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For Christmas, Santa gave me the DVD set of the first season of the HBO show “In Treatment” – in which Gabriel Byrne plays Paul, a psychotherapist who runs a private practice out of his home.  Each disc is one week’s worth of sessions with 5 clients.  The last episode on each disc is Paul’s own session with his old clinical supervisor, who he started going back to for professional and personal advice.

I am looking forward to watching the evolution of Paul’s relationships with his clients, from both an academic and entertainment standpoint; seeing how much I can relate to, and even what sorts of things I can “prepare” myself for, if you will.

So far, it’s very enjoyable – entertaining, engaging, and thought-provoking.  What I’ve noticed in particular so far, is how each featured client, in their own way, comes to Paul seeking “permission”  – either trying to foist responsibility onto him, or seeking his specific advice about something.  It’s fascinating watching the character do the delicate dance of neither accepting the responsibility for the client, but also trying to keep their trust and sense of self intact.

I wonder how often then, our clients (or students, or intimates, etc.) do that – ask for our “blessing” as it were, on things they have already decided, but don’t want to take responsibility for…and we, in the “thick” of it, we may not even see it as such.