After walking into her therapist’s office and going on and on about all her problems for almost an hour, Shera Mackey turned to her therapist, Dr. Alana Sidney, and apologized deeply for putting all of that onto her.
“So sorry to put all that on you,” she said, seemingly misunderstanding the service for which she is paying. “I know it’s a lot.”
“No, it’s fine,” her therapist said before Mackey interjected with, “Ugh, I feel so annoying!”
Dr. Sidney tried to calm her but ultimately gave up as it was time for her session to end and she continued apologizing while walking out the door.
“I really can’t elaborate on the session because of confidentiality,” says Dr. Sidney. “But I will say it is my job to listen to just about anything my patients want to share with me. That is the crux of my job.”
“She’s probably gonna fire me one of these days,” says Mackey, again misconstruing the exchange of services in their relationship.
“I swear every week I just dump on her. I dunno what’s wrong with me.”
At press time Dr. Sidney had asked Mackey if she’d like to add a second session during the week as she tries to work through some of these feelings of unworthiness.
“I don’t deserve her,” Mackey says. “She’s a saint.”
