Seren could think of ten solid different reasons why people didnât talk to therapists right off the bat - or ever for that matter. People say they would rather talk to their friends, or they donât feel comfortable talking to a complete stranger, they donât have the time or it costs too much money. Seren never judged these reasons, mostly because it spoke volumes that someone wasnât ready to talk, and Seren wasnât about to force anyone to spill their guts to her. Also, a few of those reasons made a lot of sense. Thatâs why Relive was cost effected. She wanted anyone to and everyone to have access to the health practice that fits their needs.
Though, really, that wasnât the point to therapy and the point most people missed. Yes, she was someone a person could talk to when they felt like they couldnât turn to anyone else. She was there to listen, she was there to not judge, she was there as an advisor and to help guide someone when they were feeling lost. In that same vein of thought, the general public have it wrong when they praise therapists when itâs really the patients who are doing all of the hard lifting; they make all of their own decisions. Just as Gemma Sinclair did today.
âItâs nice to meet you too, Gemma. Iâm Seren, and thatâs alright. Iâm easy to startle,â Seren gives the blonde a reassuring wink before moves to a corner of the room where a mini fridge was placed, and beings putting together their beverages. âItâs alright,â She says again while meaning it, and gives a gentle wave of dismissal. âI donât think my assistant is out in the waiting room. I believe she went to the cafe. You can walk in whenever. My door is always open. Literally.â Thereâs no malice or annoyance in her voice. Only genuine honesty. On top sat a small coffee maker, a kettle and of course a variety of coffees. Though, there was only one type of tea that she had. Lemon Balm, to be exact. It had a natural mint flavor with a slight taste of lemon. It never failed to put someones nervous tensions at ease.Â
While waiting for the water to boil, Seren looks back at Gemma to find her own eyes take a look around the room. It was a little staged, yes. Seren always tried to bring a sense of calm to the room. But there were hints of comfortability - and familiarity, actually. Things most would see in their own homes. Half finished candles, stacks of books, plants - a hand full of that were on the verge of overgrowth. Depending on the paitent who came in, Seren would bring Balim along, if they enjoyed the company of a rather large and overly friendly feline purring on their lap. âIn your form that you submitted, it says youâre ten years sober. Congratulations, thatâs amazing.â Seren says, bringing the attention to Gemma.
     A soft smile blooms on her lips at the other womanâs introduction, small but entirely genuine. âItâs nice to meet you as well, Seren.â And it was. Perhaps it shouldnât be surprising that she felt at ease in a place so specifically designed for therapy, but it often took her longer to warm up to a space, to new people. But there was something about Relive that stuck out, a personal touch that was often missing from other clinics, and Gemma felt as though she could sense the heart and love that had gone into creating it. Although sheâd been in similar situations dozens of times before, it was never quite the same, and there were times when it had taken her far longer to get over the initial bouts of nervousness ( even if she knew theyâd no doubt return once the small talk ceased. )
     âThank you, Iâm sure Iâll be coming by a lot. Relive is beautiful.â There was a note of admiration in her voice, the very thought of the woman pursuing mental health and building up her own company based around helping others a notion that had struck Gemma from the very start. It spoke to her heart, to her intentions, and her courage. She knew she herself would be incapable of helping others mend themselves, but she understood the desire. Itâs what had led her to marine conservation, and the creatures that were under her own care. âDid you design all of this yourself?âÂ
     The form. How many secrets had she spilled within those pages? Not just for Seren, but for all the other therapists who had become the guardians of her most vulnerable moments. One had to bear oneself completely in order to get the most out of therapy, and although Gemma had struggled with voicing everything that she still struggled with, it was good too have just one person who knew the complexity of it all and wouldnât be one to judge. To some degree, it was terrifying to her, a rush of renewed panic threatening to overtake that was only settled by the womanâs gentle tones and the genuine acknowledgment of an accomplishment. As if she was already attempting to build Gemma up, not dig into her flaws. It spoke to the kind of person sheâd be, how she approached healing, and after ten years -- Gemma had learned to weed out the people who would aid her in her journey from those who were not the right fit.
     âI have -- itâs been... rough sometimes, but I couldnât have done it without support. Therapy has helped me a lot and I... I learned a lot of coping mechanisms over the years. And I had my brothers -- theyâve... theyâve always stood by me too.â She couldnât take credit for the feat alone, knowing full well that if Jasper and Noah hadnât intervened, she might have easily met the same fate as her mother. Things had become easier over the years, but there were still those old familiar pangs, habits she knew she could slip back into if she wasnât careful, and those moments ( that she supposed all of them had ) when she felt weak and unable to hold herself up alone. Guidance, she knew, was necessary.Â