Doctor Jones' clinic may have originally been set up for helping new Animalians adapt and adjust to things tat would relate to animal and human courtship. Uplifted animals would have to pick up on more of the emotional issues that went into human courtship, and many times this was something that uplifted animals wouldn't fully understand or recognize at first. This was especially true for Animalians that hadn't been domestic pets and thus had a lot of contact with Humans before their uplifting. It was also there to help converted humans adjust to some of the stronger drives that were there as Animalians. Doctor Jones privately guessed that that was where an animal's instinctual urges pushed things forward in a way that a converted Human wouldn't expect. And at first he did fairly well with the project.
But in time, other issues came up in Lyre/Animalia and those issues being things that were best cured with therapy and not drugs. Drugs might be able to help with certain aspects of some problems, but when they were mental in nature, Doctor Jones was sure that the longer those problems were held internally, the bigger of a problem they would become. It started with some converted Animalians proving to be more horny than was normal for Animalians, and most of them being older when they converted and thus had an added rush of hormones. It was a problem, as given the size and strength of Animalians, that if they lost control because of that increase in their sex drive that went beyond even Animalian norms, there would be the potential for plenty of issues with discomfort, at least, to potentially rape at worst. Thankfully, Doctor Jones had been available to make sure that things didn't get out of control in that regard, and those that came to the clinic to deal with Regressive Hypersexuality Disorder were able to get control over it and address some of the underlying psychological causes for it.
That success soon brought other cases to him, which had included consultations with the Lyre and Animalia Police Departments in helping individuals recognize problems that had related to past behavior, among other things. At present, one of those new cases was more "trying to put families back together" than anything else. And he could see where there were issues as the two Fennec Fox Animalians entered one of the smaller therapy rooms in his clinic. Joanne wore a white woman's suit, with the shirt under the jacket having a slight V-neck collar to it. The skirt was relatively loose and allowed Joanne plenty of movement and had a slit in the back to allow her cream furred tail to be free without lifting her skirt. In contrast, Joanne's daughter, Nicole, wore black leather pants that hugged her legs and hips tightly, a white tank-top, cut low enough to give Doctor Jones a good look at Nicole's cleavage, and a black vest. Nicole's earrings also "clinked" as she came into the room with each step as she came in.
"I'm only here because Miss Fabina said I should be here," Nicole stated firmly as she passed Doctor Jones.
"I would hope that you would be here to help put aside the differences that you've had with your mother," Doctor Jones commented as he shut the door and then turned to find that both Joanne and Nicole had sat down on the couch, though at some distance from each other. He also noted that Joanne's eyes and ears were a bit downcast and her lips pulled into a slight frown. In contrast, Nicole's ears were perked and she was looking to Doctor Jones.
"And what differences might those be?" Nicole asked back, "the fact that she believes that I shouldn't be free to make my OWN choices? That Animalians are nothing more than customers to be exploited? My mother never loved me. She loved her money and her prestige, nothing more."
Doctor Jones heard a clear whine come from Joanna's direction, but Joanna never said anything. He sighed as he rolled his chair around his desk so that he could speak to both Nicole and Joanna directly, and decided to go from there. He picked up a notepad and a pen and then sat down.
"And that's how you think Joanna felt about you?" Doctor Jones inquired.
"It's how I KNOW she felt about me," Nicole said crossing her arms, "I had to live up to the family standard and learn the ins and outs of the fashion world... and more from the purpose of running the design company and not from actually showing off the design, which was something I had interest in. And whenever I brought up that Animalians would be more than customers... I was waived off... and when I tried to argue that I'd want something other than what had been set aside for me, she'd guilt trip me with what my father would have wanted... despite the fact that he's been long dead."
"I only wanted what was best for you!" Joanna spoke up with a whimper, "something respectable... something that you could stay in longer than just a few years. Modelling is nice... but many of them only last a few years before the ad agencies don't want them anymore, because they're too old or something like that. At least with the company... you'd be closer to the business and being able to provide a service that could last a lifetime, not until the general public decides you're old and "ugly." Something..."
"I never wanted!" Nicole interrupted, "I never wanted to be a fashion designer! I never wanted to sit in some office looking over various designs and ideas and then decide which one is likely to be trendy in the coming year! I never wanted that!"
