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Dr. Balis:
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Doctor Balis speaking.
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Ms. Schultz:
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Doctor Balis, this is Anna Schultz, Rachel Tanner's grandmother.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hello, Ms. Schultz. Is Rachel all right?
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Ms. Schultz:
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Yes, no emergency, thank goodness.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh, good. What is it you wish to discuss?
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Ms. Schultz:
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Rachel, of course. You and I haven't spoken since September, and I wanted to get an update on her progress. Do you have a few minutes?
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Dr. Balis:
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Ms. Schultz, please understand that my sessions with Rachel are confidential, and I'm not at liberty to discuss anything that Rachel has shared with me during our sessions. I will do my best to address your concerns about her, though. I assume she has shared some things with you?
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Ms. Schultz:
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Yes. We had quite a talk a few weeks ago. She had questions about her mother. She has a right to know what Margaret was like. But I'm afraid I might have told her more than she needed to know.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Schultz:
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I spoke of Margaret in a very loving way as I always do, because she was very lovable. I felt like Rachel wanted some more details about the obsessions, so I told her of a few events that I remembered when Rachel's mother was her age. I continued with the biography and before I knew it, I was sharing information about Margaret and Wolfgang, Rachel's father, that was quite personal. You have to understand that this was the first time Rachel and I had spoken this deeply of the past, and we had a lot of catching up to do. In short, I took the opportunity to tell Rachel why her father left.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Schultz:
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It was difficult for me to raise Margaret, an only child, without the benefit of a husband. Mine passed away when Margaret was fifteen. She and I have always been close, helping each other stay financially secure. When Wolfgang came along, Margaret included me in their life. I'm forever grateful, but I'm not sure it was good for their marriage. Margaret was a very beautiful woman, and Wolfgang was very...shall we say, demanding. She tried to resist him--at least that is what it sounded like--and there were many times I heard her sobbing. He became angrier and angrier, until he eventually left her and the children. Everyone was better off without him, but the damage had already been done.
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Dr. Balis:
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Are you saying that Rachel's parents had a dysfunctional sexual relationship?
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Ms. Schultz:
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Correct.
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Dr. Balis:
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How did this discovery effect Rachel?
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Ms. Schultz:
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I'm not certain how Rachel feels knowing all this. Doctor, this is very awkward for me, but I need to share something with you about Rachel. It's the reason I called.
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Dr. Balis:
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Go on, Ms. Schultz.
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Ms. Schultz:
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I'm sure you are aware of Rachel's need to brush her hair, do her nails, wash.
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Dr. Balis:
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Of course.
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Ms. Schultz:
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Just after she started therapy with you, she plucked her eyebrows almost down to nothing. Well, she didn't stop there.
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Dr. Balis:
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What do you mean?
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Ms. Schultz:
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The other day, she was getting out of the shower, and I caught a glimpse of her pubic hair. It was plucked or shaved as well. Normally, she has quite a generous amount of hair down there.
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Dr. Balis:
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Are you suggesting that she may have plucked her pubic hair as a result of that particular conversation?
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Ms. Schultz:
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It is possible, yes. It seems odd to me, but what do I know of odd? Young people are tattooing and piercing and shaving their heads these days. You haven't met my grandson Michael, yet. He's very experimental. But my dear Rachel has never done anything this extreme in her life. I'm a little worried. Should I be?
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Dr. Balis:
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I will answer your question in a moment. Has her behavior changed since that discussion a few weeks ago?
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Ms. Schultz:
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Yes, but for the better I believe. She seems to be losing weight, and she isn't as tired looking. She hasn't been as preoccupied with her hair, which looks healthier to me. The eyebrows were the only thing I noticed out of the ordinary and, of course, the other...since she lost her job, she has been swimming more, and she has been writing in her journal a lot. The only changes I've seen have been positive ones.
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Dr. Balis:
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I think, then, you've answered your own question--based on your observations, I would say that Rachel is all right for now. Ms. Schultz, I appreciate your concern. I would like to maintain the confidential relationship you and I have with each other. I will not share with Rachel our conversation, and I ask this of you as well. I have another patient waiting for me, so I have to go now. But please feel free to call again when you feel the need, okay?
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Ms. Schultz:
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Thank you, Doctor Balis. Goodbye.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye, Ms. Schultz.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Telephone Call
Transcripts of Rachel Tanner's Communications
