Who would study psychology if they didn't have some kind of problem?

Chapter 520 Changes
That concludes today's consultation.

Actually, today's "integration" process for the "empty chair technique" is still relatively incomplete.

Ideally, after separating the ideal self from the real self and refuting the unreasonable aspects of the ideal self from the perspective of the real self, the visitor should then find the link between the ideal self and the real self.

Finally, through a ritualistic act similar to a "handshake," the ideal self and the real self are integrated into a complete "me."

However, today was the first time the "empty chair technique" was implemented, and there were simply too many irrational cognitions in the visitor's "ideal self," and it took too much time to identify them one by one.

就像是【接地技术】也需要从【5-4-3-2-1技术】这种从环境中漫无目的地寻找感官刺激，进阶到最终通过一个固定的物体就能够让人安稳下来一样。

The "empty chair technique" also has a gradual upgrade process.

Just practice slowly.

In fact, although the visitors may seem to have grown a lot, this growth is also highly situational.

After the visitor leaves the consultation room and returns to their living environment, it's uncertain how much of the consultation's effectiveness will remain.

……

Nan Zhuren thought for a moment and said to the visitor, "Our consultation today will end here, but before the next consultation begins, I have to give you an assignment."

Homework assignments are a regular feature, and the client has always completed them diligently. Upon hearing Nan Zhuren say this, the client immediately put aside the disappointment of the consultation ending and focused on listening to Nan Zhuren's explanation.

"Today, we refuted your former ideal self from the perspective of your real self and discovered the irrational aspects of 'him'."

Nan Zhuren used a third-person pronoun, which is a further externalization, completely removing the previously erroneous perception from the visitor.

"Now, I need you to think about what your true and reasonable ideal self is like right now, and then construct it."

“But when constructing this ideal self, I have one requirement—” Nan Zhuren added importantly, “—it must be based on events in the ‘present’. Whether it is the past or the future, it only has meaning when it has an impact on the ‘present’.”

Nan Zhuren smiled and said, "I hope to see your completely new [ideal self] during the next consultation."

This allows clients to frequently recall the content of the consultation outside of the consultation itself, maintain a high level of thinking, and preserve the results of the consultation as much as possible.

It can also speed up the consultation process.

The visitor nodded, silently made a mental note, and then verbally repeated it.

After confirming that everything was correct, he seemed to suddenly remember something: "Teacher, didn't we talk about three things at the beginning? It seems that we focused on discussing the last two things during the consultation?"

Strictly speaking, only the second issue, "being treated specially by the teacher while doing volunteer work," was discussed in detail and extended; the third issue, "emotional breakdown after talking with her mother," was only briefly mentioned.

The first thing was that it was basically never mentioned.

But the visitor still remembered: "Teacher, it was about that lawyer who came to see me... Do you have any advice?"

Nan Zhuren pondered for a moment.

If he had any reservations about the client's condition before, after today's consultation, he is now certain that the client is capable of handling this situation.

If a client is able to face the fraudster in court and win a victory, this real-world milestone can greatly advance the client's healing process.

It's not impossible to skip the second stage altogether.

But after thinking about it, Nan Zhuren still said, "I can't give you an answer."

He didn't answer, nor did he use any tact; his words were quite direct. "This is your own life, and you need to make your own decisions."

……

After listening to Nan Zhuren's words, Nan Zhihao was unsure whether he felt disappointed or not.

But inexplicably, he seemed to feel that something inside him had become stable.

At the same time, along with this sturdy base, a power seemed to be gradually emerging.

Although it was not much, although it was subtle, although these powers seemed to dissipate immediately when Nan Zhihao focused his attention on sensing them.

But he was convinced that the new power existed.

With a click, the door opened, and as Nan Zhihao stepped out of the consultation room, he felt that he seemed to have changed since he had entered.

However, he didn't think about it carefully and even took it for granted because he had this feeling after each consultation.

He strode past the front desk, and after seeing the receptionist with her name tag greet him, he politely nodded in response, as was his custom.

Then I heard the more experienced-looking receptionist on the left suddenly remind me, "Please check your belongings, don't leave anything in the consultation room."

Did you leave something behind? Probably not, right?
Nan Zhihao subconsciously patted his pockets and then walked upwards. When he touched his face and the top of his head, he suddenly froze.

He was not wearing a mask or a hat.

The visitor turned around almost without hesitation and immediately returned to the consultation room, which was no longer staffed with therapists, to pick up his equipment.

But when he tried to grab them, Nam Ji-ho hesitated instinctively.

"It's so hot today..."

He muttered to himself, then folded his mask and baseball cap and stuffed them into his pocket.

As compensation, he zipped his sun-protective clothing all the way up and then hid his chin inside.

As I passed through the main gate, the experienced receptionist acted as if nothing had happened: "Please take your belongings with you and take care!"

After hesitating for a moment, Nan Zhihao nodded to the other party as a response.

After stepping open the automatic sensor door, he vaguely heard a conversation between a young man and a relatively mature man behind him.

"This is the first time I've seen this visitor's face!"

"Yeah, he's a little bit less handsome than Teacher Nan, but he's still pretty cool~"

Nan Zhihao placed the web of his hand over his philtrum, and used his thumb and forefinger to stroke down his cheek, corner of his mouth, and chin, then did it a second and a third time.

Finally, I pulled the collar of my sun-protective clothing down a little; it was definitely too hot today.

Stepping out of the office building, Nan Zhihao still seemed somewhat unaccustomed to the environment, maintaining a 45-degree downward gaze almost the entire way back to his dormitory at school, gritting his teeth as he made his way back.

He then tossed his mask and baseball cap aside, thought for a moment, and took a notebook from the bookshelf.

I started thinking about the homework that Teacher Nan had assigned me.

(End of this chapter)