That's... Highly convenient?

... He's going to say 'yes' before he accidentally talks him out of it. (What is the worst that could happen, realistically, with Wizard's Body and Wizard's Mind.)

"Good morning, Mr. Wen."

One weird side benefit of having a crush on almost everyone is that it makes 'talking to a new person' terror 'talking to a person you like like terror' -- which isn't less anxiety producing, but it is more pleasant?

"I-it's nice to meet you, Reverend."

"What brings you in today?"

Oh no, an open ended question that technically has no right answer but really does! His one weakness!

"A bunch of people recommended I go get counselling. And I've been looking and found people who weren't quite right, and-- I saw your sign and thought it would be worth trying with you?" Send help, that cannot be the answer the nice reverend was looking for.

"...well, you sound absolutely terrified."

"This is kind of my natural state!" Shit, no, he should have said he was just flustered because he doesn't know him, except that would be as believable as saying he came from a long and storied line of elephants...

"I'd say 'you don't have to be afraid' but I somehow sense that that is not going to help."

"If only it were that simple." Points for the reverend for realising 'just calm down' are the three least helpful words in the English language?

"You know," he says with surprising gentleness, "it's okay to be scared."

"It would be. Much more convenient if I wasn't."

"You don't have to be convenient."

"I know, but--" How much is the fact he's relaxing around him because Reverend Parker is good at his job, and how much is it because squishy feelings increase with time: an unsolvable mystery. "I hear a lot of people manage not to be terrified all the time."

"It's not that it's a good thing for you to be worried-- if you're scared alll the time, it's obviously better for you not to be-- but don't worry about it on my account. --Would you like to hear about my ethical practices?"

Ethics. Yes. Those things that he should really check. "That would be good?"

He hands over a piece of paper that says:

Ethical Practice

1. I will never tell anything disclosed in spiritual direction to anyone, including under court order or if you threaten harm to yourself or others. I will not in any way imply that I know things that I learned in spiritual direction. 

2. I believe that there is no absolute truth. When there is disagreement, I strive to look for the kernel of truth in all positions.

3. I accept diversity and change as they naturally come about, and change my approach to problems to suit different people and different situations. 

4. I observe my limits as a spiritual director and set boundaries to avoid burnout. 

5. I search for a compassionate and empathetic interpretation of my own behavior, my directees' behavior, and the behavior of people in my directees' lives. I practice a nonjudgmental stance. I assume that everyone is trying their best and wants to improve.

6. I do not treat people as fragile. I believe everyone has the strength to handle their own life problems. 

7. I am fallible and make mistakes. I will inevitably violate principles 2-6 at times. I accept criticism without defensiveness, looking for the kernel of truth, and strive to do better. 

... These seem like a perfectly fine set of ethical practices? Whether there is no absolute truth doesn't seem like it would cause any problems, compared to 'you definitely have a problem with a past life.'

He likes the nonjudgment. Nonjudgment sounds very good.

He also appreciates that nothing is going to get out  He probably doesn't need to say anything about being a sex wizard... But oh boy is that going to end up being a difficult topic to just constantly talk around. ("Recently I started improving my life, including going from a shut in to slutty, for... Reasons...")

He hands the paper back. "What would you do if-- hypothetically-- someone said they believed something... Odd, but not harmful?"

"I have many directees with unusual beliefs and experiences, including some with experiences conceived of by medical science as psychotic. My job is to help you figure out what you believe, not to impose my beliefs on you."

That's good! He has the official sisterly approval of "doesn't seem psychotic," but he is not going to be able to... prove that to the reverend.

"That's good to know." ... He should probably explain why he's asking. Even if it's like pulling rotten teeth, there's not much point if he can't... say things... to him. "I recently had something... strange... happened, and it's kind of important context? I'm glad I don't have to... talk around it." He says, as he cringes out of his skin and talks around it.

"I'm interested in it, if you want to share."

He's a sex wizard! "Something offered me to take an oath to spread joy-- and I took it? And since then it's been giving me advice. About 80-90% of it is as far I can tell just... Normal good advice?" The other 10% wants him to wait to fuck a dolphin!

"What does it tell you to do?"

"--it doesn't so much tell me to do things as suggest them? It suggests things like--" HELP, ALL HE CAN THINK OF IS FUCKING MACHINES AND DOLPHINS "--trying new things, doing things that make me happy. ... It's actually one of the people that suggested I get therapy?"

"That sounds potentially very helpful. Are you comfortable with its role in your life?"

"--mostly? I don't want it to go away." Which it probably wouldn't, anyway.