few short weeks ago. It wasn't very easy to find one, was it?
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Ms. Green:
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I will go with her and help.
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Dr. Balis:
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How are you planning on helping? You are not going to co-sign any leases for her, are you?
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Ms. Green:
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Well...
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Dr. Balis:
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Anna?
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Ms. Green:
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No, that would be stupid.
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Dr. Balis:
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Good. I'm glad you realize that. Look, the longer Kathy stays with you, the harder it will be to get her out.
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Ms. Green:
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I suppose so.
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Dr. Balis:
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You said yourself just a few sessions ago that Kathy is very manipulative. I can see...
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Ms. Green:
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I know, I can see it, too. But I just can't throw her out. Where will she go?
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Dr. Balis:
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That's not your responsibility.
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Ms. Green:
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But...
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Dr. Balis:
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It will become your responsibility, if you let it.
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Ms. Green:
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Yeah. Look, Doctor, I know what you're saying, and I even agree with it.
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Dr. Balis:
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Good.
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Ms. Green:
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But I've got to go home now.
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Dr. Balis:
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Really?
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Ms. Green:
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Kathy is making me dinner.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Green:
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It's okay. She's is trying to repay me for being nice to her.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see.
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Ms. Green:
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I'll see you next week. And you'll see--Kathy will have moved out by then.
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Dr. Balis:
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Good. Please call me, if you need my help. And please try to be assertive with Kathy. She will take advantage of you, if you let her.
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Ms. Green:
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I know. Thank you, Doctor. I'll see you next week. Good night.
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Dr. Balis:
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Good night, Anna.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Session
Transcripts of Anna Green's Communications
