Gemotions

The email notification popped up, the subject line a stark, unpleasant revelation: "New Therapist Recommendation." Sarah nearly dropped her phone. The sender, a mutual friend, had suggested she meet with… *Kevin Harding*. Kevin, who had once taped a "kick me" sign to her back in middle school.

A coldness settled in her chest. She scrolled through the email, reading the glowing recommendations. Kevin was now a specialist in anxiety and trauma. *Trauma?* The irony was almost too much. She tossed her phone onto the sofa and buried her face in her hands, her fingers tracing the faded scar on her wrist, a physical testament to a dark time she'd rather forget.

The thought of opening up to him, of being vulnerable in front of him, filled her with a dread she hadn't felt in years. She couldn’t do it. There was no way. She felt a burning pressure behind her eyes.