In those days The Great Counseling Firm was exceedingly popular. Their marketing said all of the things that every client longs to hear like “We reverence our clients” and “Your therapist thinks about you outside of your session.” They made clients feel special.
After doing this important work day in and day out and receiving much praise and many community awards, the counselors at The Great Counseling Firm were surprised when they received an anonymous letter from one of their clients who was very unhappy with their therapy.
The counselors were “concerned” which meant they were offended, for no client had ever been unappreciative of their wonderful services before.
“We should figure out the identity of this rogue client,” said Glen, the best looking of the group who had previously worked as an underwear model. “I feel harassed because whoever they are, they said I look sexy in my underwear. My wife is not happy about it.”
“Thanks for sharing your feelings and marital issues with the group,” said Callie.
“Shut up, Callie,” Glen replied, but he looked pouty.
“I think we should offer to talk to the client. If we validate them and listen openly, we might understand why they’re upset,” said Marianne, who was the kindest. “Maybe we’ll get some feedback that will help us improve.”
“We don’t need to improve, and I think if talk therapy was going to work with that client then it would’ve worked already, because we’re the best listeners there are,” said Sonia, the CEO and founder of The Great Counseling Firm and a formidable businesswoman. “I’m willing to try talking with them if we can figure out who they are, but I won’t stand for anyone threatening this firm. Tomorrow I’m going to call a fixer I know of.”
The next day Sonia called The Fixer and The Fixer said, “You need AIT6, the powerful, stealthy sixth generation AI truth serum. It will cause anyone to speak freely about anything, no matter what it is. Give it to every client and your unhappy client will reveal themself.”
Sonia told her counselors the plan. They would dissolve the serum in water, juice, coffee, wine—every beverage they had available and they’d encourage clients to drink. Sonia told them the best way to make sure clients drank was for the counselors to drink in front of them, but of course their own drinks would be serum free.
Logan, the other male counselor—who wasn’t as hot as Glen but was less emotionally reactive, said, “What about our Telehealth clients and do we have information about any potential side effects?
“Don’t be annoyingly bureaucratic,” said Callie, who the teenaged clients loved because she was laid back and cool. “We’ll just tell them that our telehealth platform will be down for maintenance for the next few weeks and they need to come in person. If a client resists, offer them a discount for their inconvenience.”
“The Fixer said the only known side effects are the truth,” said Sonia.
“Are you sure you can trust this fixer guy?” Logan said.
“He has hundreds of five star reviews,” said Sonia, “and many credentials from several respected universities and is highly regarded by the top psychology organizations.”
“I feel uncomfortable doing this,” said Marianne. “It feels unethical.”
“This is war,” said Sonia, “but I respect your boundaries. You can take the next two weeks off if you want to.”
“Or you could grow a pair,” said Callie.
“Come on, Marianne,” said Glen. “We’re doing it to help clients. We can talk with the unhappy client once we know who it is, but our plan won’t work nearly as well without our best therapist on board.”
Marianne thought for a second. “Ok,” she said, “but if we notice any negative side effects I’m going to stop.”
“That’s fair,” said Sonia.
The Great Counseling Firm set its plan in motion. Telehealth sessions were changed to in person. All of the counselors worked long hours and made sure that each of their clients had plenty of refreshing beverages to choose from at the beginning of their sessions. Then they let the clients talk as much as they wanted about whatever they wanted.
The AIT6 worked quickly. Trauma after trauma and stress after stress came pouring out of the clients. They talked about experiences they hadn’t thought about in years and things they hadn’t been ready to share before.
The counselors were exhausted by the end of the two weeks.
“I’ve never heard so many terrible things in a single day before doing this and it’s been like that every single damn day,” said Callie, who wasn’t seeming so carefree at this point. “I thought this job was fulfilling, but it sucks ass. It’s the most depressing job in the world, and I’m sick of drinking copious amounts of water and juice.”
“At least you haven’t had problems like mine,”said Glen. “I’ve had fifty-six clients tell me they want to sleep with me.”
“Fifty-six,” said Logan. “How many clients do you have?”
“Thirty-eight,” Glen replied, “but some of yours approached me after their sessions with you.”
“This is stressing everyone out,” said Marianne. “Maybe we should stop.”
“I think I might have to,” said Callie. “I’ve never been this tired, including back when I was working and going to college at the same time. I’ve had multiple clients texting and emailing me too, completely against my policy.”
