The Best Episodes Written By Jackie Sibblies Drury

Brooke struggles to draw genuine answers out of her newest patient Laila, who's been dragged to therapy by her concerned grandmother over recent "life choices," before switching gears and empowering the 18-year-old to seize her agency.

In an effort to connect with Laila over feeling controlled by her family, Brooke shares a traumatic experience from her own childhood. As Brooke digs into her proclivity for unbridled imagination and storytelling as a coping mechanism, Laila reveals a surprising plan for her future.

As Laila details an elaborate getaway plan, a skeptical Brooke learns that her patient's desire to escape dates back to her earliest memories – and has only been accelerated by societal injustice and the impossible expectations thrust upon her.

Concerned over her patient's disclosure at the end of their last session, Brooke presses Laila to open up about her complicated understanding of love, sex, and the future.

When Laila disappears, Brooke forces Rhonda to consider how profoundly her expectations have affected the teen.

Torn up over the outside influences clouding her self-understanding, Laila is challenged by Brooke's unique therapy technique. But when Brooke asks Laila to take the exercise a step further, she receives a startling response.