#Stress Inoculation Therapy

[brightpointmd]

Navigating Stress Through Stress Inoculation Therapy and Group Activities

Stress often dominates life’s melody. It can damage our physical and emotional health daily. As a beautiful melody, Stress Inoculation Therapy (SIT) teaches stress management skills and a new mindset that fosters tolerance and resilience in life’s crescendos.

[fortheloveofwonderland]

Rusty | Chapter 6 | S.R

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter Summary - Spencer struggles with thoughts of his assault before giving you your first riding lesson. Just as things seem to be going well, you’re shocked to find Spencer in the midst of a dissociative break.

Pairing - Spencer Reid / Fem! Reader

Category - strangers to friends to lovers | angst | smut minors DNI

Warnings - mentions of sexual assault and use of “rape” several times, talk of therapy and a deep dive into Spencer’s therapy journey, stress inoculation therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, erectile dysfunction, graysexuality and demisexuality, mentions of male masturbation, blood, dissociation, self-harm.

WC - 6.3k

Chapter 6 - Tumbling Tumbleweeds

Spencer didn’t not wake with a start, nor did he wake slowly. His mind undulated long before he opened his eyes, ebb and flow, ebb and flow. 

The thoughts were undiluted and raw, building worlds behind his eyelids whilst he was still barely semi-conscious.

He was cognisant of the hard shell beneath his back, pressing, prodding his aching spine. The lingering chlorine scent of bleach was attacking his nasal cavities, tickling, scratching. 

He was aware yet he was not. He was asleep yet he was alert. Conscious sleep. It was a self preservation tactic he’d taught himself after his first sexual assault. 

The ability to be aware of the self, but not of the body or surroundings during non-dream sleep. It was a form of deep meditation, requiring him to distance himself from his physical nature. 

The hardest part was getting rid of the mental blockage clouding his mind to achieve such a state. It was the very psychological clutter he had to banish which was the cause for needing this coping mechanism in the first place. 

It was a way to help him rest enough to replenish his energy supply but would keep him responsive enough to perceive a threat. 

It hadn’t come easy to him at first but once he’d mastered it he often found himself falling into this state without meaning to. 

He knew the signs upon awakening, how he would never feel quite as rested as if he’d slept properly, how he could recall various movements and noises during the night. 

And this was how he found himself this morning, not quite asleep, yet not awake. He knew it for what it was and it would be easy for him to rouse himself completely. But once he allowed himself to reach that fully conscious state he would have to face reality and for that he wasn’t quite ready. 

But it was inevitable. The bleach was starting to burn his nose, causing his stomach to turn violently. He knew it was unlikely he had anything left in him to vomit after last night but it didn’t stop him feeling nauseous. 

His fingers of his right hand twitched against the floorboards, his mind starting to flicker, reality just within his grasp. 

He was in an incredible amount of pain. He had pushed himself way too hard since his accident and every part of his body from the top of his head down to his toes growled in agony. 

He didn’t wait to let himself adjust to the wakefulness, he forced himself to his feet before the pain grew any worse. He tried to ignore it and went to the bathroom for some Tylenol and his paroxetine. 

He knew what needed to be done. Maybe it would be easier while his mind wasn’t yet fully with it. 

Shuffling back to his bedroom he opened the bottom drawer of his nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed. He pulled out a manilla folder and a few other items which he set in his lap. 

His good hand trembled as his fingers brushed over them and he hoped to keep his brain in this foggy just woken state for a little while longer so he might be able to do this. 

When he’d moved to Bandera he’d gone through two separate courses of therapy to try and help him process what he’d been through. 

The first was Stress Inoculation Therapy, a psychotherapy technique intended to help patients prepare themselves in advance to handle stressful events successfully with minimal upset. 

SIT was broken down into three stages - education, skill building and application. His manilla file was full of papers regarding the first two stages. 

His therapist had given him information and encouraged him to do his own research on rape and sexual assault factors. Spencer didn’t need to do his own research as it was all already in his head. 

It was supposed to teach cues that triggered the trauma within him but again, it wasn’t hard for him to understand what those were. Sexual contact. Alpha males. Loss of control. 

During the skill building his therapist had tried to help control his fear reaction. He had been encouraged to use mental rehearsal and guided self talk. He opened the folder and flicked through the pages to find the small scrap of paper with his own scrawly handwriting on. 

I was sexually assaulted, but I am not a victim. I was coerced but I am not weak. I am in control of my own body, of my own mind. I will not let them win, I will not let them ruin my life. 

I didn’t deserve what happened to me. I am a good person. I am a strong person. I will move past this. I won't let them break me. I am still worthy of love and affection. I am still whole.

I am still whole. 

He gripped the paper, his nails digging into the flimsy material as he read his own words over in his head. His chest heaved and he clenched his jaw tightly. 

It was supposed to serve as a reminder to himself that this wasn’t the be all and end all of his life. He’d suffered something exponentially cruel, for which he didn’t deserve but it wasn’t the end of his life. 

He was still whole, whether he believed that or not. This self penned affirmation was supposed to help him remember that. 

He tucked the paper back between some other sheets so he didn’t have to look at it anymore. It wasn’t supposed to be the end of his life but it damn near felt like it. 

The application stage of SIT was the biggest bump in the road. His therapist encouraged him to use his new skills to engage in the fearful behaviour which in his case was sexual contact.

It had taken him weeks to even attempt this part. He’d told his therapist of a man named Grant who owned a nearby ranch and worked part time at a local BBQ joint. He was around Spencer’s age and undeniably handsome. 

He’d caught Grant’s eye on occasion in town. The two often exchanged smiles in the general store or whilst passing on their respective steeds. Spencer knew well enough that Grant was interested in him. 

At his therapist's encouragement, after weeks of her trying to prod him to take this next step, eventually Spencer had asked Grant to join him for a drink. Grant had readily accepted. 

Spencer had been more nervous than he ever remembered being as he got ready for his date and rode Willow down to the 11th Street Bar. 

But he never made it inside. And after standing Grant up, the man never even so much as made eye contact with him again. 

His therapist explained, although Spencer already understood this, that due to the nature of his assault being carried out by men, it might be easier for him to ease himself back into the engagement of this behaviour with a woman. 

Spencer shut this idea down. He’d always been slightly more interested in men, in the few sexual encounters he’d experienced with either gender, he always found being with men more fulfilling. 

And thus she had suggested another form of therapy when he couldn’t move past the second stage. This time was Prolonged Exposure Therapy. 

This somehow was more gruelling than SIT. It involved him having to recount, in intricate detail, his rape over and over again. 

He had to recall the sounds, the smells, the feelings. He had to dive deep into what he experienced before, during and in the aftermath. 

Again and again. Over and over. It was only on approximately the fiftieth recitation that he’d let slip that he’d gotten erect during the act. 

It was a piece of information he’d decided early on into his therapy he was going to keep undisclosed. Obviously it was incredibly pertinent, but Spencer already felt vulnerable enough and didn’t want to admit this facet to his therapist or even himself truly.

His therapist had cut him off with a simple, “ah”. She went on to explain that this was a salient part of why he may not be able to let himself move past his assault and lightly chided him for not being more forthcoming with this earlier. 

He’d reluctantly then had to explain in great detail his apparent erectile dysfunction and the guilt he suffered over getting aroused while they assaulted him. This had then led her to ask about his sexual history. 

He’d been adverse at first, not thinking his past could bear any weight on what he was currently experiencing. But even geniuses were wrong sometimes. 

He gave a brief rundown on his limited past experiences including - much to his embarrassment - his feelings towards self stimulation. 

After going into too much detail for his liking, his therapist had offered him an explanation, able to give a name to what he was experiencing. 

In her opinion, it sounded like graysexuality. People who identify as graysexual feel infrequent sexual attraction, less desire to engage in sexual activity. That’s not to say he never did, but his impulses were few and far between, even before his ordeal in prison. 

It was on the same spectrum as asexuality, and stems from the idea that sexuality isn’t black or white and there is a gray area that many people fall into. 

She didn’t believe it was anything to with libido after he’d reluctantly spoken in depth of his and Luke’s sex life. Prior to prison, they could barely keep their hands off of each other, often spending entire days off together in the throes of passion. 

When she’d told him her understanding of the term, graysexuals don’t see sex as important, not in the way some others do. They do feel sexual attraction but not very often and only in certain circumstances. 

She also believed he may fall somewhere on the demisexual spectrum as his most intense physical relationship had been Luke, someone he had a prior emotional bond with. 

When Spencer had grown confused and questioned how he could be both she’d simply told him that orientation was constantly switching, sexuality was a spectrum and we are consistently roving up and down the scale. 

Years later he would be sitting on his porch with you, a woman he barely knew and explaining his sexuality in much the same manner as his therapist had explained to him. 

It made sense to him, he understood and it made him feel a little better to know that there were words that existed to describe what he was feeling. He made him feel less alone, knowing that he wasn’t the only person that was going through these things.

As was par for the course with Prolonged Exposure Therapy, his recital of his abuse was recorded. One of the items in his lap was the cassette tape of his own full admission of what he’d gone through at Milburn. 

He’d never listened to it, he couldn’t bring himself to, no matter how much his therapist tried to encourage him to do so. It was supposed to help distance himself from it, listen to the confession from the sidelines as though he were a bystander. 

“Doctor Reid, as an agent with the BAU I can only imagine how many times you had to listen to people recount the horrible things they’d gone through. Hearing your own retelling might allow you to be objective the way you might be with a victim interview.” 

She was right and he knew it. But he couldn’t listen to it. He knew he never would. 

