Friday, August 29th- 1:50pm-
Brennan found herself sitting in a waiting room alone, two leather chairs beside her, and a receptionist across the way. The ambiance of the room was comforting, the walls covered in a dark wood, and dark green wallpaper, the pictures as nondescript as any in a doctor's office. She took a brief glance at her watch, and her eyes flicked to the ring on her finger, a smile sliding onto her lips. She focused on the intricate design of the ring for a moment, running her finger over the smooth lines of the dolphin design, allowing her thoughts to migrate to Booth. She thought of his smile, his laugh, the way his hand felt when it was in her own. She thought of his strength, and his poise, and she herself felt a lot less lonely. She concentrated on the ring, when she heard the gentle buzz of her phone, indicating an incoming text message. She lifted the phone and glanced at the text, instantly smiling at Booth's sentiment.
'I know you don't believe in it, but I do. Good luck, Bones.'
She shook her head and looked at the words, imagining that slightly sarcastic tone in his voice, and the knowing smile on his lips. She was about to send a reply, when the office door opened, and a woman not much taller than five feet stepped into the room. She had long, dark hair and her clothes were somewhat casual, despite the tight professionalism that surrounded her.
"Doctor Brennan?" She said, smiling at Brennan. She stepped forward with her hand extended, a bright smile on her face that seemed genuine. "I'm Doctor Saunders. You can call me Penny if you like, whatever makes you most comfortable." She said as Brennan shook her hand. "Some people prefer the more professional, some prefer that I come across a little more relaxed. Whatever makes you most comfortable is just fine." She smiled.
Her tone was clear and not coddling, and while her words came across as bubbly, she was very carefully reading Brennan's reactions to her words, and adjusting accordingly. She smiled and nodded toward her office. "Come on inside." She said.
Brennan swallowed hard, slipping her phone into her pocket, she followed Doctor Saunders into her office. She looked around the spacious office, noting that it looked more like a living room or a study than a therapist's office. She had a couch in one corner that looked to be made of soft leather, and a set of armchairs in another corner near a large bookcase. She had a large desk, with two comfortable leather chairs before it. Brennan turned her attention once again to the therapist and smiled a bit nervously.
"Have a seat here at my desk. Those seats are really comfortable." She said, smiling brightly. "Sometimes I like to sit in the other one during the sessions, just because they're more comfortable than my desk chair." She said with a friendly shrug.
Brennan stepped to one of the chairs, and sank comfortably into the leather, feeling as though it was enveloping her. "I completely understand your preference of these chairs." She said, suddenly feeling a bit more comfortable.
"I am a creature of comfort, for sure." She said happily. "Doctor Brennan, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"You may call me Temperance, or Tempe, Doctor Saunders." Brennan said sincerely. "I will most likely remain on the professional side toward you. I've been told that it is a way of distancing myself from things that bother me. I need to be honest. I sincerely dislike psychology." She said, straightening in her seat. "Also, while I have been told that I can come across as quite self-centered, I don't like discussing my vulnerabilities, least of all to a stranger."
"I can see that honesty is important to you as well." Doctor Saunders smiled.
"Extremely." She nodded.
"Would you mind if I told you a little about myself before we get started on you?" Doctor Saunders asked, watching Brennan relax a little more. "It might help you move forward in the way that you want to move forward, if you know a little about who you're talking to."
"That would be fine." Brennan nodded.
"Well, I'm thirty-two years old. I've been married for four years and I have a two year old daughter at home." She smiled, watching Brennan smile slightly. "I grew up with a single mother who worked full time, so I was a latch-key kid. I would spend my afternoons after school at the park alone a lot. I found that I enjoyed watching people, the interaction of people, the movement of people. I just enjoyed focusing on those around me as if I could figure out who they were just by the way they moved or talked to one another. That was how I found my way to psychology."
"That's why I became an anthropologist." Brennan replied, though she was a little alarmed by her own voice. It was softer than typical, and imploring. It was odd, but she was beginning to feel a connection.
"You're an anthropologist. Now that is an interesting field." Doctor Saunders smiled a sincere smile, her green eyes wide with wonder.
"It's quite different than psychology." Brennan replied.
"Yeah, but with a similar premise. They are both focused on the actions and desires of people. Though, psychology is a soft science, kind of a pseudo-science." She shrugged, watching Brennan narrow her eyes at her suspiciously. "You're wondering why I'm a psychologist if I don't like the discipline?"
