Dear (me), After consideration, I'll make you a deal. You come home over the summer and I'll schedule counseling sessions at the same place you have yours. That way they won't only hear my side of the story. How's that? (his company) laid off (fired in pleasanter terms) (Coworker's name) after 26 years. Her new boss (< 1yr) didn't like her. Love, Dad How do I tell him that's called putting the cart in front of the horse? I'm using this to dangle the carrot in front of him, to get him to go to therapy and then I consider going home? What he's proposing is like giving a dog a biscuit and then telling him to sit. You don't get the reward before you complete the task. Otherwise there's no incentive. And what do you mean my counseling sessions? I'm not the one that needs therapy, he is. That's another reason I'm not going home is because I'm the problem to them, and if they just dump me off in therapy, like you just drop your car off at the mechanic, then I'll just magically get all better and everything will be fine. So the answer is still no.
No counsellor in their right mind would take on a father AND son at the same as separate clients I'm pretty sure. It would be fairly unethical... Is he suggesting that YOU need them as well?
Oh yeah. The fact that any son would want to cut his abusive dad out of his life means that the dad isn't the one with the problem and that I am so I need therapy in his mind. I know what's going to happen if I go home and I'm not going to do it. I just got off the phone with my mom as she and my brother are coming up here tomorrow, and at first all she wanted was directions. Then she asked about whether I'd gotten my dad's emails and if I'd considered it. I told her that this summer is not negotiable. I'm staying and that's final. But of course, she won't tell my dad anything because she doesn't "want to be the go-between."
