Chapter 5: The First Session
"I can't believe you're sending me to see a shrink." Ephram complained as he and his father walked down the white halls of the Lennox medical building.
"His name is Dr. Hwang and he's a psychotherapist." Andy corrected.
"Yea, that's just a nice way of saying shrink." Ephram argued.
"Don't worry. He's a nice guy. I've known him for years. We went to the same med school."
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Ephram replied rhetorically. "So, what do I have to do?" Ephram said with a nervous laugh.
"Nothing - just talk. Get your feelings out."
"Is it going to involve me lying down on a leather couch while pouring my heart out to a complete stranger as he scribbles random things I say on his note pad?"
"You've been watching too many movies Ephram. Your idea of a psychiatrist is so primitive. A lot has changed in the world of psychiatry and psychology since the 90's. People don't lie on couches anymore." Andy chuckled. "Don't feel so bad. Many people see psychotherapists. Normal everyday people."
"Easy for you to say. You're not the psychotic one."
"Look Ephram, considering how well you've physically recovered from the coma, it's crucial that you resolve this faux memory of Everwood. Your sessions are only three times a week."
A nametag on the large reddish-brown wooden door read 'Dr. Albert Hwang, Ph.D.' Ephram was a nervous wreck but he maintained his cool. At least, so it appeared on the outside. On the inside, he felt nauseous and uncomfortable. The butterflies in his stomach were fluttering around like they had one too many shots of vodka. He'd never been to a psychotherapist and has never known anyone who had. He had no clue what was expected of him. Ephram took a deep breath before following his father into the office. They stepped into the office to be greeted warmly by Dr. Hwang. The adults shook hands and chatted for a moment while Ephram scoped out the room.
Much to Ephram's surprise, he noticed the office atmosphere did not match his mental image. The décor in the office had a very comfortable - kind of retro - feel with the absence of couches or sofas. It was the most informal doctor's office he had ever seen. There were multi colored beanbag chairs spread around the room. A hot pink lava lamp glowed on the corner of the doctor's highly organized metal-rimmed desk. Boomerang end tables and tall bookcases filled with books as well as various objects scattered on the shelves. A few classic penny gumball machines holding multi-colored gumballs and M&M's stood near the file cabinets while contemporary movie posters covered up the bare walls. At one end of the office was a mini bar on a rolling cart placed snuggly next to a mini refrigerator. Green bamboo plants grew out of giant wicker baskets by the window. Small beams of sunlight peeped thru the long vertical blinds. The room looked more like a hangout rather than a psychotherapist's office.
"So this is your boy Ephram, huh?" Dr. Hwang nodded in Ephram's direction. Ephram glanced emotionless at the doctor.
Dr. Hwang was a tall amiable baby-faced man with short spiked black hair. He was probably the same age as Ephram's father but with the young looks and a full head of hair, he can easily pass for thirty-five. To Ephram, he did not look like a doctor at all. He stereotyped all people in the medical profession to be dressed in white lab coats and carry stern knowledgeable faces expressing as little animation as possible. This doctor was very different. He wore a gray Abercrombie & Fitch t-shirt with khaki cargo pocket pants. Seeing all this casualness calmed Ephram's nerves tremendously.
"How are you doing Ephram?" Dr. Hwang inquired.
"Not good, I guess. Or I wouldn't be here." Ephram retorted as-a-matter-of- factly catching grins from the two adults.
"Smart kid. I think we'll get along just fine." Dr. Hwang complimented. "Why don't you take a seat over there while I have a word with your dad before we get started?"
Ephram scratched his head looking around for a real chair and having come to the conclusion that there were none, he asked, "You mean on the beanbag?"
"Were you expecting a couch? No, no. Sorry to disappoint you but we don't do that anymore. Couches are so passé." Dr. Hwang eyed Andy and they laughed. "I call this contemporary-ism." He said holding out his arms toward the beanbags. That was just the icebreaker he needed to get the boy to relax and ease the tension.
Ephram was no longer uptight. He even cracked a smile as he plopped down on a bright orange beanbag chair.
"Albert, I appreciate you doing this for me." Andy thanked. "I didn't know you were going to redecorate your office just for Ephram's sessions." He whispered.
"Don't worry about it. I'm glad to help. What he needs is a surrounding where he can feel comfortable and not be intimidated by the observer. This worked for most of my teenaged patients." Dr. Hwang revealed.
"I think it's working for Ephram too." Andy said as Ephram watched the two adults continue mumbling amongst each other. He couldn't hear what they were saying but somehow, he knew they were talking about him.
Andy said good-bye to Ephram with a kiss on the cheek and a promise that he would be back later to pick him up.
"So, Ephram. Shall we get started?" Dr. Hwang said as he dropped onto a green beanbag chair directly across from Ephram.
"Aren't you gonna take notes or something?" Ephram asked in wonder since Dr. Hwang did not bother to take up a notepad or recording device.
"Why? Do you think I should be?" Dr. Hwang asked humorously as Ephram shrugged. "I was thinking that we would just have a nice man to man conversation. Is that going to be a problem?"
"I guess not." Ephram consented.
"Ok, now tell me all about this Everwood place and don't leave out any details." Dr. Hwang instructed as he concentrated on Ephram's recollection of his life in Everwood.
