As a single female, one of my favorite pastimes is providing unlicensed couples counseling. Being that I don’t charge for my service, alcohol is typically involved, and I don’t advertise the service, rather, I provide it regardless of whether or not it is requested, it feels legal.
While poolside with Ice Cream Man and Sleepless, Ice Cream Man informed me Sleepless had been upset with him for several weeks and would appreciate it if, while he swam for a bit, I got to the bottom of it. “Not a problem, I love couples counseling,” I replied. I was excited for the opportunity but wondered, “I’ve chatted with Sleepless tons over the last two weeks and she mentioned none of this to me. Is she upset with me? Maybe she and I need couples counseling, but I can’t provide it, that’s not ethical.”
Sleepless ended up involved in a task (getting us more drinks) prior to Ice Cream Man getting in the pool during which time he shared with me the concerns. One of his main concerns was Sleepless would get so upset that she might leave him (even just temporarily). “Sleepless? She never leaves. That’s what I love about her,” was my professional response.
I’m not sure if this ‘session’ actually helped them, but I am sure of one thing – even though Sleepless left us temporarily, she returned and, she returned with drinks. Thus, my assessment was spot on – she never really leaves.