Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

American Tragedy (2013)

Bill Irwin: Dr. Peter Lindstrom

Quotes 

• Olivia Benson : [while in her therapy session]  Guys says stuff like that to me all the time and I just I went off on him? I'm a New York City cop. I can't go around beating people up.

  Dr. Peter Lindstrom : Remember what we talked about last session?

  Olivia Benson : Yes, how I was upset that Lewis got the drop on me, how I should've reached for my gun, but this is different. This wasn't Lewis.

  Dr. Peter Lindstrom : No, I hear you beating yourself up: first for under-reacting to Lewis, now for overreacting to this guy.

  Olivia Benson : I can't get anything right. I'm all over the place.

  Dr. Peter Lindstrom : All over the place. If a crime victim said that to detective Olivia Benson, less than three months after an assault, what would you say to her?

  Olivia Benson : I'd say that survivors can experience a wide range of reactions, from stress to fear to numbness.

  Dr. Peter Lindstrom : Depression, anger, flashbacks?

  Olivia Benson : All of the above.

  Dr. Peter Lindstrom : Have you ever known someone to take a self-defense course or to obtain a gun or resolve never to be a victim again?

  Olivia Benson : Of course.

  Dr. Peter Lindstrom : So you might see this kind of overreaction to be emotionally triggered and you might tell her that over time, she'll recognize those triggers and temper her responses.

  Olivia Benson : [after having flashbacks of William Lewis]  And what if she doesn't believe me?

  Dr. Peter Lindstrom : Well, then you might ask her to forgive herself and remember she's going through a process and that healing takes time.