Shrink rap
New love and Romeo having actual emotions? No wonder Dr Jameson is up in the air!
Romeo’s (Hungani Ndlovu) therapist Dr Jameson (Karin van der Laag) is the reluctant sounding board for his crazier ideas and schemes. She has sat through session after session of him describing how he manipulates everyone around him. But after that wedding on Friday 16 November, she has noticed the start of an emotional breakthrough for her patient. “Romeo is always delightfully unpredictable, but after Xolile’s (Sivenathi Mabuya) wedding, it seems that he is really experiencing his feelings and not just projecting or playing games,” reveals Karin. Romeo’s new vulnerability seems to catch Dr J offguard and she might find herself crossing some professional lines this fortnight…
TWO-WAY STREET
“Dr Jameson tries to be as ethical as possible and follow the correct code of conduct, but Romeo is a constant challenge. He makes it difficult for Dr Jameson to be professional. Romeo has a very charming way of breaking boundaries, which often catches Dr Jameson unawares,” says Karin. And on Monday 3 December, Dr Jameson slips up when she opens up to Romeo about a development in her own love life in exchange. “She feels very lonely in that she does not have many people to talk to. She is very excited to meet this new love of her life and she is desperate to share the good news with somebody. She forgets that Romeo is her patient and she starts to see him as a friend,” explains the actress. “She feels pretty ashamed about this afterwards.”
CHANGE MY VIEW
Professional issues aside, having Romeo as a patient could have an interesting impact on Dr J’s love life. “Before she met him, she felt like she was in control of her practise and knew how to deal with any patients who came along, no matter how psychologically complicated. Romeo changed all that. Dr Jameson now looks at her other regular patients with a fair amount of suspicion. She cannot take anything at face value anymore,” reveals Karin. Even her new lover seems suspect!