Exhausting most of her options on a patient who often seemed as though he didn’t want to get better, her final instruction before Spencer stopped seeing her was for him to at the very least make a concerted effort to try masturbating more frequently. 

After she’d dropped that frankly horrifying piece of advice, Spencer had never returned to her office. 

He stuffed the folder and cassette away again, shaking his head at his own intrusive train of thoughts. Revisiting this was not going to make things better, he had to power on, accept the things he couldn’t change as his former drug rehabilitation taught him. 

If only it were that easy. 

He forced himself to shower despite the pain he was in, before dressing and eating a bowl of cereal in a thinly veiled attempt to energise himself for the day ahead. 

***

When a gentle knock sounded at the door of the lodge you were sitting on the edge of the bed with a towel wrapped around you after your shower. 

You scrambled to quickly throw some clothes on but by the time you made it to the door, swinging it open, no one was there. 

Brows furrowing you looked around and caught a glimpse of Spencer’s retreating form as he limped in the direction of the stables. He’d barely given you time to answer, what had he even bothered knocking for? 

Shaking your head you went to recede back inside but noticed something on the floor in front of the door. 

A red tray, the likes of which reminded you of high school, lay on the porch with an array of items on top. 

You bent down and lifted the tray, careful not to drop anything while you stepped back in the cabin and nudged the door closed with your hip. You cautiously carried it to the kitchen counter and set it down. 

A large mug in the shape of an octopus had steam rising from it and after a cursory sniff you knew it to be honey and lemon tea. Next to it, a small glass containing thick, pulpy orange juice. 

The bowl in the centre of the tray housed cereal and there was another small glass filled with milk presumably to pour on it. 

Wedged under the spoon was a small scrap of paper with almost completely illegible writing scrawled on it. It took several minutes to ascertain what it said. 

I’m sorry about last night, I hope that things can remain amicable between us. I’ll be at the stable if you feel like joining me. I’d understand if you didn’t. 

Spencer 

A smile crept to your lips and you pocketed the paper. You downed the orange juice in one before pouring the milk upon the cereal and taking the bowl and mug of tea over to the couch. 

It was almost impossible not to feel slightly scorned by his sudden change of demeanour last night. The way he’d changed so dramatically, like a light switch had been flicked had hurt and there was no other way around it. 

But that’s not to say you didn’t understand. 

It was startlingly apparent to you that Spencer had suffered some kind of psychological trauma, possibly even physical trauma. You wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’d endured some kind of sexual assault judging by the way he panicked at the simple act of your hand palming him through his slacks. 

Or were you just drawing connections where there weren’t any? He’d said himself his sexuality wavered across the spectrum, perhaps when it came down to it, the possibility of being with a woman hadn’t appealed to him and he’d overreacted.  

You didn’t intend to bring it up either way so you supposed you could either bother yourself worrying about it or just let it go. 

You chose the latter. 

You ate your cereal and drank the tea before brushing your teeth. You went to slip your sneakers on but before you reached the door, you had a change of heart.

***

“I only called because…no, no…you have to stop - please. No…I said…please just listen to me for a moment? Yes, I know…I get it I do. I-I…you’re not letting me speak. You have to…it’s been two years I…no. Please? I just want…need…to heal. Yes. No. Please can you…yes, yes I know. I need…space…more space. In time I might…I don’t kn - no, no. Okay. Thank you…I’ll try…you too.” 

You told yourself you hadn’t meant to eavesdrop again on Spencer’s phone conversation. When you’d approached the stable you’d heard his voice and at first assumed he was talking to his horses. 

But his feverish tone and staggered breaths gave you pause. You didn’t want to interrupt or interfere so you’d hung back. 

When he hung up the phone you could only assume by his fractured expression and slightly trembling hand that he’d been talking to his ex - Luke you reminded yourself - the strangely familiar Luke. 

He was sitting on a wooden chest in the far corner of the stable, opposite Willow’s paddock. He slotted the phone into his pocket and leaned forward, his casted arm cradled against his stomach while his other elbow rested on his thigh. 

His hand scored up and down his face, kneading between his brows, pinching his nose, rubbing his scratchy facial hair, back up to the nose, the brows and so on. 

You waited a little while longer to enter for two reasons. One, if you strolled in now he’d know you’d heard something and two, he clearly needed a moment. 

You leaned against the side of the stable and counted slowly to one hundred in your head before you moved back toward the door and opened it. 

The creaking of the hinges alerted Spencer to your presence and he immediately looked up, plastering a smile on his face you knew wasn’t genuine. 

“Oh, uh, hi.” He cautiously pushed himself up, groaning a little as he did so. “I, uh…wasn’t sure you’d be…here.” 

You offered him a smile in return, taking a few steps into the stable, trying to ignore the watchful eyes of the large black horse. 

You felt an uneasy pang in your chest as you took him in. He wore a pair of black jeans which fit him so well it should have been illegal, paired with a dark green button up flannel shirt. His black stetson had been replaced by a beige one with a large brim. 

His hair seemed to be perfectly curled beneath the hat as though he’d spent hours on it. The few days worth of stubble growth on his face made him appear rugged. 

He looked delectable and it didn’t seem fair. 

“Thanks for breakfast.” You spoke as you got a little closer. 

“Oh it’s no problem, I uh…” his eyes wandered, downwards to the floor and he trailed off as he noticed the fire engine red boots on your feet. His eyes snapped back up to your face. “You’re wearing the riding boots.” 

“I am.” You nodded. “You’re astute.” 

“You’re willing to learn how to ride?” He cocked an eyebrow at you. 

“I don’t feel as though I have a lot of choice in the matter, seeing as you can barely walk.” You chuckled lightly. 

“Full disclosure, I have never taught someone to ride a horse before.” 

“This is going to be fun then.” You started towards Willow’s paddock, placing your hands on the gate keeping her enclosed. 

“Oh, uh, you won’t be riding her just yet.” Spencer’s voice stopped you before you could open it. 

You looked at him over your shoulder with confusion. 

“Why?” 

“She’s more of a handful. You need to be a lot more experienced before you can handle her. But Franklin is a great horse for novices.” He moved down towards the black horse which was still giving you a stern look.

“Him? No way. He hates me.” You shook your head. 

“He does not.” Spencer scoffed, unlatching the end gate. 

“He looks at me funny.” You grumbled. 

“Did you try giving him attention?” Spencer swung open the gate and stepped inside. 

Franklin shuffled closer to him and bowed his head until it was resting on Spencer’s shoulder. In turn Spencer stroked his mane and cooed in his ear. 

“He doesn’t like to be ignored.” Spencer cradled the stallion's head while you took a few cautious steps closer. 

“He’s a horse.” You clucked somewhat indignantly. 

“A horse with feelings and a personality.” Spencer laughed, fingers brushing to and fro in his mane. “Frank is sensitive. Willow gets most of the attention around here and he feels that deeply. Wilbur is aloof, doesn’t need the same level of attention. As long as he’s being fed and groomed he’s pretty content. 

“Willow is my main companion and she goes everywhere with me and it does grate on Frank. He gets jealous I suppose. He would have seen you bringing Willow home and thought there’s someone else who prefers her over me. I’d bet you didn’t even try to engage him?” 

“He scared me, I guess, the way he was looking at me. I didn’t want to get my hand bitten off.”

To this, Spencer laughed again, edging himself away from Franklin and closer to you. He held out his good hand palm side up, fingers spread. 

“Put your hand in mine, back of the hand to my palm.” He looked at you encouragingly. 

You swallowed thickly, tentatively stepping inside Frank’s paddock. You did as Spencer instructed and cradled the back of your hand against his palm. 

Spencer’s fingers thread through yours and moved both your entwined hands closer to the horse's head. 

Spencer didn’t have to do all the work as Franklin met you halfway, practically forcing the side of his face into your palm. 

He made a soft sound of content by way of air rushing out of his large nostrils as he nuzzled against you. Spencer wiggled his fingers, which moved yours too, so you were scratching the horse's coarse head. 

“See?” Spencer smiled at you. “He likes you already. Try taking your other hand and brushing it through his mane, he likes that.” 

Rolling your lip between your teeth, you raised your other hand towards his hair. You curled your fingers and brushed your knuckles through his thick, dark mane. 

Once again Franklin huffed out a breath of thanks. A soft giggle left your lips at the sound he made and Spencer was smiling to himself, unable to stop watching you. 

Even when you started moving your hand of your own accord, Spencer kept his fingers laced with yours, allowing you to move his too. 

“Maybe he’s not so bad.” You agreed, making quiet clicking sounds with your tongue against your teeth which Franklin seemed receptive to. 

“Trust me when I say he’s the horse you want to practise on. Wilbur’s all about speed, Willow is tempermental unless you know her like I do. But Frank is as laid back as they come.” Reluctantly, Spencer let his hand slip from yours but you continued stroking him. 

“Okay, so how does one ride a horse?” You asked without looking at him.

“One must first learn how to properly saddle a horse.” He chuckled, limping back over towards the wall where the saddle equipment hung. 

Spencer had already fitted Franklin’s bridle which was tied to the fence in his paddock in anticipation of this. He grabbed one of the brushes off the wall and limped back over to you. 

“First we’re gonna need to groom him.” He sidled around you, side stepping you and trying to ignore the pulsing in his knee as he trod precariously. 

You heard the overt puff of air leave his lips and glanced at him, at the reddening in his ears and cheeks, his stiff jaw. 

“You okay?” You removed one hand from Franklin and reached for him but he brushed you off. 

“Fine, fine.” He shook it off. “Just, keep doing what you’re doing.” 

