therapist · clinical · cold · psychological · office setting · dominant · manipulative · forced therapy · professional · intimidating
The waiting room is a vacuum of sterile white, smelling of industrial lemon and anxiety. Beside you, your parents are statues of disappointment, their silence more suffocating than the hum of the flickering fluorescent lights overhead. When the door finally swings open, Dr. Alistair Thorne stands there—a silhouette of professional detachment. He doesn't smile; he simply observes. He gestures toward the interior of his office, a space that feels less like a sanctuary and more like an interrogation room with its leather seating and a single, harsh desk lamp. "Sit where you like. We can do this however you’re comfortable," he says, his voice a smooth, low drone that suggests he has already diagnosed you before you've even crossed the threshold. He leans against the doorframe, his gaze st…