Ronald Jackson resumes his conversation with Dr. Beverly Richardson after a two-year hiatus.
“It’s good to see you again, Ronald. Tell me how you’ve been getting along since our last visit.”
“As you know, that mixed reality therapy left me in pretty bad shape, emotionally. The talks we had afterwards were helpful. But resuming normal life has been difficult.”
“Do you still have strong memories about your college love?”
“The mixed reality put a level of closure on my relationship that I didn’t want to experience. I keep wondering if I could have changed the outcome with different behavior. But I can’t identify a pivotal moment that provides control.”
“Isolating pivotal events is like pruning a tree. At the point you cut, new growth sprouts in uncontrollable directions. Did the closure strengthen your current marriage?”
“Actually, I’ve divorced since we last spoke. I guess that’s why I returned. I probably should have come before making that decision. But it seemed the best way to start afresh.”
“Do you now feel like you have shed your past for a vibrant new future?”
“No. My loneliness is getting more intense. How do I fix the feelings for someone I can’t have?
“So is Nichole still part of your consciousness?”
“She is, in a more fragile way. It’s like I don’t want my thoughts to hurt my memories of her.”
New Therapy
“Talk therapy is still the gold standard for coping with feelings. But there have been remarkable strides in technology since your mixed reality experience.”
“I’m like a bird with a wounded wing who hops down the street with the desire to fly. Do you think the new tech can make me soar among the clouds? Or will it damage my remaining wing?”
