"I’m willing to wait and be patient."

The bright room was animated by the sounds of water streaming from the tabletop fountain. Green plants filled the room: fiddle leaf fig, snake plant, monstera, and many others were everywhere. The room was welcoming and calming: a haven of peace.

“So, how was your week, Sita?” Parvati asked as she pulled her glasses up over her nose, preparing herself to scribble. Sita was lying down on a mustard chaise lounge, fiddling with her fingers. Sita took a deep breath and smelled the lavender’s delicate scent spread by the essential oil diffuser.

“Well, Monday was great; Rama and I went on a date at the park and fed ducks, and then we went to see a movie at the movie theater. It was the new Wonder Woman movie. It was alright, not what I was expecting, but it was watchable. On the other hand, on Tuesday, my PTSD got the best of me. I woke up crying, sweating, and scared. A bloody nightmare again. I was still experiencing the abduction; it was so real, I really thought he was here and terrorizing me. But thank God he was not." Sita shook her head.

"What happened next?" Parvati asked, scribbling on her notepad.

"Rama soothed me and made me some tea to calm myself. Anyways, Wednesday and Thursday were the same old routine. Nothing new. I woke up and went to work, then come back home. Rama cooked some butter chicken; it was delicious. He is a good cook. I feel like he is trying his best to make up for the traumatic event? I mean, I don’t blame him for what happened. It is not like he knew his business rival was a madman who envied him and wanted to have the same exact life as him. I thought I would die, you know? I remained captive for one week; I seriously thought I was going to die or something."

"Your feelings are valid, Sita. You experienced a traumatic event. Do you recall what happened when they found you or not yet? " Sita took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Honestly, I don’t even remember the day they found me; I was so exhausted. Sometimes, I feel like I was somewhat lucky? I mean, I was just trapped in a basement, in the dark, feet shackled to the wall. Nothing more happened. I know that worse could’ve happened, but it was not the case, so I’m a bit thankful for that. But anyway, it’s been six months; I’m not cured yet. I don’t even know if it’s something that can be cured."

"Yes, you have to be patient but you are on the right path!"

Sita smiled. "I know it will take time, and I’m willing to wait and be patient. So yeah, this morning, I went to work and did the same old things again: call caterers, florists, venues. Wedding planner things." Sita nodded to herself. "Oh, and after our session, Rama is taking me to a spa resort. It will be a fun weekend!” Sita had a big smile on her face, eyes glittering.

“Oh, lucky you! It seems like your nightmares are less frequent than before; it’s good news. It appears that the relaxation exercise I suggest works." Sita nodded eagerly. "Yes, they worked! It really helps me."

Parvati smiled, proud that her activities were efficient. "The new activity I want you to do this week, of course, alongside the relaxation, is writing. Take 20 minutes of your time, find a notebook and a pen you like and start writing your deepest thoughts and feelings about your PTSD. Expressive writing could improve coping and reduced PTSD symptoms, tension, and anger. I hope that your weekend at the spa will go well, without obstacles. See you next Friday!”

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Author’s note: This story is based on Tiny Tales from the Ramayana. For the storytelling, I focused on Sita, the adopted daughter of King Janaka and Rama’s wife. Rama is the reincarnation of Vishnu. She’s loving and loyal to Rama, but her life is quite animated. So, I decided to write about the aftermath of Ravana abducting her to get revenge on Rama. I imagined in what condition she was kept captive in order to write the therapy session. Even if in The Ramayana, Sita and Rama don’t end up together, they’re still together in this story. I decided to write about Sita and what she felt after the abduction because I feel like it was ignored. I doubt that after this kidnapping, Sita feels great and happy. She certainly felt horrible. I chose Parvati as the therapist because she seems to be an empathetic woman, and it just feels right. Parvati is the goddess of fertility, love, beauty, devotion, children, and marriage. So, she just fits harmony and calmness: aspects I assume for a therapist.

The difference between my initial post on my blog is the description of the therapy room. Besides, I added Parvati dialogue about ways to cope with PTSD. They are effective, so if you’re feeling anxious and other, you can try relaxation or journaling: here’s a link.

I feel like Sita’s feelings are overlooked in the Ramayana. The latter focused most of the time on the men. Of course, amazing women are present, but the stories don’t show them enough and their powerful selves.

Also, the background image is in reference to the forest where Sita was abandoned. After Rama saves his beloved, he asks his brother to take Sita to a forest and leave her there because the kingdom people doubted her loyalty. According to them, she spent too much time at another man's house. Yes, she was abducted but the reputation of the kingdom is more important. :)

Bibliography: Tiny Tales from the Ramayana by Laura Gibb

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons