"You're very quick to jump to the defensive," Megan observed.
"So's she," he replied, pointing at Cuddy.
"Does she?" Megan raised her brows at House when he looked at her. "Obviously, I don't know Lisa as well as you do - I've only met her for the first time today. But so far, she's demonstrated to me that she's reasonable and easy to reason with."
"Are you saying I'm not?"
"No, I'm not. That's not what I'm saying." She motioned to him. "It's interesting that's your immediate reaction and assumption, however."
"I'm probably going to regret asking this, but how is it interesting?"
"It's interesting because the way in which people react and respond to others says a great deal about themselves, more than it does about the person they're reacting to." She paused to let him say something if he wanted to; she pressed on when he seemed to have nothing to respond with. "Do you think it might be possible that the reason Lisa reacts defensively is because you react defensively?"
"So, this is my fault," he surmised in an accusing tone.
"No," Megan said firmly. She sighed, getting slightly frustrated. "Greg, think about how you're responding right now. Tell me why you're interpreting what I'm saying as an attack."
"You just told me that you think Cuddy reacts defensively because I do. Ergo, it's my fault."
Megan shook her head. "No. I'm asking you to think about your reaction. Your feelings. May I make an observation you probably won't like?"
"What if I say no? You're probably going to tell me anyway, right?"
"I think you react the way you do because you're insecure. You confessed to not liking yourself - are you afraid that Lisa is telling you she doesn't love you when she criticises you?"
"Of course that's what I'm afraid of," he snapped immediately. The moment the words were out of his mouth, he clenched his jaw and looked at Cuddy.
"But it's very obvious to me that Lisa loves you deeply," Megan said, her tone gentler. "Do you think it says more about Lisa or more about you how you feel? That may sound like a silly question but think about it." She paused. "Do you think it's possible you're reacting strongly to the fact that Lisa has a lot of things she wants to say to you because you're aware of all the issues you need to work through?"
"I know I have a lot of issues I have to work through," he shot back.
Megan nodded encouragingly. "You do. And you deserve to give yourself credit for the fact that you are acknowledging that." She gestured to Cuddy. "Lisa's issues are not your issues, you realise. I'm not saying those issues have nothing to do with you, but I am saying that what she feels and thinks belong to her. They don't belong to you. The only job you have to do is listen to her when she wants to express her thoughts and feelings."
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"So's she," he replied, pointing at Cuddy.
"Does she?" Megan raised her brows at House when he looked at her. "Obviously, I don't know Lisa as well as you do - I've only met her for the first time today. But so far, she's demonstrated to me that she's reasonable and easy to reason with."
"Are you saying I'm not?"
"No, I'm not. That's not what I'm saying." She motioned to him. "It's interesting that's your immediate reaction and assumption, however."
"I'm probably going to regret asking this, but how is it interesting?"
"It's interesting because the way in which people react and respond to others says a great deal about themselves, more than it does about the person they're reacting to." She paused to let him say something if he wanted to; she pressed on when he seemed to have nothing to respond with. "Do you think it might be possible that the reason Lisa reacts defensively is because you react defensively?"
"So, this is my fault," he surmised in an accusing tone.
"No," Megan said firmly. She sighed, getting slightly frustrated. "Greg, think about how you're responding right now. Tell me why you're interpreting what I'm saying as an attack."
"You just told me that you think Cuddy reacts defensively because I do. Ergo, it's my fault."
Megan shook her head. "No. I'm asking you to think about your reaction. Your feelings. May I make an observation you probably won't like?"
"What if I say no? You're probably going to tell me anyway, right?"
"I think you react the way you do because you're insecure. You confessed to not liking yourself - are you afraid that Lisa is telling you she doesn't love you when she criticises you?"
"Of course that's what I'm afraid of," he snapped immediately. The moment the words were out of his mouth, he clenched his jaw and looked at Cuddy.
"But it's very obvious to me that Lisa loves you deeply," Megan said, her tone gentler. "Do you think it says more about Lisa or more about you how you feel? That may sound like a silly question but think about it." She paused. "Do you think it's possible you're reacting strongly to the fact that Lisa has a lot of things she wants to say to you because you're aware of all the issues you need to work through?"
"I know I have a lot of issues I have to work through," he shot back.
Megan nodded encouragingly. "You do. And you deserve to give yourself credit for the fact that you are acknowledging that." She gestured to Cuddy. "Lisa's issues are not your issues, you realise. I'm not saying those issues have nothing to do with you, but I am saying that what she feels and thinks belong to her. They don't belong to you. The only job you have to do is listen to her when she wants to express her thoughts and feelings."
She turned to Cuddy. "Am I making sense?"