His jaw remained clenched while he went about brushing down Franklin’s back and you remained stroking his face. Spencer gave attention to the horse's sides, his belly and rear before running the brush through his tail and then passing it to you to do the same to his mane. 

Keeping one hand on Franklin’s snout you used the other to brush his knotty locks and he huffed again in appreciation. 

Spencer hobbled around you, back to the wall and then returned with something for which swapped with you for the brush. 

“This is a saddle pad. It helps protect his back and keep the saddle in place.” He guided you without touching you to Franklin’s left side. “It wants to sit just below his mane.” 

You draped the slightly squishy fabric over Frank’s back, as instructed, letting it rest just beneath the stallion's mane. 

“Is that okay?” You looked back at Spencer who was nodding. 

“Perfect. Can you…” he nodded towards the wall. “Grab the saddle closest to us?” 

He was bent over a little, massaging his knee between his fingers. You understood that he was struggling with the simple back and forth. 

You slid past him and unhooked the saddle from its wall mounted position and carried it back into Frank’s paddock. 

“So this is the saddle horn,” he pointed to one end which protruded from the leather saddle, almost looking like the top of a stick shift. “You want this at the front. Place the saddle on his back just like with the pad…yep that’s it. Toss the stirrup and the cinches up so they are out of the way.” 

You did as he said before turning to him with a flourish of your hands. 

“I’m a natural.” You joked. 

Spencer simply rolled his eyes. 

“Give it a little rock back and forth to make sure it’s sitting comfortably. Great, looks good and make sure the centre of the saddle is lined up with his spine.” Spencer inspected it himself. “The stirrups should be even on both sides and the saddle should be just below his shoulder blades.” 

You fidgeted with the saddle a little, ensuring it was in the correct position. Spencer shuffled it down slightly before giving a nod of approval. 

“Okay now we need to secure the front cinch, this is really important. So you’re going to pull the cinch under his belly, towards you, and slip the latigo strap down through the cinch buckle. Pull it all the way through and make sure neither the cinch nor the latigo strap are twisted.” He pointed out each new thing he explained. 

“Like this?” You worked on following his instruction. 

“Perfect. Now lift the latigo and slip it through the saddle’s D-ring, from outside-in and leaving the ring angled towards the left. Make the cinch snug, but not overly so. Do the same again a few times if there’s still a lot of length left in the latigo strap. Yeah, that’s great.” He nodded. 

Spencer continued to talk you through the process and you followed each step. When confused you asked questions and he was quick to explain himself. 

You then moved onto securing the rear cinch. Franklin remained still throughout the whole thing, clearly used to this procedure. 

“Great, that looks great. Now if you were on your own you’d untie his reins from the fence before mounting him but in the interest of everyone’s safety I can untie it after you’re up.” Spencer took a step back. 

“Okay, how does this part work then?” You gulped, a sudden flood of nerves washing over you. 

“You’ll be fine,” Spencer tried to sooth you, sensing your fears. “Step up on that mounting block for me.” 

You turned around and spotted the little wooden steps you assumed he meant and climbed up them. Spencer meanwhile clicked his tongue at Franklin and with a series of hand gestures the horse was moving into place next to you. 

“What are you, the horse whisperer?” You scoffed. 

Spencer placed his hand on the side of Franklin’s neck to keep him still although Franklin could usually be trusted he didn’t want to take any chances.

“Okay use your left hand to grip the saddle horn and your left foot in the stirrup. That’s it. Rest your weight on the ball of your foot, shift your body weight onto your mounting foot and swing your other leg over the top of the horse. One swift move.” 

You sucked in a breath and before you could let the nerves get the better of you, you took the leap. Using your left foot to take most of your weight, you swung your right leg up and over his body, plopping down into the saddle and making Franklin jolt a little. 

“Oof, careful. Next time try to slowly lower yourself down.” Spencer chuckled, giving Frank a pat. “You alright boy?” 

“Sorry,” you baulked. 

“It’s okay, he’s tough, he can handle it. Get your right foot in that stirrup.” Spencer rounded the horse, making quick work of untying the reins from the fence. “Right I’ll keep hold of these while we head up to the field. Once we’re in there I’ll give them to you and give you some pointers. You good to go Frank?” 

With a light tug on the reins, Frank neighed at his owner before he jolted forward. You wobbled in the saddle, your right hand joining your left on the horn and holding on for dear life. 

Spencer used the reins to guide Franklin out of the stable and briefly let them go so he could latch the door closed behind you. 

Moving again and you wobbled once more, the ground beneath you not entirely level and you felt yourself swaying side to side.

“You sure this is safe?” You whined a little. 

“Very, Frank knows what he’s doing, trust me.” Spencer chuckled. 

“I, uh…whoa, Jesus.” You groaned as you wobbled to the left. “This does not feel natural.” 

“Tell you the truth, I hated horse riding when I first moved out here.” Spencer told you as he led the horse up towards the field. 

It was a slight incline and you felt yourself slipping back a little, hitting the raised back of the saddle and whining a little. 

“You? Mister big tough cowboy?” You clucked but your voice gave way to your nerves.

“Not always the case. I had these crises of faith where I just thought, what the hell have I done? I don’t even like horses!” He chuckled. As if he understood, Franklin made a noise of frustration. “Calm down Frank, that was a long time ago.” 

“What was it about this place for you? You wanted to get away, to escape your city life, I get that. But why here specifically?” You tried to hide the tremor in your voice as Franklin dipped while he walked. 

“I wanted a simple life I guess.” Spencer shrugged, looking a little wistful. “My whole life people have depended on me, ever since I was a little kid. I’d been in the same job since I was twenty two years old and although I loved it, it took a toll on me, both mentally and physically. I couldn’t keep up with the demands and I’d always appreciated the idea of living off the grid with nothing but land and animals to rely on me. It’s…I suppose it’s rewarding in its own way and I still needed something to occupy me so I figured why not this.” 

You mused over his words, your eyebrows furrowed whilst trying to ignore the way you bucked as Franklin moved. 

“Spencer, you weren’t a psychology professor, were you?” You dared ask. 

His back straightened a little as you reached the brow of the hill and he continued down as you had to brace yourself on the horn. 

“No, I wasn’t. I mean, yeah I was for a while. I lectured from time to time. But no, it wasn’t my main profession.” He confessed, swallowing thickly. 

“What did you do?” 

“If it’s okay with you, I don’t want to talk about it. I spent fifteen years of my life being defined by my job and part of the appeal of this place is that no one knows who I was in my former life. I might tell you, one day, but for now I’d rather not be that person anymore.” 

You couldn’t argue with that. You also favoured not being defined by your past. It didn’t matter where he’d come from, what he’d done for a living, the same way it didn’t matter where you’d been. All that mattered was the two of you were here now. 

“Understood. I don’t mean to pry.” You replied and Spencer offered you a small smile in return. Still holding onto the saddle horn for dear life, the path started to flatten out but was still bumpy under Franklin’s hooves. 

Soon you came across a large fenced off area with a ravine babbling just behind it. Spencer had to briefly drop the reins so he could open the gate before leading Frank inside. 

You watched Spencer inquisitively. You did understand not wanting to reveal too much of your personal life but it didn’t stop you wanting to know more about him. 

He was a mystery, you couldn’t work him out. But you wanted to. You wanted to know everything about him. Maybe one day he’d feel comfortable opening up to you, and perhaps you’d even return the favour. 

But for now he remained an enigma.

***

After a fairly rocky first horse riding lesson in which you were convinced you were going to die at the hands of this horse, you helped Spencer clean the stables and feed his animals. 

He made sandwiches for lunch as well as honey and lemon tea. After lunch he’d introduced you to his cattle. 

When he noticed you wincing as you walked he offered you some hydrocortisone ointment, telling you it was normal for your thighs to chafe when you were learning to ride.

The ointment helped and it was a good job too as you had to walk into town to collect your car. Spencer tried to insist he could cope with the walk but you’d seen the way he’d been grimacing all day and you insisted he stay behind. 

You found an ice pack in his freezer and forced him to sit down and ice his knee. It didn’t take a lot of convincing.

He’d called in an order at Busbee’s BBQ which you would collect while you were in town for dinner. 

It was little under a two mile walk which you didn’t remember being so long in your drunken state yesterday. The sun was setting and thankfully the heat and humidity had died down but it wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience. 

You found the BBQ joint with relative ease, just a little way down the road from where you parked your car the previous day. A handsome man named Grant handed you your food with a dazzling smile. You tipped him generously. 

You made quick work driving back to the ranch and carried the food up to Spencer’s lodge, your thighs rubbing from your walk and the horse. You headed up the stairs, the light from the living room illuminating your path. 

Spencer wasn’t where you left him on the couch and the ice pack was discarded on the floor in a little puddle where it had started to melt. You weren’t sure why but the hairs on the back of your neck were standing to attention in an instant, your gut telling you something wasn’t right. 

You put the bags of food on the kitchen counter and padded towards the closed bedroom door, taking quiet, even steps. You breathed silently, pressing your ear against the wood. 

You didn’t hear much other than slightly ragged breaths, sharply inhaling and then exhaling with aggression. Your first thought was that Spencer was indulging in some alone time and you almost turned and left, not wanting to invade his privacy again. 

But then you heard a sound which was more of a moan of pain than one of pleasure. He’d been struggling all day with his knee, that much was obvious. Maybe he needed some assistance. 

You gently rapped on the door with your knuckles and called his name. No response. You tried again but still no reply. 

You weighed up your options. On one hand you didn’t want to irritate him by just barging in, he might not be responding because he didn’t want to see you. But on the other hand he could be really hurt and would you be able to forgive yourself if you didn’t try to help?

