Dr. Fletcher

(writing notes) Ted Mason wrote on www.helpmypatients.com: "Tell Gary to expose himself to contamination - in his imagination. That's often quite effective. Of course, you should be empathetic during the experience and prepare yourself for a great deal of Gary's anxiety."

In this session I also rearranged my cameras - as I explained to Gary, to improve the quality of our confidential archival video.

Dr. Fletcher

Gary, I'd like to try an exercise that I don't think is something that we've done before. I'd like you to image that you're contaminated with whatever is contaminating. Newspaper or one of the other things is on you and you just have to sit and deal with it. This time you don't have an option. You can't avoid it. So I want you to try closing your eyes. Imagine that and see if you can bring up those same feelings and work through them.

Gary

What's the point of this?

Dr. Fletcher

Well, I think we'll get to that. Why don't you start out by closing your eyes and initiating this exercise.

(Gary closes his eyes.)

Just say what's coming to mind as you're going through this.

Gary

I'm imagining myself just covered with newspaper pulp. You know, like when the newspaper is on the sidewalk and it's kind of been drenched and it becomes this goopy sort of nasty thing.

Dr. Fletcher

Yeah, that's disgusting.

Gary

Yeah. And someone's forcing me to smear it all over my body.

Dr. Fletcher

It must make you feel just terrible about yourself and hopeless.

Gary

Aw! It's contaminated! I can't breathe!

Dr. Fletcher

What you're going through right now really is disgusting - and sucks.

Gary

I can't breathe!

Dr. Fletcher

Uh-huh.

Gary

I don't like this exercise.

Dr. Fletcher

Well, it's disgusting. It probably feels really, really, really bad.

Gary

I don't know if I can bring myself to do that again.

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