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

Chapter 61 How can a mother not understand her child?

The absurdity in Chen Ma's eyes lasted for a short while before she gradually came to her senses and began to build up her anger again.

For someone who has already dismissed psychological counseling, even to the point of defining it as a "money scam," Nan Zhuren's statement "You need counseling" is extremely offensive.

However, before Chen's mother could gather her emotions again, Chen Ting spoke up first.

"Mom," the little girl's voice was still muffled, "I have something I want to tell you."

"Right now, right here."

Chen Ma's attention was once again diverted to her daughter, and the anger she had been building up towards Nan Zhuren vanished instantly.

She took two deep breaths and slammed onto the sofa as if in a fit of pique.

Surprisingly, she was still able to maintain a relatively elegant sitting posture.

"Okay, I'll listen to what you have to say, and why you skipped school and came here all by yourself."

Leaving campus when you don't have classes doesn't count as truancy.

Chen Ting hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

……

Early psychological counseling focused on intervention for the individual client.

However, as the industry has developed, scholars have realized the interactive influence between the "visitor's living environment" and the "visitor."

This interactive influence can be both a cause of mental illness and a catalyst for its treatment.

The "family," the primary environment where clients interact most frequently, has been brought into the focus of counselors' attention, leading to the development of corresponding "family therapy" methods.

Many times I don’t want to admit it, but the problems of visitors are more or less related to “family members”.

Either family members failed to provide the visitor with the necessary social support, or they inadvertently contributed to the worsening of the condition, or it was simply a direct cause of the mental illness.

Chen Ting's family situation is a bit complicated; she falls into all three categories mentioned above.

Ok.

In order to completely solve Chen Ting's problem, Nan Zhuren had already incorporated family therapy into Chen Ting's intervention plan.

Although it's in the plan, there was no original plan to do it now.

I just didn't expect Aunt Chen to visit today.

But... since we're already here...

Let's just get rid of it.

Moreover, Nan Zhuren was right about one thing.

……

“You need to consult with someone,” Nan Zhuren said to Chen Ma.

Chen's mother crossed her arms and remained silent, giving off an air of "I'll just watch your performance quietly."

There are three sofas in the consultation room.

A standard consultation room layout is as follows: two single sofas facing each other around a coffee table, and a double sofa placed in the middle of the two single sofas.

Now, Nan Zhuren is sitting on the outermost single sofa, Chen Ting is huddled on another single sofa near the door, and Chen's mother is occupying the only double sofa.

Chen Ting didn't say anything either.

Nan Zhuren knew that both the mother and daughter had fallen into silence.

The difference is that Chen Ting's current state is one of "defensive silence," while Chen's mother's is one of "confrontational silence."

Nan Zhuren decided to use Chen Ma as a breakthrough point.

In this kind of consultation atmosphere, ordinary opening remarks will not work. They will not only fail to deepen the consultation, but may even intensify the confrontation.

Therefore, the initial topic should not be about the illness, but rather some external factors are needed.

Nan Zhuren thought for a moment and said, "You know that our consultations are charged per session, right?"

Chen's mother looked over. "Chen Ting's last consultation just ended. Now we're having a new consultation for you and your daughter."

Nan Zhuren pretended to check his watch: "If no one wants to say anything, this consultation may have to end here."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ma seemed to be set ablaze, as if she had been ignited by a fire.

Even if you come from a wealthy family, no one can remain indifferent to being blatantly provoked and swindled out of money.

Her voice was cold: "Is this how you counselors swindle money?"

Nan Zhuren smiled, then her tone suddenly sharpened: "You seem to care a lot about being 'deceived'?"

Chen Ma's aggressive demeanor suddenly faltered.

Although her body language was still gesticulating wildly, trying her best to appear angry, the expression on her face told Nan Zhuren that this person's anger had already dissipated like a balloon punctured by a needle.

Chen's mother glanced at her daughter, crossed her arms, and said, "Didn't you say you were going to do counseling? Then tell me about Tingting's situation. What kind of counseling did you get her to do after you tricked her into coming out?"

Chen Ting's lips twitched a few times, as if she wanted to say "I wasn't deceived," but she didn't have the courage or energy to speak up at this moment.

Nan Zhuren smiled and said, "Based on what I've just learned and my further assessment, I believe Chen Ting needs family therapy. Her current condition requires the combined efforts of her entire family."

Chen's mother laughed out loud: "So, in the end, you counselors still need our family members to put in the effort?"

"We paid you to do the work, and now you're telling us to do it ourselves? You just swindled our money with a few words?"

Her voice was full of absurdity: "It's only because our Tingting isn't sick. No, in your cases, even if she's not sick, you'll still make her seem sick!"

Chen Ma's chest heaved violently, and her well-maintained face was flushed.

However, after several emotional ups and downs, she was already showing signs of fatigue.

Moreover, she has somewhat lost control over her upbringing.

It is impossible for a person to remain in a state of emotional venting for an extended period of time.

Chen Ting shrank back into the sofa, changing the direction of her body's tilt, which moved her torso further away from her mother and closer to Nan Zhuren.

Despite being scolded and criticized, Nan Zhuren smiled inwardly. He could pick out the key words as long as the other party spoke.

Especially in this kind of uncontrolled venting, there is more key information.

"Do you think Chen Ting has no 'problems'?"

Nan Zhuren replaced "illness" with "problem," softening the wording.

"But you had previously taken her to the hospital for diagnosis and visited several consultation centers."

"Your words seem somewhat inconsistent with your past behavior."

Nan Zhuren began a standoff.

Chen's mother was taken aback, then sneered: "That's because Tingting is ignorant, a child scaring herself. As for going to the hospital, isn't that how it is with psychiatry and psychology departments? They can make up problems even if there are none."

Nan Zhuren pressed further: "Was this your initial idea?"

"Yes."

"You thought Chen Ting was fine from the beginning?"

"Correct!"

Why are you so sure?

As if she had been insulted, Chen Ma began to refute even more vehemently.

In psychological terms, this is the beginning of "defense".

"How can a mother not understand her own child?"

Chen Ma spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Besides, how could such a good child like Tingting have any problems?"

(End of this chapter)