Nicole then turned away and looked more toward the wall beside her. Joanna only whimpered again and looked down. It struck Doctor Jones as a defeated look and one that lined up with some of the reports that he'd gotten in the paperwork that had been filed to help set up the present appointment.
"I take it you feel differently, Joanne?" Doctor Jones offered to her.
"The company I've run has always been family owned and run," Joanne spoke, "my husband's father before him... and then my husband and I in partnership. It was interesting work, and more than just deciding what would be trendy for the coming year. There was also a lot of administrative work that would revolve around scheduling to promote designs... dealing with tailors and clothing manufacturers that may want to produce it for others to buy. This could often mean dealing with modeling agencies and what they noted from their agents and what people responded to. In this, there was a LOT that went into the company that Nicole did not describe... and I'll admit that I had hopped that Nicole might one day pick up after me when I retired."
"Even if that wasn't the career she wanted?" Doctor Jones asked.
"I never said I was right," Joanne answered, "I just wanted to give my daughter a future that she could take pride in. Something that wouldn't depend on her looking sexy... something that can and will change over time." She paused to look down for a moment and then finished, tears coming down from her eyes and wetting her fur a little, "and then Nicole left... and that... that showed on how... mistaken I was..."
Nicole barely budged from her position, but Doctor Jones held out his hand and rolled it so that Joanne would have the window to continue her explanation. Joanne did continue.
"And it hurt..." Joanne said slowly, "for despite all our arguments... Nicole was always the most important thing to me. I may have been mistaken in what she wanted or how to build on that relationship... but I never hated her. I ALWAYS loved her... she was precious... a reminder of my husband... and then... she was gone. She left, and the last words we'd said to each other were hurtful. I was left at home, alone, and with nothing but memories. Memories of when we did get along well..."
"When I was little," Nicole commented, "Little and couldn't question what was wanted of me."
"And reminders of the mistakes I'd made," Joanne continued, ignoring her daughter's comment, "her room largely empty... and no one there to talk to... not even to argue with. An the last things said being hurtful. I never wanted that... and it hurt... that I'd let my expectations cost me EVERYTHING that truly mattered. The money I've made is nice... but it's not much when there is no one there to share it with. My husband has been long dead and my daughter left with no contact information as to where she went. I only guessed at Animalia because Nicole had always advocated for doing more for Animalians than just finding ways to sell clothing designs."
"Because we're people too," Nicole answered, "as you're finally learning... if a bit hypocritically..."
Doctor Jones raised up one hand with his palm raised toward Nicole. While some of this was likely going to be part of the healing that would probably span several sessions until mother and daughter could be more comfortable and put aside their own biases. He could see that by how differently the pair was dressed. Nicole dressed to provoke some sexual response while her mother was more conservatively dressed at the moment, marking their different tastes. And some of the tone of voice that Joanne had given with regard to the use of the words "sexy" in her answers also gave Doctor Jones some idea that the older Fennec Fox Animalian, even if both looked to be the same age since they were double dosed, was not personally fond of her daughter working at a strip club. However, he didn't feel that arguing back and forth or pointing fingers at mistakes would help. It would only flare up tempers and slow the process of healing down.
"At the time... I couldn't quite bring myself to want to convert outright," Joanne admitted, "but I did recognize where I'd been wrong... and I was heavily depressed by it."
"And then what happened?" Doctor Jones asked.
"At first... I tried to power through, go about my daily routine and responsibilities," Joanne answered, "but that didn't really work. So I then then turned to try and drink my sorrows away... and that didn't work, either. Alone and depressed... I... I eventually tried suicide. If it weren't for my servants saving my life... I'd be dead."
That got Nicole's ears to perk up and her eyes to widen.
"You didn't ever think to try and contact your daughter here before?" Doctor Jones inquired.
"I didn't think she'd even talk to me," Joanne said weakly, "after all we'd argued on. And given that it took someone else to even let us meet again... I'd think I'm right in regard. I'd made too many mistakes."
"I didn't want you to die," Nicole said weakly, "I just wanted my freedom..."
To Doctor Jones, that was enough to show some openings for healing in the future. They'd just have to see on where things went from there.