“Just ignore them and terminate them in their next sessions,” said Glen. “It’s what I’m going to do to the ten clients who sent me nudes.”
“They’re sending you naked pictures?!Nobody’s sent me anything,” said Logan. “This is bullshit.”
“Listen, everybody, calm down,” said The President. “The Fixer told me we should know the truth by tomorrow. Can you hold it together for one more day?”
The counselors agreed to make it one more day. They wished one another goodnight and went their separate ways. Logan went to visit his mother and then went home and went to bed. Marianne went home with her cats and went to bed early. Callie went to a motel and fucked her boyfriend’s best friend, then went home and fucked her boyfriend, then fell asleep. Glen went home and tried to fuck his wife Gabriella, but she was upset.
“They’re all ugly,” said Glen, “and I told all of them no.”
But his wife was still upset so Glen fell asleep on the couch.
Sonia finished some business paperwork and went home to her husband. She was nervous and excited to find out who the unhappy client was.
The next day the counselors showed up for their morning sessions. No clients came.
“My clients have texted and emailed me this entire time, and now they don’t show up and can’t be bothered to let me know,” grumbled Callie.
“It’s statistically improbable that all of our clients would skip sessions on the same day like this unless there’s a disaster of some kind,” Logan remarked.
“I’m worried about my clients,” said Marianne. “Some of them have been sounding more anxious and depressed than usual.”
Suddenly they heard Sonia screaming from another room.
They ran to her office. The TV was on and the story was all about mass deaths in the area. Sonia was sobbing and shaking uncontrollably. She pointed to the television screen and collapsed into her chair.
“Authorities are perplexed and deeply concerned about the high number of accidental deaths and suicides overnight and throughout the early morning hours,” a reporter was saying.
As more reports came through, and victims were mentioned by name, the other counselors became horrified.
“Oh my god, those were some of my clients!” screamed Callie.
“And those were mine!” Exclaimed Marianne, turning deathly pale and nearly falling. Greg caught her in time, only to see some of his clients on the screen.
“Oh fuck, oh fuck,” said Logan. “This is so bad, this is so fucking bad. I’m calling all of my clients right now.”
No clients answered. No clients texted or emailed. None of the clients of The Great Counseling Firm would ever text or call or email or show up for another session ever again.
All of them were dead.
Some had overdosed and died in their beds, others were found drowned in their showers and bathtubs, some had shot themselves, still others had driven their cars off the sides of mountains, and some had hanged themselves. Many had left notes—they were feeling worse than they ever had and their pain was overwhelming. Some mentioned that they didn’t want to burden their loved ones with the effects of their trauma.
The Great Counseling Firm closed. The counselors were all under investigation.
One day when the trials were coming up, a man came to visit Marianne.
Already on the thin side, Marianne had lost weight after the tragedy and was a wisp of her former self.
“Hello,” said the man. “I happen to be in need of a very good therapist.”
“I’m not a therapist anymore,” Marianne replied. “Please go away and leave me alone.”
“Allow me to be blunt, Marianne. I’m opening a counseling center next year and I’d like to have you work there. If you’re interested, then I feel confident that the prosecution won’t be able to find anything to prove you were involved in any of the wrongful deaths. However, if you’d rather go to prison and not work again, I understand. Good day to you.”
He started away.
“Wait,”said Marianne. “Who are you?”
“My name is Joseph Holland,” he replied, “ but you may know me as The Fixer.”
“The serum, the angry client, it was all you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’m offering you the chance to help people again. You still like helping people, don’t you?”
“Yes, if I can help them, but now I don’t know if I can. I hurt so many clients, so many—
He walked to her and took her hand in his. “Now now, don’t you fret. You have a year to get yourself together and go get your own therapy or whatever you need and then you’ll be able to help so many sad people out there—all the ones who don’t have anyone to talk to about their troubles. They need you, Marianne. And we’ll have the best counseling center ever, where every single client is respected and loved. In fact, I think I’m going to name the new place The Best Counseling Firm. And we’ll have a bright new building and it’ll be a safe space for every client. What do you think of that?”
“I don’t know. It’s hard for me to picture working as a counselor again.”
“Listen, everyone messes up sometimes, but it’s how we deal with our mistakes that makes us who we are. And you’re a good person, genuinely good. Clients need you, Marianne. They need someone genuinely good like you. Come on, what do you say?”
The End