* end of chapter 5 *
"I can't believe you're sending me to see a shrink." Ephram complained as he and his father walked down the white halls of the Lennox medical building.
"His name is Dr. Hwang and he's a psychotherapist." Andy corrected.
"Yea, that's just a nice way of saying shrink." Ephram argued.
"Don't worry. He's a nice guy. I've known him for years. We went to the same med school."
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Ephram replied rhetorically. "So, what do I have to do?" Ephram said with a nervous laugh.
"Nothing - just talk. Get your feelings out."
"Is it going to involve me lying down on a leather couch while pouring my heart out to a complete stranger as he scribbles random things I say on his note pad?"
"You've been watching too many movies Ephram. Your idea of a psychiatrist is so primitive. A lot has changed in the world of psychiatry and psychology since the 90's. People don't lie on couches anymore." Andy chuckled. "Don't feel so bad. Many people see psychotherapists. Normal everyday people."
"Easy for you to say. You're not the psychotic one."
"Look Ephram, considering how well you've physically recovered from the coma, it's crucial that you resolve this faux memory of Everwood. Your sessions are only three times a week."
A nametag on the large reddish-brown wooden door read 'Dr. Albert Hwang, Ph.D.' Ephram was a nervous wreck but he maintained his cool. At least, so it appeared on the outside. On the inside, he felt nauseous and uncomfortable. The butterflies in his stomach were fluttering around like they had one too many shots of vodka. He'd never been to a psychotherapist and has never known anyone who had. He had no clue what was expected of him. Ephram took a deep breath before following his father into the office. They stepped into the office to be greeted warmly by Dr. Hwang. The adults shook hands and chatted for a moment while Ephram scoped out the room.
Much to Ephram's surprise, he noticed the office atmosphere did not match his mental image. The décor in the office had a very comfortable - kind of retro - feel with the absence of couches or sofas. It was the most informal doctor's office he had ever seen. There were multi colored beanbag chairs spread around the room. A hot pink lava lamp glowed on the corner of the doctor's highly organized metal-rimmed desk. Boomerang end tables and tall bookcases filled with books as well as various objects scattered on the shelves. A few classic penny gumball machines holding multi-colored gumballs and M&M's stood near the file cabinets while contemporary movie posters covered up the bare walls. At one end of the office was a mini bar on a rolling cart placed snuggly next to a mini refrigerator. Green bamboo plants grew out of giant wicker baskets by the window. Small beams of sunlight peeped thru the long vertical blinds. The room looked more like a hangout rather than a psychotherapist's office.
"So this is your boy Ephram, huh?" Dr. Hwang nodded in Ephram's direction. Ephram glanced emotionless at the doctor.
Dr. Hwang was a tall amiable baby-faced man with short spiked black hair. He was probably the same age as Ephram's father but with the young looks and a full head of hair, he can easily pass for thirty-five. To Ephram, he did not look like a doctor at all. He stereotyped all people in the medical profession to be dressed in white lab coats and carry stern knowledgeable faces expressing as little animation as possible. This doctor was very different. He wore a gray Abercrombie & Fitch t-shirt with khaki cargo pocket pants. Seeing all this casualness calmed Ephram's nerves tremendously.
"How are you doing Ephram?" Dr. Hwang inquired.
"Not good, I guess. Or I wouldn't be here." Ephram retorted as-a-matter-of- factly catching grins from the two adults.
"Smart kid. I think we'll get along just fine." Dr. Hwang complimented. "Why don't you take a seat over there while I have a word with your dad before we get started?"
Ephram scratched his head looking around for a real chair and having come to the conclusion that there were none, he asked, "You mean on the beanbag?"
"Were you expecting a couch? No, no. Sorry to disappoint you but we don't do that anymore. Couches are so passé." Dr. Hwang eyed Andy and they laughed. "I call this contemporary-ism." He said holding out his arms toward the beanbags. That was just the icebreaker he needed to get the boy to relax and ease the tension.
Ephram was no longer uptight. He even cracked a smile as he plopped down on a bright orange beanbag chair.
"Albert, I appreciate you doing this for me." Andy thanked. "I didn't know you were going to redecorate your office just for Ephram's sessions." He whispered.
"Don't worry about it. I'm glad to help. What he needs is a surrounding where he can feel comfortable and not be intimidated by the observer. This worked for most of my teenaged patients." Dr. Hwang revealed.
"I think it's working for Ephram too." Andy said as Ephram watched the two adults continue mumbling amongst each other. He couldn't hear what they were saying but somehow, he knew they were talking about him.
Andy said good-bye to Ephram with a kiss on the cheek and a promise that he would be back later to pick him up.
"So, Ephram. Shall we get started?" Dr. Hwang said as he dropped onto a green beanbag chair directly across from Ephram.
"Aren't you gonna take notes or something?" Ephram asked in wonder since Dr. Hwang did not bother to take up a notepad or recording device.
"Why? Do you think I should be?" Dr. Hwang asked humorously as Ephram shrugged. "I was thinking that we would just have a nice man to man conversation. Is that going to be a problem?"
"I guess not." Ephram consented.
"Ok, now tell me all about this Everwood place and don't leave out any details." Dr. Hwang instructed as he concentrated on Ephram's recollection of his life in Everwood.
* end of chapter 5 *