American Devil by Oliver Stark Page B

don’t want to be here. Fine. I can read you like a book. You need to display your cynicism and negativity because you feel threatened in here. I understand that. But you don’t need to feel threatened. I’m here to help.’
    ‘I don’t feel threatened. You’re way off the mark.’
    ‘Not physically threatened, Detective. I mean emotionally threatened.’
    ‘Well, what do you expect? They didn’t teach us the moves to deal with an emotional attack at the academy.’
    ‘I like your sense of humour, Detective, but it’s just another way of deflecting the blows.’
    ‘I’m not afraid, Doctor. I’m just pissed off that you’re wasting my time.’
    ‘You don’t think this will help? Fine with me. You just want your shield and minimum fuss. Fine also. I’m not that interested in you, to tell the truth. I’ve worked with enough guys like you to know that I’d be wasting my time too.’
    ‘Well then, that’s all nice and easy for the two of us. Let’s just do the minimum and sign this off.’
    ‘Okay. Let’s do that. You need a clean psych assessment, right?’
    ‘Right.’
    ‘And you’re sure you’ve got that anger thing under control.’
    ‘Sure.’
    ‘So those bloody knuckles are just for effect, right?’
    ‘Right.’
    ‘Okay. Let’s do the minimum. You sign up for ten sessions and I’ll sign this psych form right now.’
    ‘Ten sessions? Fuck that. I want the minimum.’
    ‘That is the minimum, Detective. I had planned a couple of sessions, but after meeting you I realize we’re going to have to go in deep and that’s going to take time.’
    ‘No way. I’m fine. You know that and I know that, so sign the form and let me get back out on the streets.’
    ‘You don’t sign up for ten, I’m not letting you out on the street at all. You’re not fit.’
    ‘How do you know? You haven’t even assessed me!’
    ‘I can see everything I need to - you’re spoiling for a fight, you’re resentful and negative, and you have no idea what to do with those little things called emotions. So, in my view, you’re not ready to be issued a gun. But if you sign up for ten sessions, then that’s going to convince me that you do want to help yourself and help resolve the anger. You sign up, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.’
    ‘So it’s Catch-22?’
    ‘No, it’s CBT. Cognitive behavioural therapy. We focus on practical strategies to manage your behaviour and we focus on the now. I don’t need to go back to your childhood and I don’t go looking for your subconscious. I don’t try to interpret your world. I couldn’t give a damn about why you do things or what you think. All I know is that I can change those things.’
    ‘You sure about that?’
    ‘We agree behaviour we want, call it Behaviour A, and we agree behaviour we don’t, call it Behaviour B. In stage one, we set about noticing how much we are drawn to Behaviour A and Behaviour B. Stage two, we put in some rewards for Behaviour A and some sanctions for Behaviour B. So you see, we just retrain your mind a little and maybe your emotions, but they are secondary. We focus on getting the actions we want; the emotions will follow. But first, we got to agree what the problem is.’ Denise laid her arms on the desk. She was tanned and her silver charm bracelet rattled against the wood. She looked towards Tom for a reaction. ‘If there is a problem,’ she said.
    ‘Not my problem.’
    ‘Still a problem, though.’
    ‘Not worth your time. Nice as you are.’
    ‘Let’s dispose of the attitude,’ said Dr Levene. ‘I get it. I get it you don’t like me or trust me. I get it you don’t really think psychologists can help, period. I get it you like being angry. You’re a man. I get it. Why don’t you try to be a little more interesting? I could tell right from the moment you walked in that you’re a very emotional guy. I can see it in your curled lip and your twitching hands. So be emotional. Make my day.’
    Tom half smiled.