Chapter 15 - Odelia’s therapist
Dr. Naomi Brooks had seen Odelia for almost a year.
Not because Odelia was severely ill.
Because divorce plus two homes plus anxiety around transitions had created recurring stomachaches and sleep problems.
She documented something important.
Odelia’s anxiety had been improving before the videos began.
School attendance:
Good.
Nightmares:
Less frequent.
Wednesday calls with Caroline:
Stable.
Transitions after weekends:
Sometimes tearful but manageable.
Then six weeks before the park:
Sudden increase.
Why?
Morwenna had begun discussing relocation directly with Odelia.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to live with Mommy?”
“What if Daddy works too much?”
“You could have a real family dinner every night.”
“Maybe Daddy would visit.”
Each sentence on its own might sound like conversation.
Together, they destabilized a seven-year-old who had spent three years learning both parents remained hers.
Dr. Brooks said:
“Her distress appears reactive to adult uncertainty being placed directly on her.”
There.
Not proof Caroline should lose custody.
Not proof I should win everything.
Proof that adults needed to stop campaigning through the child.
The court ordered:
No discussion of relocation details with Odelia except through therapist-guided, age-appropriate communication.
May you like
Both parents agreed immediately.
Morwenna did not get a vote.
