‘Wonderful, count to three and breathe in’ her voice extended a hand and led me towards a place of rest. My galloping heart began to slow down, thumping periodically. Slowly, my mind travelled to the sanctuary I had been struggling towards for years. Breathe in. I could see calm on the horizons. Breathe out. The gruelling sessions were working. Breathe in. Insufferable trauma digging, so called coming to terms with my past had just resurfaced night terrors. Breathe out. Maybe it was worth it… waking up in cold sweats every night. Conscious of my breathing, I began to elevate to a higher plane of existence. Where my mind was no longer plagued by panic attacks and I could be at ease. Perhaps I would stay here for eternity. Never coming down. Cloud nine? No, this was far better. I was above the clouds.

‘Elio?’ her voice cut through like a knife ‘the session is over,’

‘Right, uh I think I’ve payed for a couple sessions in advance so I should be covered,’ I quickly snapped out of this nirvana.

Good things never last long.