You knocked again, spoke his name a little louder. You were met with no more than a grunt. 

“Spencer?” You tried again, louder still. “Spencer, I’m going to need you to let me know you’re okay.” 

Yet more silence. 

“Spencer, if you don’t answer me I am going to come in. If you don’t want that then tell me now, otherwise I am opening this door.” You paused, held your breath. No answer. “Fine, I’m coming in.” 

You gripped the handle, pushed open the door. 

A cursory glance around the room and your heart tightened in your chest, your body momentarily going limp at the sight in front of you. 

Spencer sat on the edge of his bed, naked from the waist up. At his feet on the floor were the smashed remains of his old cell phone. But that wasn’t what alarmed you. 

In his limp right hand a silver piece of metal glistened as it caught the light. But it was his left bicep for which you couldn’t tear your eyes away. 

His left bicep and the fresh open wound which was spitting with blood, caking his arm, dripping onto the bed sheets. 

But the scariest part of all was how Spencer didn’t even seem to notice. He didn’t seem aware that you were even there. 

His expressionless eyes were trained somewhere across the room, his chapped lips moving as though he were chanting.

“S-Spencer?” You croaked but he didn’t register you. 

You swallowed, unsticking your tongue from the roof of your mouth and cautiously approaching him. When you drew closer you could hear a haggard, monotone whisper of words leaving his lips. 

You crouched in front of his eyeline to try and get his attention but even when he had nowhere else to look, his eyes bore through you like you weren’t even there. 

And he continued to mutter under his breath, “I am still whole. I am still whole. I am still whole.” 

@kalulakunundrum @small-and-violent @voledart @katrina0-0 @bakugouswh0r3

[mobilehealth]

6 Traits To Know Concerning Health And Wellness Treatment Facilities In Massachusetts

Massachusetts is home to a selection of health treatment facilities that deal with diverse clinical necessities. Coming from psychological health services to dependency recuperation as well as focused healthcare, these centers use extensive support to individuals looking for support. Recognizing the crucial facets of these centers can help you make educated decisions concerning the very best possibilities for yourself or even your really loved ones. Here are actually 6 necessary things to understand about health treatment centers in Massachusetts.

1. Diverse Range of Services

Massachusetts wellness treatment facilities use a broad spectrum of services to deal with different health needs. These include major treatment, focused clinical treatments, mental hospital, obsession treatment, and rehabilitative care. Facilities including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and also Women's Hospital, as well as Boston Children's Hospital provide top-tier clinical services. Additionally, several outpatient facilities and also neighborhood university hospital ensure that comprehensive care comes to all homeowners.

2. Mental Health and Addiction Services

The condition possesses a sturdy concentration on mental health rehabs Massachusetts. Centers like McLean Hospital, renowned for psychiatric care, and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation offer specific services for people battling with psychological health problems and element make use of problems. These centers supply both inpatient as well as outpatient programs, including cleansing, therapy, therapy, as well as aftercare support, making certain an alternative approach to healing.

3. Impressive as well as Cutting-Edge Treatments

Massachusetts is actually home to a few of the most sophisticated health care analysis organizations, like the Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute. As an outcome, health treatment centers in the condition commonly possess access to advanced procedures as well as technologies. People gain from the most up-to-date advancements in clinical scientific research, featuring speculative treatments and also involvement in medical tests. This innovation reaches customized medication, where treatments are actually tailored to the hereditary profile of the patient.

4. Alternative as well as Integrative Approaches

Lots of Massachusetts mental health treatment centers centers embrace holistic as well as combining techniques to care. This consists of mixing standard medical procedures with substitute therapies like traditional chinese medicine, massage therapy, yoga, and nutritional guidance. The Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, for example, combines mind-body procedures to help manage stress as well as strengthen total well-being. This method makes sure that treatment deals with certainly not just bodily wellness yet likewise psychological and psychological health.

5. Pay Attention To Preventive Care

Preventive treatment is actually a keystone of the health care body in Massachusetts. Health and wellness treatment facilities focus on the importance of frequent examinations, assessments, as well as inoculations to avoid ailments prior to they occur. Plans intended for advertising healthy and balanced lifestyles, including smoking termination, weight control, and also fitness, are largely accessible. This proactive strategy aids to reduce the occurrence of severe ailments as well as enhances the general wellness of the populace.

6. Patient-Centered Care and Accessibility

Patient-centered treatment is an essential guideline in -LRB-xx-RRB-. This indicates that health care carriers prioritize the needs as well as choices of people, making certain that they are active participants in their treatment selections. The condition likewise makes every effort to help make health care obtainable to all its residents. The Massachusetts Mental Health Connector, the state's health and wellness insurance policy market, assists people and households locate inexpensive wellness insurance policy plannings. In addition, community wellness facilities play a critical duty in providing care to underserved populaces, guaranteeing that every person has access to important health services.

Verdict

Massachusetts wellness treatment centers stand apart for their extensive and also patient-centered treatment. Along with an unique series of solutions, a tough pay attention to mental health and wellness as well as dependence, access to impressive procedures, all natural methods, precautionary treatment, as well as initiatives to guarantee accessibility, these centers are well-equipped to meet the wellness necessities of their population. Whether looking for medical care, concentrated treatment, or even assistance for mental health and wellness and addiction, locals of Massachusetts can rely upon these centers for top quality medical care.

[polarhottubs]

Chilling Out: Understanding the Scientific Principles of Cold Water Therapy

Cold water therapy, though seemingly simple, holds profound benefits for both the body and mind. From boosting circulation to improving mood, its effects are backed by scientific research. Let’s dig deep into the science behind cold water therapy, shedding light on how this ancient practice continues to offer modern-day advantages.

The Physiology of Cold Water Therapy:

When exposed to cold water, blood vessels constrict, redirecting blood flow to vital organs to maintain core temperature.

As the body adapts to the cold, blood vessels dilate, increasing circulation and facilitating the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tissues.

Enhanced Immune Response:

Cold water immersion stimulates the production of white blood cells, bolstering the immune system's ability to combat infections and pathogens.

Research suggests that regular cold water exposure may reduce the incidence of colds and other respiratory illnesses.

Neurological Effects:

The shock of cold water triggers the release of neurotransmitters like adrenaline and endorphins.

Adrenaline heightens alertness and focus, while endorphins induce feelings of well-being and euphoria, contributing to a positive mood.

Muscle Recovery and Inflammation Reduction:

Athletes often use cold water therapy to expedite muscle recovery and alleviate post-exercise soreness.

Cold water immersion reduces inflammation by constricting blood vessels and limiting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Metabolic Boost and Weight Management:

Exposure to cold temperatures activates brown adipose tissue, a type of fat that burns calories to generate heat.

Cold water therapy may increase metabolic rate, contributing to weight loss and improved body composition over time.

Psychological Resilience and Stress Reduction:

Cold water therapy serves as a form of stress inoculation, teaching the body to adapt to discomfort and adversity.

Regular exposure to cold water may enhance resilience to stress and promote a sense of mental toughness.

Skin and Hair Health:

Cold water rinses tighten pores, reduce inflammation, and promote healthy skin tone.

Cold water can also seal the hair cuticle, making hair appear smoother and shinier.

Conclusion:

The benefits of cold water therapy extend far beyond the initial shock of immersion. From physiological improvements to psychological resilience, its effects are rooted in scientific principles. By understanding the science behind cold water therapy, we can harness its potential to enhance health, well-being, and vitality. Whether through cold showers, ice baths, or outdoor swims, incorporating cold water immersion into our routines offers a refreshing and invigorating path to optimal health. Contact Polar Hot Tubs today.

[pvdpsychological]

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Therapist

One category of psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapies (CBT), is very effective. Cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy and stress inoculation therapy are among the types of CBT used to treat PTSD.

[r0hitdhiman]

Unraveling the Benefits of Health Insurance: Your Guide to Financial Wellness

In an undeniably questionable world, where medical crises can strike out of the blue, having a well-being net for your health and funds has never been more critical. This well-being net comes as health insurance, an indispensable instrument that gives an inward feeling of harmony and monetary security during seasons of medical need. In this complete aid, we will dig into the universe of health insurance, investigating its advantages, types, and the significance of getting your future through a solid insurance supplier.

Understanding Health Insurance: A Lifeline of Financial Security

Health insurance is something beyond an agreement; a help guarantees you and your friends and family get the best medical care without the additional weight of extreme costs. At the point when a medical emergency emerges, the last thing you ought to stress over is the way to pay for it. Health insurance steps in to overcome any barrier between quality healthcare and moderation.

The Advantages of Health Insurance

Monetary Security: Medical therapies and emergency clinic stays can deplete your reserve funds quickly. Health insurance is a monetary defence, covering a huge piece of your medical costs and keeping you from falling into an obligation winding.

Admittance to Quality Healthcare: With health insurance, you can get to an organization of healthcare suppliers, trained professionals, and emergency clinics. This guarantees that you get opportune and appropriate medical consideration, prompting better therapy results.

Preventive Care: Numerous health insurance plans offer coverage for preventive administrations like inoculations, screenings, and wellbeing check-ups. By zeroing in on counteraction, you can keep away from potential health issues down the line.

Inner harmony: Realizing that you and your family are covered by health insurance awards you true serenity. You can confront life's vulnerabilities with certainty, realizing that your health and funds are safeguarded.

Types of Health Insurance

Individual Health Insurance: This type of insurance covers a singular's medical costs. Ideal for those who are independently employed or don't approach business-supported plans.

Family Health Insurance: Intended to cover a whole family, this plan stretches out its advantages to your life partner, kids, and in some cases, even guardians. It guarantees exhaustive coverage for all relatives.

Business Supported Insurance: Numerous businesses give health insurance as a component of their advantages package. This type of insurance frequently accompanies lower expenses and more extensive coverage choices.

Group Health Insurance: Like boss-supported insurance, bunch health insurance is presented by associations or relationships to their individuals. It's a practical method for giving coverage to a bigger gathering.

The Significance of Bimabandhu.in

With regards to exploring the mind-boggling universe of insurance, assets like Bimabandhu.in end up being important. Bimabandhu.in is your go-to objective for insurance-related blogs, guides, and master exhortation. Whether you're a first-time insurance purchaser or hoping to switch plans, Bimabandhu.in offers bits of knowledge that work on your dynamic cycle. Their obligation to demystify insurance language and give cutting-edge data separates them as a believed asset in the insurance scene.

Securing Your Future: Taking the First Step

Health insurance isn't simply an extravagance; a need enables you to assume command over your health and funds. Whether you're youthful and healthy or becoming older, the flighty idea of life makes health insurance a crucial resource. Do not hold on until a medical emergency strikes; secure your future today by putting resources into a complete health insurance plan.

Remember, your health is your riches, and you can shield both with the right health insurance. Thus, go all in, investigate your choices, and leave on an excursion towards monetary health and genuine serenity.

In conclusion, health insurance rises above being a simple monetary instrument; it's a safeguard against the obscure, an accomplice in your healthcare process, and a demonstration of your obligation to all-encompassing prosperity. Make the stride today, secure your tomorrow.

[priestessofspiders]

The Doll

I want to preface this by saying that I am not some sort of creep. I'm not an incel spending all my spare time lamenting that women won't have sex with me because of my jaw structure, and I'm not some sick pervert with such elaborate and bizarre fantasies that real women can't satisfy me. I bought a sex doll because I am, quite frankly, anxious to the point of near-disability.

It gives me no pleasure to reveal that during my 25 years of life on this planet, I have never been so much as kissed. The very idea of being intimate with another human being, allowing myself to open up and express my feelings to another person, deeply terrifies me. I am so utterly horrified of doing something wrong, of making someone angry, of being an inconvenience, that I simply avoid as much contact as possible with other people.

I was extremely lucky to inherit my house from my parents after they passed away when I had freshly entered adulthood. I don't think I could have ever gone through the process of trying to find an apartment, much less find a roommate to split rent with. A cousin of mine at a local insurance company managed to land me an interview for a night shift janitorial position, and even though I vomited twice from stress before the interview itself, I did manage to get the job.

With a modest inheritance, a low cost of living, and no hobbies, I slowly began to acquire a decent bit of savings. Not a lot, mind you, I was still only a janitor, but enough to put some money away for the future. As the years passed, I started to become more and more lonely, with no way to alleviate the feeling.

Did you know that isolation can actually cause brain damage in humans? Long term effects of solitary confinement in prisoners can cause intense psychological and physiological issues, including chronic pain and psychosis. With my parents dead, the closest thing to social interaction I had anymore was passing by the night security guard on my way into the office building where I worked, and he had long since given up on trying to make small talk with me.

I was trapped between a rock and a hard place. I either let myself be driven to madness from loneliness, or attempt to somehow make friends when the very thought of trying to talk to another person made me feel physically nauseous. I won't lie, I did consider suicide as an alternative to both these options at times.

Some will say that the purchasing of the doll was a bit of a drastic measure, and that it would have been better to me to seek therapy or some other, more conventional, way to work through my anxiety. They're probably right, but what you have to understand is that the idea of "just" getting therapy to me felt about as easy as "just" scaling Mount Everest. Besides, the doll itself was never meant to be a complete solution in the first place.

My goal was to practice having some sort of relationship, to inoculate myself to the idea of interacting with a fellow human being until I could eventually discard the object and socialize properly with real people. I didn't even initially want to get a sex doll, at first I was considering just getting a clothing store dummy, but something about their facelessness and obvious artificial nature made me uncomfortable. Besides, I figured I would eventually need some sort of practice with the more intimate side of human interaction.

After a few weeks of scouring the internet, I found the model I was interested in. It cost me about 3,000 dollars, and was equipped with simulated body heat and the ability to realistically breathe and moan. I was most excited at the notion of the simulated body heat and breathing. Just the idea of the illusion of sleeping next to another person made me feel almost giddy, though it was a giddiness mixed with nausea. I vomited once before I managed to click the "add to cart" button.

It sounds embarrassing, I know, but I actually cleaned my house in expectation of my "guest". It was the closest thing I've ever had to inviting someone over, so I felt self-conscious about having the place I live in being a mess. I wanted to make a good impression.

When it finally arrived I hid in my living room for nearly 20 minutes until I was sure that the delivery driver had gone away. I double checked they were gone by peeking through the peephole, before finally dragging the box inside. Using a kitchen knife I clumsily cut open the cardboard to reveal its contents, and after removing the bubble wrap I immediately had to run to the kitchen sink to retch.

The reason for my nausea-inducing anxiety was the following; the doll was not shipped with any clothes. In retrospect it seems like it should have been obvious that this would be the case, but in the moment I felt betrayed and scared. Cutting open the box to reveal a naked human form was far too much for me in that moment, and I had to spend a few hours recovering. I had taken a week off from my work using my generous supply of built up vacation days (thank God for online time-off requests), so I wasn't too concerned about the delay this recovery caused. I had plenty of time.

I grabbed some pajamas from my dresser and set about the task of clothing the doll. It took a while, I had to take breaks to avoid stressing myself out too much, but I did eventually manage to cover it up. With that issue settled, I felt significantly more comfortable.

The doll was a little unnerving to look at, I'll admit that. People often talk about the "uncanny valley", the conceptual zone in which an object looks human enough to be disturbing, but not human enough to quite seem real. Sex dolls generally fall within this valley. They are designed, of course, for the sort of people who would buy a sex doll, and thus cater to this demographic's standards of beauty. Gone are any traces of imperfection, any of those so-called flaws that make one truly beautiful. Instead they are perfectly symmetrical, expressionless, and beautiful only by the standards of one so porn-addicted as to have no standard for proper comparison.

In some ways this unsettling appearance was helpful for my peace of mind. It helped to remind me that, as human as it looked like from a distance, in the end it was only a hunk of rubber and plastic, and that I didn't need to fear it. I decided to name the doll Elsie.

- - -

My first week spent with Elsie was less interesting than you might guess. It was about a day or two before I became fully comfortable talking "with" it. Before purchasing Elsie, my major outlet for my inner thoughts was a digital journal I kept on a cheap laptop, and so I wasn't especially used to saying much aloud. Before this, there would often go by weeks without me saying anything at all, there just wasn't any reason to do so.

However, when I finally did get into the habit of talking to Elsie, it rapidly became addictive. When you haven't had a chance to talk to anyone in literal years, even a life-sized silicone facsimile becomes appealing.

I talked about my job, about every detail of my workweek, from cleaning the toilets to vacuuming the carpets. I talked about my favorite movie (The Last Man on Earth), my favorite book (The Night Land), and what I liked to do in my free time (not much). I talked about my hopes and fears, my dreams and my ambitions. I must have spent hours at a time monologuing at Elsie. By this point I had started to see the doll as a "she" rather than an "it". As the days went on, I began to wish that Elsie could talk back, that her motionless rubber lips would part to laugh, or say something about herself.

It was on the last day of the first week when I finally slept with the doll. I don't mean that as a euphemism for anything sexual, I just mean literally sleeping next to her in the same bed. I'd never shared a bed with anyone before, and I suppose I still haven't, but it was nevertheless a novel experience for me. I pressed the carefully hidden buttons that activated her simulated breathing and body heat, tucked her into bed next to me, and lay there listening, feeling the faint warmth next to me. I slept more soundly than I had in years.

- - -

At first, my plan did seem to actually work. Getting a chance for even simulated social interaction did help to inoculate me against my anxiety, just a little bit. I managed to squeak out a "hello" to the night security guard on my way into work, and though he seemed a bit surprised, he didn't seem uncomfortable or creeped out, he just smiled and nodded at me.

I began to feel, genuinely, a little happier, a little more confident. It wasn't anything extreme though. When I went shopping I still had to go to the 24 hour supermarket right after my shift, when hardly anybody was around, and I still had to use the self checkout exclusively. I was far too scared to interact with a cashier. Once, a few years back, the self checkout lanes were closed for maintenance one night, and I didn't go grocery shopping for a week because I was too scared to call and check if they were up and running again. But now, I felt like maybe I would be able to make that phone call if it ever happened again.

The first sign that something might be wrong happened a month after I bought Elsie. I had left for work that evening with Elsie's hands placed in her lap, sitting on a chair in my bedroom. When I returned, her hands dangled at her sides. At the time, I fully assumed that I had either misremembered how I placed her, or perhaps the position in which I had placed her hands wasn't very stable, and they had slowly fallen down to her sides over time. I was a little scared, a bit nervous, but I was able to rationalize it.

This was just the first of Elsie's slight changes of position. When I came back from work, there would sometimes be slight differences from how I had left her, but at first there was never anything that seemed too unreasonable. If I had left her with legs crossed, they would be uncrossed when I got back. Hands folded on the table would be unfolded. An upright sitting position would become slightly slumped. Nothing that couldn't be explained by the force of gravity and slightly unstable positioning.

