Who is Nathan Brock?

“Good afternoon Mr Brock – before we start, may I say what a privilege it is working for you”. A large, firm handshake drew me to the chair opposite.

“Thanks, although I’m sorry – I don’t remember you.” I replied.

We both sat down. “Well if you did, then we wouldn’t be having this meeting! So before we begin, I would just like to establish a few grounds rules – “

I interrupted: “Excuse me, what do I call you?”

“You can call me father – it’s what you used to call me before the accident” his tones were warm and I could tell that he was the king of his own castle – and comfortable too in playing that role.

“So what’s a priest doing practising psychiatry?” I enquired.

He replied: “All in good time Nathan, all in good time – although as I get older, I find that the soul and the mind have an inter-dependence sadly neglected in this day and age. Does it bother you that I am a priest?” The King was ready to start ruling over his subject.

“No” I said – “I don’t feel strongly about religion”.

“No offence taken – just in case you were wondering!” A sly grin revealed the King was happy to be the jester, too. “But that’s a very interesting answer – you used to have such definite ideas about right & wrong, bad vs. good, hell vs. heaven.”

“And what ideas were they?” My curiosity was now roused.

A learned grin spread over his weathered features “This is a journey of self-discovery – I cannot nor will not hand you your mental identity on a plate. Professionally speaking the idea would be flawed, and I’m not so sure that it would be morally ethical either”.

“How so?” I asked.

“Well would you adopt your viewpoints and personality because you believe in them, or because I gave them to you?” The delivery of his question, could just as easily have been from the pulpit, although I knew whatever answer I gave, it wouldn’t be good enough.

“I don’t know you, though” I said.

“Exactly!” he shot back “and more to the point, you don’t know yourself. For your long-lasting mental future you have to believe – you have to have faith”.

“Faith in what?” I asked. I got the feeling we had already started our session, or was it Sunday school?

“Faith in the fact that every thought, action & deed is your own – not some knee-jerk reaction to a facsimile of your personality that I might have placed in your head.” A small pause followed – “Now, shall we begin?”