Happily ever after: Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel: how they overcame a budding eating disorder.
After the ordeal of the kidnapping with the prospect of sure death, Hansel and Gretel had undergone intensive therapy. There were quite a few issues: the family’s betrayal, the abuse during their time spent with the witch, the shock of having to kill her for their own survival. All these scars made their recovery somehow slow, all in the light of the fact that they were patching things up with dad. The problem was, dad was weak. Since mum had died, a few years before, things had not been the same. He had been deeply depressed since, and the fact that the wicked stepmother could have convinced him to abandon his own children like that was proof that something was wrong.
There was a sense of betrayal and that could not go away so easily.
The main hurdle to fitting into their old life was however the fact that the abuse they suffered at the hands of the witch was centred over food, and this had left them both with a budding eating disorder.
Hansel, who had been force-fed by that monster of a woman, had developed bulimia and now gulped any possible thing down. He could not help it. He ate until he felt sick and then he went into the toilet to throw up. He was very secretive about it.
Gretel, on other hand, who had been forced to work as a slave for the witch, had been underfed and had developed anorexia. This means that no matter how thin she was, she thought she was fat. It was really a way to say that she was unhappy. She also discovered that everyone was fussing around her if she refused to eat and deep down she liked the attention.
You would think that Hansel and Gretel would be happy to be back home and that everything would be hunky dory but no. That’s what happens when children suffer a trauma: after the trauma they behave really strange, because something has hit their heart and they bleed inside, but one cannot see it.
Fortunately, Hansel and Gretel happened to be with a very good therapist, who understood children and really wanted to help them: it’s true that talking to children was her job and that she got money for it, but it’s also true that she did what she did with love and commitment. She loved to help children with problems.
This therapist had been referred by a social worker who had got involved with Hansel and Gretel’s case, following their suspicious disappearance and consequent kidnapping by the witch. The children had been lucky: it seems that other children had followed an altogether more grim fate, at the hand of that well know abuser.
It was very clear though, that Hansel’s and Gretel’s parents were somehow to blame and Social Services were there to make sure dad’s depression didn’t strike again. Fortunately, the step mother had left.
It wasn’t a happy household: Hansel, who gulfed any possible thing down, always complained that there was no food. Gretel didn’t stop talking about how fat she looked, no matter how emaciated she was. Dad would wonder around zombie-like or simply sit on his favourite chair watching tv. In fact, they all sat in the living room watching tv, all the time, in the end. They simply pulled each other down, as no-one seemed to be able to help the other in any way. The issues involved, the guilt and the trauma were simply too much to deal with.
‘One issue at a time’ said the therapist. ‘Just a manageable step at a time’ was her motto.
‘We will take the cross-fire approach’ she said. ‘In first instance, let me tell you that if things get really out of hand, we’ll use medication. For the moment, we’ll use the alternative approach. Medical science has many answers but we’ll try a more holistic approach. When it works, it works wonders.’
And so it was. Hansel’s underlying problem was that he felt powerless and terrified. The witch had full control of his body as he was trapped and forced to stuff himself with food. The therapist felt that Hansel had to cry this pain out and sent him to a very gifted Reiki healer who cleared his solar plexus as one should, and let him cry and cry on occasions, standing in an approving and non-judgemental fashion next to him. A bit of exercise and also lots of self-expression were prescribed. So it came out that Hansel was really good at writing scripts for plays, and he started being very prolific with his writing. Various titles came out: ‘Lost in the woods’, ‘The Witch’, ‘Sister act’, ‘Betrayal’. The scripts were so poignant.
Gretel, altogether more fragile, had dealt with the control issue punishing herself, denying herself food. This was trickier. Self-loathing was at the root of her particular behaviour. It was clear though that she had been affected by the wicked step-mother’s loathing too, and that unfortunately her issues went beyond the recent trauma.
Talking things through seemed to be very beneficial, together with the fact that as a woman the therapist could provide a positive female role model, obviously lacking in Gretel’s life. The therapist felt that the key for Gretel’s recovery was to provide a supportive and adequately stimulating environment for Gretel. As soon as Gretel was strong enough, she involved the girl in the Guide movement, so that she could experience nature and exploration in a positive and safe way, led by a positive role model.
It seemed also that on some level Gretel had been supporting Hansel and she may benefit from having some independent space.
The therapist also prescribed aromatherapy baths and massages and reflexology, which seemed to make her feel much better about herself. Gretel’s recovery was very gradual but steady and she blossomed into a young, charming, sensitive woman.
The therapist, unknown to everyone, also used prayer and visualisation to help the children. She visualised golden light around both of them to protect them and consistently sent them Reiki healing and good thoughts to support them.
Her methods might have been mildly unorthodox but results speak for themselves.
Epilogue
Hansel became a very successful film-maker/script-writer and not only made tonnes of money, he also married a totally hot actress he met on one of his sets. Not bad for a formerly bulimic son of a wood-cutter, once kidnapped and very nearly eaten by the local bad witch.
Gretel got into childcare and founded her own eco-friendly nursery ‘Happy Crumbles’, and never looked back. She married local boy Tim, who had a nursery business too (plants). I must say, I have rarely seen a woman gifted with beauty in spirit and flesh like Gretel, but it’s true that anorexia often hits the most beautiful people...she is very well now, and very happy.
The therapist went on to write about her experiences and made a good living out of it, plus she helped many other people. So it was a win-win situation for everyone!!!!