"If you don't believe in your work, how would that make you successful in it?" Brennan asked.
"There are a lot of different types of people in this world, Doctor Brennan." She stated, noting Brennan's eyebrow raise. "Tempe." She said with a nod. "Every person has lived through a different life. Even identical twins who grow up in the same house, and marry the same type of man, and live in the same type of house and go into the same type of job… even they have different experiences and lives. It's those differences and those experiences that make us who we are. That's why I went into psychology. I'm not a hands on kind of person. I am well educated and do my best work in hands off studies of the mind. I focus on a person's experiences, on their emotions, thoughts, and beliefs. I find that it allows patients or clients to gain insight into their lives and present day problems." She said softly, watching Brennan nod.
"Psychodynamic therapy." Brennan nodded.
"Exactly!" Doctor Saunders grinned. "So, you're familiar with the technique?"
"Yes." Brennan said, nodding, her expression unreadable for the moment.
"Do you have experience with Psychodynamic therapy?" Doctor Saunders asked.
"I'm familiar with the concept." Brennan said, her mind running through the knowledge on the subject like a rolodex.
"Well, you mentioned in your questionnaire prior to the appointment that you have been experiencing nocturnal disruptions, night terrors, and some level of anxiety and stress reactions. You mentioned that you have an extremely stressful job, and while I am interested in learning more about those stresses, nightmares and the like are often caused by a repression, rationalization, and denial of those every day stresses. These defense mechanisms keep painful feelings, memories, and experiences in the unconscious. So basically, what I provide here is a face to face opportunity for you to speak freely about those emotions, desires, and fears. Once these vulnerable feelings are processed, the defense mechanisms will have the opportunity to resolve themselves." She said, watching as Brennan's brow furrowed.
"I have someone in my life that I am able to speak freely to about my fears." She said, clearing her throat when she heard the quiver in her voice.
"Okay." Doctor Saunders said. "That's good, that's very good." She smiled. "However, what I provide you with is a completely unrestricted, and emotionally unbound sounding board. This person that you mentioned…"
"Booth." She said quickly, his name coming off her lips like a bark. "Seeley Booth. My partner. We are partners in our job, and in our lives. We are engaged." She said, letting the word slide off her tongue awkwardly. She never had an issue talking about Booth, but suddenly she was extremely protective of him, of their relationship. She watched Doctor Saunders smile slightly.
"Congratulations." Doctor Saunders smiled. She didn't ask any further questions, knowing that anything that Brennan shared should be of her own free will.
"Thank you." Brennan said awkwardly.
"Is he an anthropologist too?" Doctor Saunders asked, tipping her head slightly.
Brennan let out a laugh, a loud boisterous laugh that was almost jarring under the quiet circumstances of the office. "No. No, he's an FBI Special Agent." She explained. "I am a forensic anthropologist. We work together to solve crimes. He says that I am the brains, and he is the brawn, and while I can take care of myself, it doesn't hurt to have a sniper-trained FBI agent as a partner." She said, her eyes glittering with happiness. "I do talk to him about my feelings, desires, and fears. But often those fears are centered around him, around our work." She said, her smile dropping from her lips as her eyes flicked down to her hand, the ring on her finger firmly between her long fingers as she twisted it anxiously. "I believe that this…" She said, looking up at the doctor. "I believe you're correct. I think that having the opportunity to work through these repressed fears and anxieties with a completely unbiased third party, such as yourself would be beneficial to my wellbeing." She said, nodding definitively.
"I look forward to our conversations." Doctor Saunders said softly.
"As do I." Brennan nodded.
"Alright, so I know a little bit about you, and you know a bit about me. I think we've made a good start, don't you?" She shrugged, watching Brennan nod. "How about, instead of focusing on some negative things, we focus on some positive things for the rest of the session?"
"That sounds good." Brennan said, a slight smile returning to her face. "Where would you like to start?" She asked tipping her head.
"Let's start with letting me see that beautiful engagement ring." Doctor Saunders grinned, watching Brennan look up and smile while she slowly extended her hand. "Looks like this sniper-trained FBI agent has some good taste." She grinned, as she listened to Brennan let out a throaty laugh, and the women continued the session in good spirits.