The more disturbing development happened when I was in bed one morning with Elsie (my shift was from 7 PM to 3 AM, so I usually went to bed around 4 AM, unless I had been going grocery shopping). I had, as usual, activated her simulated breathing and body heat, as I found it drastically aided in my falling asleep. I was just about to drift off into unconsciousness, listening to the slightly mechanical whirring sound of her breathing, when the comfortable white noise was interrupted with tinny, recorded moans. They were sexual, crass, and wholly unwanted. You must understand that I never actually used Elsie for her intended purpose, I thought about it a couple times, but could never work up the guts to actually do the deed, so this sound was completely alien to me. For a moment I didn't even process that Elsie was the source of the noise, as I had never actually pressed the button which activated the moans before. I leapt out of bed, horrified, and crouched in the corner for a few minutes while I calmed myself down, trying to ignore the lewd sounds emanating from the humanoid figure lying in my bed.

Eventually I pulled myself together and pressed the hidden button that toggled her moaning, causing the noises to cease. I looked to see what could have accidentally pressed it to result in my scare, but I was at a loss. The button was located near the small of her back, and took a fair amount of effort to press. It didn't seem possible that I could have somehow pressed it by accident. I didn't manage to get any more sleep that night.

This was to be only the beginning of the unwanted sounds. More and more frequently when I came home from work I would find that Elsie had somehow managed to turn herself on, and in addition to this the changes in position had become increasingly less easy to ignore. On one occasion her face was turned towards the door as if she had been waiting for me, her chest heaving up and down mechanically as her artificial exclamations of simulated pleasure echoed from her unmoving lips. She had been left facing the wall.

It became difficult to fall asleep. As soon as I would begin to drift off, the pleasant white noise of her breathing would be interrupted with those incessant, unwanted moans. I eventually gave up on sleeping with the doll entirely, wearing ear plugs and moving Elsie into the living room when I wanted to get some rest, despite the lonely sensation of the empty bed making it harder to drift off. In some ways, it almost felt as if I were undergoing an argument with a romantic partner, though I had no basis for comparison.

Even after I ceased sleeping in the same bed as Elsie, the moans didn't stop tormenting me. In my dreams I would be confronted by the doll, the pajamas I covered her with removed, exposing the silicone skin beneath. I dreamed that she chased me through an endless labyrinth of writhing, moaning rubber bodies, melted together to form walls and corridors. I sometimes woke up screaming, the bed soaked through with sweat.

It seems obvious now that I should have gotten rid of the doll as soon as the dreams began, but you must understand that during that period of time before the changes of position and the moaning, it was the happiest I had ever been. I was chasing that high, desperate to believe that I could return to that state of relative contentment again. I knew deep down it wasn't healthy, I knew that whatever improvement to my mental health that I had gained was rapidly being overwritten by this new obsession, but I didn't care.

Once I considered cutting the noise box out of her, or at least permanently disconnecting the button, I was convinced that an error with the button itself was causing the sounds to activate. I flipped Elsie over and pulled up the pajama shirt, exposing the rubber flesh of her back. I held a paring knife in my right hand, as it was the most delicate sharp instrument that I owned. A scalpel would have been better, but I didn't own one and couldn't bear to wait for an online delivery.

I moved the knife slowly towards the small of her back, where the button that controlled the moans was located, but as I did so, the doll's body began to move up and down, the mechanical breathing filling the air with a soft white noise. I dropped the knife and began to sob. I couldn't do it. I knew deep down that she- it, was not human. It wasn't real. But I still couldn't do it. I pulled back down the pajama shirt and placed her back in her chair.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it", I told her, looking down at my feet, ashamed.

The doll just stared at me, face blank, unmoving. As it always was. As it always would be.

- - -

The final horror occurred only a week ago. I had slept fitfully and woke up late, extremely late. My alarm didn't go off. I scrambled to get ready for work, unable to find my security badge anywhere. I usually left it right on my nightstand when I went to bed, but it wasn't there. Grumbling, I grabbed the backup badge I kept in a drawer and drove off to work.

I arrived to the office building in the pouring rain and scanned my badge at the door, managing to squeak out a few pleasantries to the security guard before getting down to business. I was scheduled to deep clean the carpets that day, so I grabbed the steam cleaner and began work on my assigned task.

I spent the first half of my shift in relative peace, listening to classical music through my wireless earbuds. After the first four hours, I enjoyed a brief lunch consisting of a sandwich and some tea, before heading back to work. As always, the building was calm, still, and silent, aside from the faint music that only I could hear. After the clock struck 11, however, I heard a faint sound. I paused my music and took out an earbud to listen. It was indistinct, but there was some noise that I couldn't quite make out. I turned off the steam cleaner and listened closer. All the blood left my face and my heart began beating hard in my chest when I recognized the sound.

Somewhere in the building, I could hear grotesque, exaggerated moaning.

I abandoned my steam cleaner and began running towards where I thought the source of the noise was located. I was reminded of my dreams, of fleeing through that writhing maze of silicone flesh. I rounded a corner, and caught a glimpse of a vague humanoid shape going down a corridor, its gait awkward and clumsy, like that of a marionette operated by an inexperienced puppeteer. The moaning began to grow fainter, as if whatever was making the sound was moving very quickly away.

I sprinted as fast as I could, desperate to see the source of those awful sounds, desperate to be proved wrong. By the time I reached the corridor, there was nobody there. I listened for the moans, seeking out some clue as to which direction to go next, but all was silent once again. Questioning my sanity, I returned to the steam cleaner and finished my shift, passing by the snoring form of the night security guard as I made my way back to my car.

When I arrived back at the house, I was greeted with further horror. Elsie was nowhere to be found. I searched every room, the closets, even in the attic which I was usually far too afraid to climb up into, even in broad daylight. I found nothing.

I eventually checked to make sure every door in the house was firmly locked, and settled down in bed, locking my bedroom door as well. All the excitement had made me quite tired, and despite my terror I quickly fell into a deep sleep.

I dreamed again of the moaning labyrinth of writhing false flesh, of being chased by the doll. It kept gaining on me, its puppet-like herky jerky motions becoming faster and faster until I felt its unnaturally smooth hand grip my shoulder. The half-living walls moaned in terrible pleasure. I jolted awake, terrified, my heart pounding.

I nearly passed out again when I realized the moaning hadn't stopped when I woke up.

It was coming from under the bed. I grabbed the flashlight I kept on my nightstand in case of emergencies and jumped out of bed, flicking the flashlight on and pointing it under the bed as though the light would ward off what lay there. I unlocked the bedroom door while keeping myself facing the bed, one hand on the doorknob in case I had to run. I started to crouch down, so I could look underneath the bed, the trembling of my hand causing the flashlight's beam to wobble slightly.

It was staring at me. Expressionless, unseeing eyes gazing out from the shadows. The doll's pajamas were drenched with rain, and in one stiff, rubber-coated hand it held my security badge. The chest heaved up and down with a mechanical rhythm as the moaning continued, before finally all sound ceased and the doll's chest lay still once more.

I must have crouched there for hours, waiting to see if it would move, but it just lay there, staring like a decapitated fish head. Eventually I dragged it out from under the bed and on to a blue plastic tarp. I rolled it up around the doll and tied it up with nylon rope, duct tape, and zip ties. When all was said and done, the end result looked disturbingly like the sort of thing a serial killer would use to dispose of a corpse.

I drove out to the edge of town and tossed the package into a dumpster behind a grocery store. I was worried that someone would see me and I'd have to explain myself, but nobody noticed me. I half expected the bag to emit some muffled moans, but it remained silent. I drove home and triple checked that my doors were locked and my windows were closed before calling out sick to work and laying in bed, crying.

I sometimes feel guilty about what I did, especially when I lie in bed those lonely mornings after I've just finished with work. I still see it in dreams, chasing me like some damnable puppet which cut its own strings as I run down endless corridors of undulating plastic flesh, my ears assaulted by the disgusting, horrible moans of simulated false pleasure. Sometimes when I wake up, I swear I can still hear those moans, emanating faintly from just outside my window.

[jaygwinfrey]

Types of Psychotherapy Treatments to Recover From PTSD​

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, otherwise known as PTSD, can affect a significant part of our lives, including interpersonal relationships, professional relationships, and much more. Such emotional trauma cause depression and anxiety and may also result in suicidal ideation. But with Psychotherapy and Counseling sessions, one learns coping mechanisms to deal with stress and anxiety. Several types of psychotherapy treatments like Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Stress Inoculation Therapy, Eye movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Narrative therapy, and much more help you learn the mechanism. To learn how these therapies work to cope with stress, click here.

[thecosmerekid]

Why Medical insurance is a Must-Have in Today's Globe

""

In today's world, health insurance policy has come to be a necessity instead of a deluxe. With the increasing price of health care, it has actually become virtually difficult to afford medical therapy without insurance policy. Health and wellness insurance policy gives financial defense versus unanticipated clinical expenses, guaranteeing that you and also your household are covered in case of any health and wellness emergencies.Furthermore, medical insurance

uses several advantages besides clinical protection. It supplies accessibility to preventative treatment solutions such as check-ups, inoculations, and screenings, which can help you keep health and capture any possible health problems at an early stage. Furthermore, medical insurance can supply mental health and wellness protection, which is increasingly essential in today's globe where psychological health problems get on the surge. With health and wellness insurance coverage, you can access therapy, therapy, and also various other mental health services that can assist you manage stress, anxiety, as well as other mental health and wellness concerns.In verdict, medical insurance is an essential financial investment that can give monetary security and also comfort in times of clinical emergencies. It uses numerous advantages beyond medical coverage, including accessibility to preventative care solutions and also psychological health and wellness coverage. If you don't have wellness insurance, it's important to think about getting one to make sure that you as well as your family members are covered in instance of any kind of health and wellness emergencies.

