Page 83 of High Society

Liisa laughs uncomfortably. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Weren’t there times when you felt as if you couldn’t offer your clients the hard truths they needed to hear because of your own… situation?”

Liisa’s gaze drops to her lap. “I’ve been able to compartmentalize my professional and personal lives.”

“You’ve been working throughout the worst of your addiction, then? You’ve never had to take a break, right?”

“There have been times when I’ve had to cut back,” Liisa says without making eye contact.

“How many days a week do you see clients now?”

“It varies from month to month.”

“This month?”

Liisa’s mouth tightens, and she sits up straighter. “What’s this about?”

“You’re not practicing at all, are you, Liisa?”

“I’m on a sabbatical.”

Holly peers at her over the rim of her glasses. “A sabbatical from a clinical practice?”

“I needed a break,” Liisa mutters. “I don’t see what any of this has to do with our ketamine therapy.”

“One of the main points of group therapy, Liisa, is to share your vulnerabilities, not to hide them.”

“I’ve shared plenty. More than what I wanted or intended to.”

“Did you choose to close your practice?” Holly presses. “Or did the Board of Psychology force you to?”

Liisa’s nostrils flare slightly. “How is that any of your business?”

Holly only stares at her.

“All right,” Liisa says. “Yes, there was a disciplinary action. One of my clients reported me after I fell asleep during a session. It had been a long day, and I hadn’t slept the night before. But no, the Xanax did not help the situation.”

“Is that right?”

“There were a couple of other complaints, too. Both trivial in my opinion. And not reliable complainants. But after an aggressive and, frankly, biased investigation, my license was suspended. And I was forced to seek treatment.”

Holly is certain Liisa must be downplaying the incidents if they led to a suspension. “And that’s how you ended up here? With me?”

“Not directly. As I told you before, none of the other programs I tried worked.”

“You came to see me because you had no choice.” It all begins to make sense to Holly. “You were extremely resentful about it, though, weren’t you?”

“No, I was doubtful,” she said. “That is, until your therapy began to help me. And then, as I’ve told you, my doubt turned into belief.”

Holly chooses her words carefully. “But while you were still ‘doubtful’—when you hadn’t yet found sobriety—did you speak to the others in the tribe about me?”

“In what sense?” Liisa shifts in her seat. “We all discussed you and our therapy with one another.”

“Did you encourage Elaine to pursue her allegations against me?”

Liisa’s upper body stiffens. “Elaine came to me. She told me about her concerns with you and the way you’d touched her… hugged her.”

“And what did you tell Elaine?”