After Bridge to Terabithia
Therapy
Jess' therapist was a tall, red headed woman named Dr. Straus. When Jess shuffled into her office she immediatly asked him to sit down. Grudgingly doing what he was told, Jess sat down in a small black chair up against the wall. Then, Dr. Straus spoke," Should I call you Jesse, Jess, or what? Remember, I'm here to help. So, you can say anything you want and I'll just listen."
Jess was shocked by this. Previously, the only adult who he thought cared about anything he said was Ms.Edmonds. He reponded,"Jess is fine, ma'am."
"So, Jess," Dr.Straus continued, "I relize you've recently experianced a loss."
"Why do you think I'm here," muttered Jess under his breath.
"Well... maybe you can start by telling me what you're feeling or about the person."
Jess paused for a moment afraid to tell this stranger anything, but took a chance and said in a low voice, "Her name was Leslie Burke, and she my only and best friend."
"What was she like?"
"She was creative, like me,"Jess replied with a little more confidence." She used to make up stories all the time; she was funny, too."
"Go on."
"You see we were both outcasts at school. I like to draw and Leslie was the wierd little new girl. We were bullied a lot, but nothing seemed to stop her imagination. We both used our imaginations to make-"
Jess stopped there. In his sorrow and grief, he had almost given up the secret of Terabithia to this complete stranger. "Created what, Jess?" But Jess remained silent. "Remember Jess anything said in this session is between you and me." But Jess made a vow with Leslie to keep Terabithia a secret. He would keep it even if Leslie was gone. So, he gulped and just said, "We made a special place across the creek in the woods just for US. That's where she was going the day she... when she..." Tears began to well up in his eyes. He knew knew if he continued, he would start to cry.
"It's OK Jess," reasurred Dr. Straus. "It's OK to cry. Can you tell me what happened?"
Jess wiped his eyes and continued,"She drowned when the rope swing to enter... the special place, broke and she hit her head. I know my dad said it wasn't my fault, but it is! It's my fault she's dead!" By this time, Jess was sobbing hard.
"Why do you think its your fault?" said Dr.Straus compassionatly. She waited until Jess had calmed down to the point where he could answer. "I didn't invite her to come with us,"replied a sniffling Jess.
"Didn't invite her to go where?"
"To go to the museum with Ms. Edmunds and me. I didn't want to. I wasn't ther to go with her! To save her!" Jess began to sob again, and Dr. Straus waited almost ten minutes before saying, "You loved her didn't you."
"Ah huh," gasped Jess a second later.
"Jess, what you're experiencing is called survivor's guilt. You're naturally blaming yourself when it isn't your fault."
"I know," Jess said softly."Death doesn't make any sense."
"That's very wise thing to say."
"My dad told me. I don't care, though! I just want the pain to go away! I'm tired of being sad! I JUST WANT HER BACK!"
At this point, Jess was all, but screaming at Dr. Straus. She got up, crossed over to Jess' chair, and put her arm around him whispering, "It's ok, Jess. It's ok. Just let all out." Jess cryed his eyes out until he couldn't cry any more. This was the most alone he had felt since the accident. All he felt he could do was sit in his chair and feel sad about Leslie.
As he sat there in the chair with red, puffy eyes, Dr. Straus said, "Jess, I'm so sorry, but we're out of time. I'll see you on Thursday, but don't worry, if you need to talk before then you can call my office and tell them your name and we can talk."
"Thanks was the only thing he could say as he left the office.
As his dad turned the ignition and drove the truck forward, Jess leaned his head on the window and whispered, "Leslie, come back!"
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Jess was shocked by this. Previously, the only adult who he thought cared about anything he said was Ms.Edmonds. He reponded,"Jess is fine, ma'am."
"So, Jess," Dr.Straus continued, "I relize you've recently experianced a loss."
"Why do you think I'm here," muttered Jess under his breath.
"Well... maybe you can start by telling me what you're feeling or about the person."
Jess paused for a moment afraid to tell this stranger anything, but took a chance and said in a low voice, "Her name was Leslie Burke, and she my only and best friend."
"What was she like?"
"She was creative, like me,"Jess replied with a little more confidence." She used to make up stories all the time; she was funny, too."
"Go on."
"You see we were both outcasts at school. I like to draw and Leslie was the wierd little new girl. We were bullied a lot, but nothing seemed to stop her imagination. We both used our imaginations to make-"
Jess stopped there. In his sorrow and grief, he had almost given up the secret of Terabithia to this complete stranger. "Created what, Jess?" But Jess remained silent. "Remember Jess anything said in this session is between you and me." But Jess made a vow with Leslie to keep Terabithia a secret. He would keep it even if Leslie was gone. So, he gulped and just said, "We made a special place across the creek in the woods just for US. That's where she was going the day she... when she..." Tears began to well up in his eyes. He knew knew if he continued, he would start to cry.
"It's OK Jess," reasurred Dr. Straus. "It's OK to cry. Can you tell me what happened?"
Jess wiped his eyes and continued,"She drowned when the rope swing to enter... the special place, broke and she hit her head. I know my dad said it wasn't my fault, but it is! It's my fault she's dead!" By this time, Jess was sobbing hard.
"Why do you think its your fault?" said Dr.Straus compassionatly. She waited until Jess had calmed down to the point where he could answer. "I didn't invite her to come with us,"replied a sniffling Jess.
"Didn't invite her to go where?"
"To go to the museum with Ms. Edmunds and me. I didn't want to. I wasn't ther to go with her! To save her!" Jess began to sob again, and Dr. Straus waited almost ten minutes before saying, "You loved her didn't you."
"Ah huh," gasped Jess a second later.
"Jess, what you're experiencing is called survivor's guilt. You're naturally blaming yourself when it isn't your fault."
"I know," Jess said softly."Death doesn't make any sense."
"That's very wise thing to say."
"My dad told me. I don't care, though! I just want the pain to go away! I'm tired of being sad! I JUST WANT HER BACK!"
At this point, Jess was all, but screaming at Dr. Straus. She got up, crossed over to Jess' chair, and put her arm around him whispering, "It's ok, Jess. It's ok. Just let all out." Jess cryed his eyes out until he couldn't cry any more. This was the most alone he had felt since the accident. All he felt he could do was sit in his chair and feel sad about Leslie.
As he sat there in the chair with red, puffy eyes, Dr. Straus said, "Jess, I'm so sorry, but we're out of time. I'll see you on Thursday, but don't worry, if you need to talk before then you can call my office and tell them your name and we can talk."
"Thanks was the only thing he could say as he left the office.
As his dad turned the ignition and drove the truck forward, Jess leaned his head on the window and whispered, "Leslie, come back!"
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