CHAPTER 558: CHAPTER 542: DREAM

Feeling the changes within himself that only occur during the "case filing" moment, and listening to what the visitor is saying at this moment.

Nan Zhubin understood.

The other party’s previously tense expression wasn’t because of trouble, but because they finally made a certain decision.

The visitor no longer wants to consult Nan Zhubin about previous issues, which, in a way, signifies taking "the final step" in the visitor’s cognitive reconstruction.

It was a completion of sublimation.

This also matched Nan Zhubin’s most optimistic estimation of the visitor’s situation before—the visitor experienced a significant therapeutic effect after successfully participating in the courtroom and playing a crucial role in that success.

Completely skipped the second stage of the "Self Cognitive Adjustment" originally planned by Nan Zhubin.

Nan Zhubin wasn’t joking before; the courtroom scene was essentially a huge psychological consultation room, and what Nan Zhubin did that day was a rare therapeutic opportunity for the visitor.

In many consultations, consultants have to use all kinds of methods to externalize the visitor’s problem. Techniques like the "empty chair technique", "narrative therapy", "trauma reconstruction method", etc., are all to construct a virtual enemy to help the visitor release emotions and adjust cognition.

The effect isn’t always good.

But this courtroom directly placed the enemy causing the visitor’s current issues in front of them, allowing the visitor to personally defeat their opponent under the watchful eyes of many.

The effect... tsk tsk.

To be honest, if possible, Nan Zhubin would hope that future visitors, when the time is right, could experience the same.

It would certainly resolve the problems quite thoroughly.

However, the disappearance of "Social Anxiety" does not mean that the visitor is done with psychological consultation.

Just like the previous analogy, comparing it to someone who has been weak and sickly since childhood and broke a bone while running, the current visitor has only recovered from the "fracture". Next, Nan Zhubin will need to nurture and solve the "weak and sickly" issue.

This is the goal of the third stage.

Of course, in general consultations reaching this stage, the visitor no longer has obvious adaptability difficulties in life. If the visitor’s willingness is strong, theoretically, they can leave the consultation.

Being weak and sickly doesn’t mean one can’t live, and in some sense, it’s another way of living.

But now the visitor is clearly positive about consulting on this issue, so Nan Zhubin is happy to cooperate.

Thinking of this, Nan Zhubin first adjusted the folder at hand, took out a blank A4 sheet and placed it at the top, moving the initial plan for today’s consultation to the bottom.

If nothing unexpected happens, these consultation plans might not be used.

...

The visitor is quite talkative today, after all, a lot has indeed happened over the past week or so.

The visitor spoke first: "Teacher, last consultation... um, the last consultation in this room, didn’t you give me a homework?"

Nan Zhubin nodded, the visitor’s expression was of considering the courtroom as a consultation as well.

"For that homework, didn’t you ask me to list an ’Ideal Self’ for myself?" The visitor made a recalling expression, "The reason I feel that previous issues don’t bother me anymore is that I discovered I’ve met most of the requirements of the ’Ideal Self’. I am no longer attacked by my own restrictive rules, I have made peace with myself, and I am now very satisfied with myself."

What the visitor said was all part of the second stage’s task goals.

Although the visitor said they don’t need intervention at this stage, Nan Zhubin still wanted to confirm more.

Nan Zhubin asked, "What kind of ’Ideal Self’ is it?"

This question seemed to be just what the visitor was eager to be asked, showing an expression like a student in class being asked a question they know the answer to.

"Firstly, when facing injury and setbacks, I can’t just stay still." The visitor said, "I allow myself to rest appropriately, to digest, but I can’t give up. I wish to resist while ensuring my own protection."

The visitor continued, "So I went to the courtroom that day, and now I am also filing a private lawsuit."

"But at the same time, I won’t resist just for the sake of resisting, so when you, teacher, told me not to expose all consultation records, I accepted your suggestion."

Looking at the visitor’s expression, Nan Zhubin smiled and nodded affirmatively: "That’s right, you indeed achieved this, I’m very glad to hear it."

This "Support" gave the visitor encouragement.

The visitor continued, "Then regarding daily social interactions, I’ve also readjusted my, well, ’social evaluation system’?"

"Before, I hoped to gain everyone’s approval, to be kind to others." The visitor showed a thinking pose, "Of course, now my baseline is still to be kind to others. But I will classify the social circle around me into different levels, and show different degrees of kindness to different levels of people."

"Because I know, I’ve felt that if I treat everyone the same, I would certainly bear some things, things that might bring me a lot of negative experiences."

"Now, within my own endurance, I am kind to others, keeping myself happy and not subjecting myself to harm I can’t process."