"What could be their interest in neuropsychology?" Dr. Hessian asked.
"This is theory, of course, because they mind-wiped leading profes-sionMs and state officials on a random basis but it might have to do with increasing the compliance level of the races they have dominated. They have had an unusual amount of resistance from Earth's races and they may well have been trying to find a way to disempower their ability to resist. Just 'turn them off; so to speak, by inhibiting or altering the synaptic receptor response.
It would have the same effect as removing the drive unit from a computer-you can ptmch the keys but nothing will happen. For some reason, and fortunately for the rest of those subjected to the mind-wipe, the Eosi went off on another tact of mental exploration entirely. Or the percentage of death was discouraging."
"What happened to those who were so examined?"
"Some experienced organic damage to both frontal lobes from experimental current levels. Still others were left with the effects of psychological trauma and some had both. In addition, many have had survivor guilt, as they were aware of the eminence of many that died. They have, quite naturally, questioned their own worth at having remained alive. Others grieved.
Actually, in the case of Doctor K, there was some of both."
"Tell me more," said Dr. Hessian and, to Kris and Sarah, he sounded both curious and smug.
"Our patient, Doctor K, heard of the deaths of several such scientists, colleagues at the university, and prior to her own ordeal under Eosian instrument.
And, while the mind-wipe current level had been reduced and no further deaths resulted, she was severely traumatized. Having the power of her mind stolen by ruthless aliens who had strapped her into a chair and assaulted her with a searing blue beam of bright, laserbrine light was devastating.
She had flashbacks of the blue beam following her, aimed directly at the forebrain, entering her head while she was physically and psycholog ically paralyzed, unable to escape."
"Hmmm. Could cause severe neuroses, indeed." He cleared his throat.
"You have told me about the trauma Doctor K experienced. Now I'd like to know something about her development history, psychological defenses, and pre-morbid adjustment level."
Dorothy took a deep breath as she was coming to the difficult part.
"Pre-morbid adjustment level is not a very useful concept in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder of highly functioning individuals. The focus is more closely conceptualized as helping them gain self-efficacy and self-control over their symptoms at the conscious level."
"Well," and Dr. Hessian's tone was pompous, "if you don't take pre-morbid treatment into account, you are not offering comprehensive treatment."
"In your theory that is true: in mine, technically, it's not," she replied.
"Imagine a nearly new automobile that is totally destroyed in a head-on collision.
We would seldom ask how well it ran prior to the accident or expect it to return to its nearly new form after a visit to the body shop. In fact, such wrecks are discarded. But, with people, the nature of the human spirit often allows them to achieve an amazing level of functioning so that they can transcend the level of the trauma. Teaching how to do that by employing techniques from cognitive psychology, behavior therapy, and multi-modal treatment has proven efficacious."
Another pause. "Well, then, tell me," Dr. Hessian said again with that hint of gracious condescension, "what were the symptoms of post-traumatic stress that were most difficult to treat?" he asked.
Dorothy decided that he was trying to buy time to revise his strategy.
"Doctor K had temporary post-trauma amnesia and flashbacks of the blue light. She could not sleep or remain awake without recurrent images of the blue light attacking her forehead. Everywhere she went, it haunted her. In dreams as well as in waking life, she was trailed by this nasty flashback that impeded every aspect of her recovery:'
Dr. Hessian straightened himself, a smug gleam in his eye and Dorothy wondered what hole he would try to pick in her method. He was making eye contact now while he assumed his characteristic condescending expression.
"This is why pre-morbid adjustment is so important to know;' he said.
"I would guess there was some unresolved conflict in this woman's background that made her more prone to the flashback. Do you know if there was some unresolved guilt toward a parent or unresolved shame in the area of sexuality, for example, that showed itself in this way?"
By now the sun was disappearing behind the mountains. They could hear others hurrying home but no one used this path. She didn't want to rush the man but they would soon have to leave, to avoid the night crawlers.
However, she had to make an end of this power struggle between the two opposing camps of psychological treatment. The base of their current discussion, she reasoned, is power, not just theory. There are two ends to this rope: he is pulling one end and I have hold of the other in this psychological tug-of-war. I will decide not to play and see what happens.
"Well," Dorothy said out loud, "while I would continue our discussion, we must make it back to our respective residences before full dark. I had wanted to tell you that the way we treated Doctor K's flashbacks was to bring under stimulus control using a fading procedure combined with deep muscle relaxation. We also provided her with an imagery intervention which was highly effective."
Dr. Hessian looked at her, unimpressed. He was probably not inspired by the a-theoretical even if it was effective.
"We'd best call it a night;' she said, standing up and his deep-rooted courtesy made him get to his feet, too. "I hope you decide to join us.
Would you sleep on it? We could use your clinical help and perhaps you could summarize Doctor Kessler's work and present it to the treatment staff. It might be a fitting tribute since you knew him. Anyway, let me know what you decide."
She took the few steps back to the safety of the flagstone path but turned back, assuming a humble expression. "Oh," she said, "Doctor Hessian, before I leave, I do need to apologize to you." She even managed the slightest hint of chagrin.
"Apologize to me?" he repeated, obviously pleased that she was seeing the mistake of her own ways.
"Yes, you see, presenting the case of Doctor K was my way of attempting to share with you the power of the treatment model. I guess I was not successful in helping you see that."
"Well," he said, with an almost gracious wave of his hand, "you tried."
"The irony," she responded gently, "was that while most of the case data was accurate, one part was not. I changed the gender of the doctor involved."
"Well, I hardly think that is signifieant."
"Not when Doctor K is you. We used social learning techniques to revive your fine mind, Doctor Hessian, and they worked."
She saw his gaping mouth and hurried away, leaving him to digest that final thrust.
KRIS AND SARAH HAD RUN as fast as they could to leave the scene of their eavesdropping.
"Should we apologize to Dorothy?" Kris asked, her expression repentant.
"How were we to know Hess/an would come in, all ruffled and precipitate a set-down? I hope he got it from her, too," Sarah replied, not the least bit repentant. Then she shuddered. "I hadn't heard her theory about what the Eosi might have been trying to do. Make zombies out of all of us:'
Kris had a sick feeling in her guts. She shook her head slowly in denial.
"No, Zainal is certain that the Eosi were trying to search for possible new scientific theories…"