'Why do you feel the need to harm yourself?' Lewis asked as he looked at Sam Nicholls from across the room. He had been sat here for half an hour and hadn't gotten anywhere. He sighed. He knew from the second when they first met that it wouldn't be easy. That she wouldn't be like any of the other cases he'd seen and dealt with.
Lewis Markshaw was a self-harm specialist counsellor. He had many clients that he mentored but none of them intrigued him the way that Sam Nicholls did. After reading her referral form that had been made by her boss. A Zoe Hanna. He knew from the first meeting that this wasn't going to be an easy client.
'have you ever thought of self-harming before now?' Lewis asked breaking the silence. Sam still said nothing. 'Sam I cannot help you unless you talk to me. Tell me why you did it' Lewis asked and once again he was met with a silence. Before he tried his last approach.
'You know you wont be able to return to work at Holby City ED until your boss is satisfied that you are recovering so Sam I will ask you again. Why did you self harm? Was it a build of stuff. And something snapped? Have you thought about harming yourself before? A cry for help perhaps?' Lewis asked. This time it seemed he was getting somewhere.
'You wont understand' Sam spoke. The first thing she had said all session. 'Well let me understand. Tell me what was going through your head that day' Lewis said. Sam went quiet again. So Lewis tried yet another approach.
'Your boss Zoe tells me that you've recently spilt from your partner Tom Kent. Why is that? what happened between you? Is that the reason for your self harming?' Lewis asked 'Zoe had no right to tell you that' Sam snapped angrily clinching one of her fists.
'Well what triggered the motive for you to harm yourself?' Lewis asked again. Sam looked at him. To say she had encountered many counsellors before. But none of them was more pushing than this Lewis was. She knew she couldn't stay quiet all the time. Not if she wanted to return to work soon. She had to give signs that she was recovering. Other wise Zoe wasn't going to let her back into work. She gritted her teeth.
'Splitting up with Tom. Is just the beginning. Not even scratched the surface yet' she said.
'I have no more clients to see. So take your time' Lewis told her.