hankster my friend, I suggest with gentleness that T's actually DO this, as well as suggest this, all the time. That in part this is what therapy is all about. In Buddha's Brain, Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom: Rick Hanson, Richard Mendius: 9781572246959: Amazon.com: Books,

the author suggests that healing the physical trauma that trauma causes to the brain is done by infusing bad memories with the imagination that you are there with "someone that you love." In a way, by T being there while we talk about what happened, this is how our brains start to get out of their well worn grooves and we move from making reflexive responses to more considered ones.

So I think what MKAC's T is suggesting here is sort of a two for one deal, that he is trying to be there for both MKAC and that kid, and help diffuse the trauma caused to both of them. IMO anyway.