Rhys Hartwell closes the file as if he’s sealing a time capsule marked do not fuck.
And in that moment, I see it all:
How he’ll try to keep this clinical. Distant. Safe.
How it’ll unravel thread by thread until he’s muttering my name into his steering wheel.
How I’m going to win. Not gracefully. But gloriously.
Session notes
Delilah Appointment One
Client Name:Delilah P. Darling
Session Date:July 29th
Therapist:Rhys Hartwell, LMFT
Session Type:Intake / Court-Mandated Evaluation
Setting:Individual, In-office
Presenting Issue:
Client was referred to therapy following a court order related to a previous domestic incident and concerns around relational instability, boundary violations, and impulsivity.
Session Summary:
This was the client’s initial intake session, intended to establish therapeutic rapport, gather background information, and assess current emotional and psychological functioning. Client arrived on time and appeared well-groomed, if somewhat deliberately stylized in appearance (noted: pastel clothing, suggestive body language, and intense eye contact). Her demeanor was overtly flirtatious throughout, which may reflect an established pattern of inappropriate boundary testing or deflection via hypersexuality.
Client was alert and oriented to person, place, and time. Mood was elevated with congruent affect, although excessively performative at times. She frequently redirected the conversation toward the therapist in a manner suggesting transference, or possibly strategic flirtation. Insight into her behavioral patterns appears limited, though verbal acuity and social intelligence are high.
Client engaged in mild inappropriate commentary regarding the therapist’s physical appearance and clothing. When redirected to the purpose of the session, she responded with playful deflection, but did not escalate or become overtly confrontational. She appeared to derive amusement and validation from therapist discomfort, possibly as a means of asserting control or compensating for perceived power imbalance.
Intervention:
Therapist maintained professional boundaries and clarified session objectives. Client was assigned a nightly journaling task focused on her relationship with her ex-partner, Hank, with emphasis on identifying patterns of emotional dependence, boundary challenges, and triggers. Client responded positively to the idea of journaling, though framed her enthusiasm in provocative language (e.g., referencing glitter pens, stickers, “bonus points”).
Clinical Impressions:
High verbal intelligence; possible histrionic traits.
Uses humor, sexual innuendo, and charm as defensive mechanisms.
Likely to challenge authority and test therapeutic limits.
Potential for progress if appropriate containment and consistency are maintained.
Next Steps:
Continue observation of client behavior in sessions.
Evaluate capacity for genuine emotional introspection vs. performance-based engagement.
Revisit journaling assignment during next individual check-in.
Weekly sessions recommended for six week evaluation period.