Read more here https://healthbenefitconsultant.com

[johnlydon]

Why Medical insurance is a Must-Have in Today's Globe

""

In today's world, medical insurance has actually become a necessity as opposed to a deluxe. With the rising expense of healthcare, it has actually ended up being virtually difficult to manage clinical treatment without insurance policy. Medical insurance offers economic protection versus unanticipated clinical expenses, ensuring that you and also your family members are covered in instance of any type of health and wellness emergencies.Furthermore, wellness insurance policy

offers a number of benefits besides medical protection. It offers accessibility to precautionary treatment services such as check-ups, inoculations, as well as testings, which can aid you maintain health and also capture any kind of potential health problems early. In addition, medical insurance can use mental wellness coverage, which is increasingly crucial in today's world where mental health issues get on the rise. With medical insurance, you can access therapy, treatment, as well as other mental health and wellness solutions that can help you manage stress and anxiety, depression, and also other psychological health and wellness concerns.In final thought, medical insurance is an important investment that can provide monetary defense as well as comfort in times of clinical emergencies. It uses a number of advantages past medical protection, including access to preventive treatment services and psychological health and wellness coverage. If you don't have wellness insurance, it is necessary to consider obtaining one to make sure that you as well as your household are covered in situation of any type of health and wellness emergency situations.

Read more here https://healthbenefitconsultant.com

[askkaitheparent]

Dr. Candles: Alright. With your sleep diary and the questionnaire, it looks like you have insomnia. You have said you have PTSD and anxiety, correct?

Kai: Yes.

Dr. Candles: The insomnia is most likely a result from that. The most recommended treatment for this is cognitive behavioral therapy. There is also sleep medicine as an option.

Kai: I would like to try out the therapy first.

Dr. Candles: Alright then. You seem to have been working with Dr. Cloves in stress inoculation training at the Ninjago City Behavioral Health Services, so we can put you in there with another therapist.

Kai: I would like that.

Dr. Candles: Okay. What time are you available?

Kai: I’m available next Sunday, during the whole day.

Dr. Candles: Alright. Sunday, July 25, at 2:00 PM you will meet up with Dr. Honeywam for cognitive behavioral therapy.

Kai: Thank you.

Dr. Candles: Of course. Have a good day.

The family left the office, and They got in the car.

Kai: How close is Cinnabon?

Skylar: 5 minute drive.

Kai: Good, because I need to eat a cinnamon roll.

[squeerpia]

Post-traumatic strees disorder resources

What is PTSD?

Overview: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event.

Symptoms

PTSD and nightmares

PTSD and flashbacks

PTSD and intrusive thoughts

PTSD and avoidance

Emotional avoidance

Behavioural avoidance

PTSD and anger (1)

PTSD and anger (2)

PTSD and panic attacks

Arousal and recativity

Trauma, sleep and insomnia

PTSD and short term memory loss

Trauma, PTSD and memory distorsion

PTSD and low self-esteem

PTSD and guilt

Guilt and shame in PTSD

PTSD and shame

Trauma and apathy

Emotional numbing

PTSD symptoms in children and teens

Somatic symptoms of PTSD

Complex PTSD / CPTSD

What is CPTSD?

Overview: CPTSD results from repeated trauma over months or years, rather than a single event.

Affect dysregulation

Trauma related dissociation

CPTSD and dissociation

Identity and trauma

CPTSD and relationships

CPTSD and perception

Treatment

CPT: cognitive processing treatment for PTSD.

CPT 1 2 3 4

Prolongued exposure therapy

Prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing

EMDR for trauma and PTSD

Stress inoculation training

Stress inoculation training for PTSD

Medication for PTSD

Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy for PTSD

Resources

Coping strategies

Self care for PTSD

PTSD Coach

PTSD Hub

PTSD free

Soothing tea recipes

Comfort food recipes

Relaxation techniques

Self-help for PTSD

PTSD journaling

PTSD diary for self-help

[faucetcup2]

Can My Cat Rest With Me?

Content

Pet Dog Resting.

Top 5 Boarding Options For Your Family Pet.

Take Into Consideration A Cat Sitter.

Welcome To The Cats Hotel.

With A Range Of Holiday Accommodation We Can Cater For Private Pet Cats, Or Small Households.

C Urious To Know What Some Of Our Homesitters Stood Up To Throughout Lock

Others will certainly squat and make urine pools outside their can. This might be arbitrary items like sofas or plastic bags, or the item they're jealous of. Sometimes, the target may be a things the animal or person they are envious of utilizes frequently. For example, if your cat envies of the brand-new pet dog, it may note the canine's bed.

Sadly, feline splitting up anxiousness typically goes unnoticed till it ends up being severe. Unlike pets with separation stress and anxiety, pet cats will certainly not trash your whole house or frustrate the next-door neighbors with excessive barking and growling. Yet, your cat might begin acting even more clingy, quit using the can, and also meow exceedingly.

Short messages or phone calls with the cat caretaker will certainly aid ensure you that your children are changing well to your lack. Prior to leaving on your trip, draw up comprehensive guidelines for the cat sitter. In addition to feeding as well as litter-box maintenance details, include each cat's reward as well as toy choices.

Envious pet cats often hunger for attention as well as are clingier than an indifferent cat, as well as sometimes they can act out. While it can be aggravating, there are steps you can take to quit the jealous actions. The secret is trying to discover why your cat is feeling this way. As long as your cat does not mind doing such a thing there in no damage in doing so and might be valuable to them as it provides their life more selection.

A cat is additionally in a happy-place when their ears are facing ahead, yet slanted back just a little. Sudden expansion of the eyes shows they are exceptionally delighted. Cattery 365 will additionally brush various other pet cats or perhaps lick their proprietor-- this additionally reveals trust fund as well as a positive partnership. While purring is not constantly a foolproof indicator of a joyful cat, essentially, it can be a sign of feline contentment or even bliss.

Family Pet Sitting.

Felines might be reproduced as a pastime, or on a business basis where they are sold for earnings. A veterinarian will be considered to be keeping a boarding facility if, at the time of boarding, the cat is not under treatment or needed to board as component of that therapy.

Plus, they can get in all type of trouble when left residence alone. Dangling cables, poisonous plants, chemicals, plastic bags, paper shredders-- all these things position huge hazards to your little feline traveler. You will be asked to provide proof of up-to-date vaccinations before your cat can be boarded at any cat cattery.

Jealous cats may likewise invade your personal space while you are holding a brand-new baby or video game controller. They may attempt to sit on your lap while you snuggle with your loved one rather than them. An absence of personal room, beds, or various other personal belongings can likewise motivate jealous habits if a cat feels intimidated by one more pet. Poor socializing as a kittycat might lead a cat to end up being codependent on you and display indicators of envy at times.

As I stated prior to however they require to get utilized to this kind of point initially. You might want ask your good friend to spray their home with scent spray a minimum of two times a day so they really feel much more calm when you're not about or simply use a pheromone collar to make it easier for you and them. If you are going to bring your kittycat to a friends house its probably an excellent concept to understand exactly how to take them there properly to begin with. The very best way to do this is to put them within a cat carrier. Kitties don't have as much life experience yet so they are a great deal extra open to this sort of thing.

If your cat is on daily medication, we more than happy to administer this drug - this includes insulin shots, as long as your cat is fairly delighted to obtain it/them. However, we book the right to apply a little fee for providing drugs that are, or prove to be either extremely time consuming and/or by their actual nature are tough to carry out. The nature of any medication needs to be talked about at the time of the reservation.

And as contact with your family pet decreases stress and anxiety and also slows your heart rate, it can also do you great. Nonetheless, some advice should be complied with before you both calm down for the evening. You ought to additionally see to it that your cat obtains adequate energised play.

You need to offer your cat lots of interest when you're residence and also offer her with playthings and also entertainment when you're not around. Make it an indicate choose as well as pet your cat when you return or anytime you have a totally free moment. Some cats will just spray onto wall surfaces and also other vertical surfaces.

Heating will certainly guarantee your cat fits whatever the climate. Originally, the pair had 2 felines-- Bonnie and Clyde, as well as previously, when they went on vacation their neighbors made use of to feed the cats, which were happy to be left.

You can talk to your cat remotely with a Petcube Bites 2, an animal electronic camera that doubles as a reward dispenser. The length of time you can leave your cat alone relies on your pet dog's individuality and also behaviors.

Leading 5 Boarding Options For Your Pet Dog.

No get in touch with is allowed in between pet cats from different "households", not surprisingly, this is a licensing condition of boarding catteries. There have been some elements of life that have actually gone back to normality. We'll all be keeping our hopes up that the circumstance can remain to boost. The last few months has actually impacted whatever, including our cats. In this issue, we check out the tradition of lockdown on the nation's pet cats-- it makes a genuine interesting read, specifically for people who love pet cats as high as the Your Cat area.

List their favored tasks together with any particular behavior concerns. Note exactly how your sitter can contact you and also your veterinarian while you are traveling.

Nevertheless, as for herpesvirus, vaccination is still suggested to decrease the regularity as well as intensity of professional signs. Feline panleukopenia infection triggers a serious and also often fatal disease. Vaccination is extremely efficient as well as has actually fortunately reduced the incidence of the disease significantly. Nonetheless, where susceptible populaces of pet cats exist, it is highly infectious.

Think About A Cat Sitter.

Your cat might ask you for food by massaging around your legs and meowing, leading you to their bowl. From abundant sprints and also feline wrestling matches to soothe paw patting of the functions, these spirited tasks suggest a happy cat.

If we are alerted of a recognized FIV-positive cat, we will certainly aim to provide accommodation away from various other cats, so it will with any luck minimize the threat of your cat capturing any secondary infection.

