Little moments of glee

My 13 year-old client with the brilliant quote, "Life is gay," has had a couple other doosies (how does one spell doosies?):

"Wow, you are skinny for your age!" she told me. Any my personal favorite: "My therapist is cool. She knows about the world."


I have a 12 year-old girl who comes with her mom, and who clearly doesn't want to be there. Like she turns away from us and stares at the door. One time I told her, "You can leave if you want to," and she got up and left.

Her mom keeps making her come. So I tried a new tactic. I've been asking them both: what can the other person do to help you? The daughter says: "Leave me alone and stay off my back."

"Well mom, you've been wanting her to communicate with you. She's communicating: that she wants you off her back. So if you want her to be honest, you'll have to honestly accept what she says."

"Yeah mom, accept it!" She said--more than she had ever said of her own accord.

"And you," I said to her, "it looks like if you can do your part to fix things, your reward will be not having to come to therapy!"

Next thing I know we're all laughing.