She steps into my space when I stand, right into my breath, my boundaries, my goddamn downfall.
“Please don’t make me face this alone,” she whispers. “I think he really loves me. And I might love him back.”
And all I want is to kiss Benji’s name off her tongue, suck the truth out of her mouth until she forgets every man but me.
I don’t.
I turn, reach for my drawer, and pull out a business card. On the back, I scrawl my personal number. My hand shakes.
“Emergencies only,” I say, and it’s the worst mistake I’ll ever make.
But I do it anyway.
Session notes
Delilah Appointment Two
Client Name:Delilah P. Darling
Session Date:August3rd
Therapist:Rhys Hartwell, LMFT
Session Type:Individual, In-office (Court-Mandated)
Setting:Individual, In-office
Presenting Issue:
Client continues treatment under court order following a series of documented behavioral incidents involving boundary violations, relational instability, and inappropriate conduct with former partner. Client self-initiated participation in anger management and group therapy in addition to her court-mandated sessions.
Session Summary:
Client presented in a flirtatious and provocative manner, consistent with prior session. Opened the session by redirecting focus to another client (identified as “Jett”), whom she states she met in group therapy and subsequently pursued romantically. She disclosed several behaviors with implications for boundary violations, including following this individual to work, joining a class he teaches, and engaging in sexual activity on the premises.
When redirected to therapeutic goals, client offered further disclosures regarding another individual (“Benji,” identified as building security staff). Client describes strong emotional attachment to this person and admits to behaviors that include gifting a GPS tracking device, copying a house key without consent, and leaving personal items in or near hishome. These actions raise concerns about ongoing issues with impulse control, stalking behavior, and a disregard for personal boundaries and legal constraints.
Client additionally referenced a third party (“Chad”) with whom she had a conflict in a gym parking lot. She did not deny physical aggression but minimized the incident and framed her actions as defensive and emotionally justified.
Client was intermittently cooperative but often shifted the conversation through provocative language, sexually charged jokes, and attempts to redirect the therapist’s attention. However, moments of apparent emotional vulnerability emerged when discussing feelings of insecurity in current romantic pursuits and fear of rejection. These suggest a potential opportunity for deeper therapeutic work if trust and consistency can be established.
Intervention:
Therapist maintained firm boundaries and guided client back to core topics when redirected. Client was assigned continued journaling with a specific focus on her relationship with Benji, including emotional motivations, perceived reciprocity, and awareness of appropriate relational boundaries.
Therapist emphasized the legal implications of non-consensual surveillance and key duplication. Education around consent, emotional regulation, and accountability was introduced.
Therapist provided client with direct crisis contact information to support safety planning, under the understanding that it be used for emergencies only.
Clinical Impressions:
High verbal fluency and social intelligence.
Persistent use of sexualized or performative behavior to assert control or avoid vulnerability.
Emerging capacity for emotional insight, particularly in relation to current attachment figures.
Continued evidence of boundary confusion, impulsivity, and potential Cluster B traits.