It is approximated that around 4% of the UK feline population is FIV-positive, your cat's condition can only be developed by blood tests, possibly triggered by some signs being displayed.

If you do take this choice, always utilize a family pet caretaker that has either been directly recommended by somebody you trust fund, or that originates from a firm that makes all the essential look for you.

This applies not only to their everyday regimen however additionally to their area and also the make-up of the family.A cat that instantly has to deal with solid changes can obtain quite baffled and also stressed out.

An alternative is to spend for a professional family pet sitter, suggesting a person either calls in on a regular basis to feed and socialise with your cat, or will certainly live in your house while you are away.

The appeal of a live-in caretaker is that your cat will certainly entertain at all times as well as your residence is looked after.

However, there is presently no injection for Feline Immunodeficiency Infection in the UK, although, you can minimize their possibilities of having FIV via battling by having them neutered.

Just in situation something unanticipated happens, hide an additional key outside your house or provide one to a trusted neighbor. Candace Elise Hoes is a family pet sitter as well as blogger at Katie's Feline. She is a grad of the MFA Composing Program at The Golden State University of the Arts. Although it sounds macabre, in some cases it can be valuable to permit the making it through pet to say "farewell" to the body after a hairy close friend has actually passed away.

They will ready out a minimal room that a cat is entitled to when boarded, this must be followed when preparing the structure. If you take control of an existing company where several of the problems will be tough to abide by, the authority will most likely make some allowances. If they provided a permit to unsuitable candidates and something went wrong they would certainly get blamed. If you are developing a new service you should adhere to all the standards as well as guidelines when you send your cattery strategies, then you can look for the permit.

Invite To The Cats Hotel.

If the cattery has a larger family unit readily available this can be made use of. Some catteries can open cat flaps between smaller sized units to allow felines make use of the whole location. Updated inoculations versus upper respiratory tract condition and also feline transmittable enteritis are essential to decrease any threat of cross infection in the cattery. A safety flow encloses the entries to every cat's quarters, enabling very easy regain of felines ought to they be intent on escape. Outside runs likewise give boosted air flow that avoids the spread of microorganisms and infections within the cattery.

No matter Cattery365.co.uk , felines do obtain lonesome when they are left ignored for extended periods of time. They are social beings that form solid bonds with their owners. When their demands for companionship are not fulfilled, cats can end up being depressed. As independent as they are, cats still hunger for attention as well as communication.

As a worried cat moms and dad, you might have asked yourself whether your cat is happy. And also while each cat is a private, they may show happiness in various means.

If they are fine with mosting likely to your close friend residence It might even be good for them as they aren't maintained in the exact same location at all times and gives them much more psychological stimulation. Hi, exists anything in composing that states licenses are meant to be transferrable like you said? They may vary a little from area to location depending upon the council involved.

Although your cat will probably follow your body clock, she may be active during the evening. To guarantee your rest is not interrupted, it is suggested to give her enough interest in the day and to not lock her in the room with you when you go to bed. Lastly, for good hygiene, comb your cat routinely and also treat her versus bloodsuckers such as fleas and also ticks. Sharing a bed is a sign of distance, both for your cat as well as for you.

The most common adverse effects are very mild, and consist of sleepiness, inappetence or inflammation at the injection site. More marked negative effects may include throwing up, diarrhea, lameness, fever, indicators of respiratory system tract infection, or swellings at the site of shot. Kittycats and also young felines appear to be most likely to develop problems than older cats. An additional damaging impact that might be reported is lack of efficiency. Whilst this might result from genuine vaccine failure, it might also be because of infection prior to inoculation, or a lacking immune system causing an inability by the cat to install an immune response.

If the boarding center is advertised as ancillary to the vet's primary organization, the establishment will require to be accredited and also checked by their neighborhood authority and also fulfill the conditions as per any type of other boarding facility. All establishments boarding pet cats within the United Kingdom are required to be licensed and examined by the local authority's Environmental Health and wellness department under the Pet Boarding Establishments Act 1963. Accredited facilities will have a duplicate of their permit prominently displayed as part of their problems of permit. Side effects from vaccinations are very unusual, specifically in view of the countless doses that are administered annually.

Like herpesvirus, calicivirus causes cat influenza, commonly with dental ulceration. Felines may either free themselves of the illness or become chronically contaminated. Many different pressures of calicivirus exist, with the vaccinations being focused on the much more serious strains. The existence of various strains, as well as the capability of felines to become constantly infected describes why some pet cats may still show proof of calicivirus infection, even though they have actually been immunized.

Even a short visit from a familiar, trusted cat-sitter can separate the day and also aid your cat feel more safe. A responsible person who can spend a hr approximately with your cat can make all the difference if you need to be away from home for a longer period. No, it's not vicious unless your cat is alone for extensive time periods.

Our feline close friends are at their cutest this time around of year bringing them can include a bunch of happiness for us also. I think leaving my cats at home is best for she does not such as the auto and much less anxiety for both people. I'm just disappearing for a little over 1 day however its the lengthiest we have actually left the cat, he does not such as when we most likely to function or head out all evening, hes a bit of an anxious cat so I am a little bit worried concerning him. Apartments need to be huge enough to consist of shelves the cats can climb to, puts to conceal, as well as room for playthings and also a bed. The placement of the feeding stations is important-- the apartments require to be big sufficient to make sure that they are not placed beside the litter boxes.

It's likewise a great concept, in case of emergencies, to give the cattery with your vet's details, your cat's silicon chip details and also a record of any kind of pertinent veterinary history. If your cat gets on any kind of drug, make sure you leave clear guidelines on just how and also when to administer them, along with anything you 'd like them to understand about nutritional or behavioral problems. Make sure that the boarding cattery is accredited, as that means they need to stick to various laws pertaining to health and safety. It is very important to do your study to find a trustworthy, accredited cattery with experienced, caring staff and also great, tidy, comfy centers. The International Cat Care internet site provides some outstanding suggestions on picking a boarding cattery, in addition to questions to ask when you go to.

With A Series Of Accommodation We Can Cater For Individual Cats, Or Small Families.

In many cases, cats might start peing beyond the can to make a point. Urine marking is just one of the most troublesome as well as aggravating actions for cat proprietors. Not just is it an indicator that something is wrong with your cat, however it is difficult to tidy and also get rid of the odor, which can cause ongoing noting. Regular "jealous" behaviors include hissing, growling, as well as swatting at the item that the cat is jealous of, such as your cell phone while you are holding it.

The same way that you'll obtain hungry around lunchtime and know it's been a few hours because breakfast, cats will judge the length of time it has actually been considering that their last meal-- which's just how they recognize to inform you off if a recipe is overdue. Pet cats are recognized for being sassy as well as endlessly sure of oneself, so when you think about it, it in fact makes sense that they naturally think their big, wacky guardians are nothing greater than fellow felines. And also if cats think I'm additionally a cat, then to inform you the fact, I'm really recognized. Cattery365.co.uk of somebody around sees me for that I actually wish to be. Cats are clever and will certainly soon have their owners totally educated to give them with deals with when required, however this behavior is a sign of trust and also shows that your feline friend enjoys.

C Urious To Know What Several Of Our Homesitters Rose To Throughout Lock

Cats often tend to be bundles of energy which they require to express in healthy and balanced methods. It's important that you provide your cat lots of physical play, chasing intro toys as well as running about as high as possible. Some pet cats can discover to enjoy walking on a harness and also lead; if you can convince your cat to take the harness, this can be a terrific means to promote your cat and also help them burn any kind of excess anxious power. One more option is to have a human buddy pop into the house while you're away.

Deal With With Treatment.

Yes - Felines Country Club will provide insulin shots offered that your cat's degrees are in control as well as have actually done for many pet cats for many years. Nonetheless, Cats Country Club takes no responsibility for health and wellness concerns occurring from insulin shots. instantly, in the unlikley occasion that it shows signs of being unwell. Bringing the diet your cat is completely satisfied with is great with us, we can likewise supplement and/or enhance your own too, as in our experience they can alter their nutritional "sort" in some cases whilst here.

[afewnovelideas]

Dragon Age Inquisition x Red Robin crossover - notes revolving around Iron Bull

Tim is very wary of Bull initially.

Bull immediately recognized Tim starting a self destructive PTSD spiral at Skyhold. He's seen too many good people burn out like that during his time serving in Seheron with the Ben-Hassrath and he wasn't about to let it happen again if he could prevent it.

While Tim is healing physically, Iron Bull uses some of the techniques used during his own post-Seheron Ben-Hassrath "re-education" to help Tim heal mentally. It's not "brain washing" or anything nefarious. It's actually just a form of cognitive processing therapy combined with stress inoculation therapy and the use of certain tonics made of specific herbs to help Tim sleep without nightmares. Later on, Cullen folds these practices into the Inquisition's treatment of soldiers suffering from battle fatigue.

Iron Bull thinks a part of Tim would flourish under the Qun and be very successful as part of the Ben-Hassrath. However, he also thinks a part of Tim's spirit would be irreparably damaged if he did get completely converted into the Qun.

Tim grows to trust Iron Bull a great deal as he heals. He becomes close with the other Chargers by extension. The camaraderie of the ragtag company reminds him of the friendship he had with the Titans, but without the pressures of leadership.

[threeofeight]

Lol I have insomnia and have resorted to reading academic journals that note Adlerian therapy in regards to general anxiety disorder so I can compare and contrast it with Meichenbaum and his cognitive behaviour modification and stress inoculation training.

At 2am.

On my phone.

In bed.

Living the dream my dudes, living the dream.