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Dr. Balis:
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Hello, Olivia.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Hi there, Doctor Balis.
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Dr. Balis:
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You seem pleased today, Olivia. You're grinning from ear to ear.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Well, Doc, things are really starting to shape up.
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Dr. Balis:
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Really?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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I'll start with the good news and move up to the great news. How does that sound?
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Dr. Balis:
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Sounds like a good place to start.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Well, Steffy won't be sued by the parents of the kid that Chain Saw bit. The little boy had a few small scratches and was a bit shaken up, but no serious damage was done. The parents called Steffy at work today to let her know that they would not be pursuing the matter further.
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Dr. Balis:
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That is good news for Steffy. What happens to her dog now?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Well, Steffy had him temperament tested over the weekend. Temperament testing is really neat. Someone interacts with the dog in a variety of circumstances, and based on the dog's responses, they can evaluate how aggressive or submissive the dog is. Well, Chain Saw is definitely an aggressive dog. The animal behaviorist said that unless Steffy is willing to put a lot of time and work into fixing Chain Saw's aggression problems, she should put him down.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Yeah, bummer. But it would probably be the best thing. They told her that they can't guarantee that he can ever be considered a "sound" dog or that they would be able to correct all of his aggression issues. They also warned her that sometimes, the trauma a dog endures at an early age can never be erased. She will probably end up putting him to sleep. The good part in all of this is that the child was not seriously hurt.
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Dr. Balis:
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I agree.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Steffy is upset about all of this--the bite, the possibly of a legal action, her landlord bearing down on her, and now having to decide whether or not to put Chain Saw to sleep. She was really starting to depend on Chain Saw as a kind of security blanket. She realizes that she needs to do what is best for the greatest number of people--she needs to put him to sleep. I think that she'll probably get another dog. Hopefully, she'll be a bit more judicious about finding the right dog for herself. Anyway...
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Dr. Balis:
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What's the other good news?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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I found out who sent all those notes to me!
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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A drum roll please! It was the butler in the kitchen with the candlestick. Just kidding. Brad sent them to me!
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Dr. Balis:
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Isn't Brad the cross-dresser in your group?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Yeah. And he's gay on top of that. I was so shocked.
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Dr. Balis:
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Really?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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I was confused, too. I thought it was a prank at first, that he was just jerking my chain. Then I thought that he was considering...uh, changing teams. He said that he admires my spunkiness and my friendship and that he wanted to find a way to make me feel special. So he sent me the notes and flowers. And get this: he was there at Bix that night. He was in full drag and looked so good that I didn't even see him. He planned to wait and see if I recognized him. If I didn't, he'd approach me and drag me back to his table. Unfortunately, I left just as he decided that I wasn't going to be able to recognize him--our timing was off.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Yeah, he's a sweetie. And speaking of sweethearts, my father has a girlfriend. Can you believe it? He told me last Tuesday when we went out to dinner for my birthday. I totally forgot to tell you about it last week. My father is seeing some chick he met at a business conference. Her name is Kelly, and she sounds really nice. He even boasted that he found this one without any help from me. He has been dating Kelly since December. He thinks she might be a "keeper."
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Dr. Balis:
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Did that surprise you?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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At first, it did. Then I was a little irritated that he didn't tell me about her sooner. But after I thought about it, I realized that he needs to have his life just as much as I need to have mine. The three of us will probably go out this coming weekend. It should be fun. Now for the second best news...
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Dr. Balis:
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Yes?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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The lawsuit has been officially terminated. Talk about a load off my mind. My father even personally called all the reporters and told them that the story was dead. He also contacted the State Department and told them that we wouldn't be pursuing a civil suit but he hoped that they would act on his official complaint. Looking back, I'm glad that my father made the complaint to the State Department. I think they should be aware of problems even if diplomatic immunity prevents any criminal prosecution.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did he bring all of this to a close because of your conversation with him or for some other reasons?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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I asked him that, too. He said that he couldn't continue with this if it was hurting me. He felt pretty bad about being so caught up in seeking vengeance that he overlooked what I was going through. I really do believe that he felt that he was doing the right thing for me. It took a lot to get through to him, but in the end, he heard what I was telling him and immediately did what was necessary to make things right with me.
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Dr. Balis:
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Good.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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And the big news, the biggest news of all is sad news, too.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh?
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Ms. Stillwell:
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I think my therapy is over, Doc. I originally came here to figure out that creep Jonas, but that's over. And I'm over my attack. So I think it's safe to release me back into society.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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You don't sound too convinced. What's wrong?
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Dr. Balis:
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There is nothing wrong. I think you're an outgoing, loving person, and basically pretty capable of taking care of yourself.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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But?
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Dr. Balis:
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But I also believe that you still have a few issues that we haven't fully explored and that need work. I'd like to help you with them. But the decision to continue or discontinue therapy is certainly yours, Olivia.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Doc, I'm not a psychopath. I think I'm a pretty well adjusted person. I do like being able to have a sounding board, though. I think you help keep me on track and help keep me focused, you know? Why don't we try this. Let's change the sessions to every other week and see how that works. This way, I could gradually quit. Okay?
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Dr. Balis:
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I think that's wise. And for your next session, I'd like to you formulate a list of areas that you think you need to work on. I think it would help us both to have an agenda and a goal.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Okay, I can do that. So, our next appointment will be....
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Dr. Balis:
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Monday, May 18th.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Okay, great. I'll see you then, Doc.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye, Olivia. Have a good week.
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Ms. Stillwell:
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Couple of weeks.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Session
Transcripts of Olivia Stillwell's Communications
