Rebecca & her counselor

“Rebecca?” the doctor asked, extending his hand. She shook his hand and nodded slightly. The doctor was surprisingly younger than she expected, but still had salt and pepper sprinkled throughout his hair.

“Good to meet you, Rebecca. I’m Dr. Harper; I’ll be completing your intake today and managing your therapy sessions going forward.” he said. The doctor wheeled a small stool from the corner and sat in front of Rebecca. He seemed to sense Rebecca’s wondering about the paper gown she was wearing when she was only supposed to be doing counseling and therapy.

“In this office we believe mental and physical health matters and we strive to make sure both are the primary focus in your care,” the doctor explained.

“Depending on the treatment plan prescribed for your therapy, we’ll also monitor your health vitals to ensure your whole health snapshot is taken into consideration. Anything like low hormones or a hyperactive thyroid can contribute to mental and emotional issues, so we like to stay on top of anything that can cause more damage to your health,” the doctor explained. “Do you have any questions so far?”

Rebecca asked softly, “What kind of medical tests are you going to run?”

The doctor smiled at her and patted her knee. “We aren’t going to run any major tests at this time, we’re just doing a basic exam and maybe draw some blood if I see anything out of the ordinary. And as time progresses, we’ll continue to monitor your vitals when you come into this office for therapy sessions. Sound okay?” he asked.