Forbidden Feelings

e was glad to be talking to someone about how she was feel

a to start. "Well, Emma, tell me more about

e how Ryan had been winning her over, and how tempting it had been to

your supervisor, I feel I must advise you to keep a professional distance from Ryan. But it's not so much about how you

Dr. Lee was right, she thought: She had be

re feeling like this toward Ryan. Is there something about him that is activating these feelings in

sion that she had, indeed, been attracted to Ryan's charming and engag

h me," Emma finally said. "He trusts me in a way that

spark that you feel. But you have to be careful as a therapist not to get too intertwined in

ing to be Dr. Lee's patient, she knew she should not cros

She realized that she had a long way ahead of her, but sh

bumpy road. They both knew that it wouldn't be easy to keep a professional dista

. She realized that it would be hard to maintain professional

ing her feelings. She knew Ryan was there every session, an

he words of Dr. Lee echoed in her mind as she strove to main

appening to her, no matter how hard it was. She knew she had

. Her sessions with Ryan were straightforward to navigate and

feel like she had a handle on ever

ous voice. "I've done a lot of thinking about our sessi

been anticipating this, but she hadn'

't know what to s

rofessional, Emma, but I just couldn't suppress my feeli

mach. She realized that she could not reciprocate Ry

herapist," she finally said. "I have a professional

dded wisely. "I understand, Emma. I

ession ended. She'd kept him at arm's l

about what was coming next. She knew she had made the 

it right with Emma. She had kept a professional

y speaking to her. Emma would try to contact him, to

deeply. She had come to care for him deeply, and she

ed an email from Ryan. She read the words

I've come to realize that I really need to take a break. Thank you for everything you've

dness. She knew she had lost

ot from her mother, is written building a personality. The same way I go through the motions is very much like everyone else. "Dear Ryan, I appreciate your decis

he had grown to care for Ryan deeply, and sh

Ryan being gone as a patient. She had develope

she knew she had learned a valuable lesson. A professional b

t decisions are sometimes the ha

with him when she felt a sense of peace. He had made

d always love Ryan, no mat