Another day, another appointment. This was what Chipper Chatter did for a living, help ponies work through their problems. Some therapists might find the job emotionally exhausting and he couldn’t deny that it was, but he found it extremely fulfilling to help ponies improve their lives or get things off their chest. Today he had a new client, and greatly looked forward to meeting him.
 
He heard a knock at his office door and called out, “Come in!”
 
The door softly creaked open to a tall, thin, meek-looking unicorn. He had bags under his eyes and unkempt hair so clearly he had something to talk about.
 
“Hello,” Chip greeted. “Welcome. My name is Chipper Chatter, Chip for short. What brings you here?”
 
“I’m Roy…Royal Splendor,” the unicorn shook his hoof shyly. “A friend…recommended I come here.”
 
“I see. Sit down if you’d like,” Chip gestured to the couch next to him. “What’s on your mind?”
 
Roy sat down meekly, his lip already starting to quiver. “W-well, you see, my wife…”
 
He instantly burst into tears before he could finish his sentence.
 
One Hour Later
 
Roy had spent nearly the entire therapy session bawling his eyes out and recounting his wife’s recent untimely death. Technically it was over, Chip noted as he glanced up at the clock. Any other therapist would tell Roy to go home by now, but Chip had time to spare and he wasn’t going to end the session until he could give his client something to take away.
 
“Feeling better?”
 
Roy nodded weakly, blowing his nose and adding it to the pile of tissues scattered around him. “Sorry about the mess…”
 
“Don’t apologize,” Chip insisted. “Sometimes you need a good cry. I try to make my office a space where my clients can have one without fear of judgment.”
 
Roy smiled halfheartedly in acknowledgement, then shook his head. “I just don’t know what to do. It’s been almost a year by now, but it feels like it was just yesterday. The pain just doesn’t stop…” a fresh wave of tears welled up in his eyes.
 
“Grief is a perfectly natural process, Roy. It doesn’t go away overnight, and I wouldn’t expect it to. I have clients who have lost a loved one over 10 years ago and they’re still grieving.”
 
“Oh my, I’m going to feel like this forever, aren’t I?” Roy whimpered.
 
“Well, you’ll never stop missing her, that’s for sure. But it doesn’t have to hurt so much.”
 
Roy buried his face in his hooves, starting to cry again. “But it does…”
 
Chip searched his mind for a strategy that would help. “Well, how do you think Paint would feel seeing you so broken down?”
 
“Oh, she’s probably crying just as hard up above. My dear Paint…”
 
“Are you sure?” Chip asked. “From what you have told me, she seems to have made peace with it. She chose to risk her life so you and your foals could be a happy family, right?”
 
“Mmhm…”
 
“So do you think she regrets her decision, or do you think she wants you to move forward and be happy just as she envisioned while she was alive?”
 
“She wants me to be happy, I suppose…” Roy pondered. “But I can’t. I-I just can’t.”
 
“I think you have it in you. Give it time, but I think you will get there,” Chip smiled hopefully. “And I can be there every step of the way to help you, if you want me to.”
 
“I don’t know if you’ll be able to help me much, but…thank you.” Roy smiled through his tears. “I’ll schedule another appointment, I suppose.”
 
Chip nodded affirmingly as he watched Roy prepare to go. “I would love to have you come again.”