July 2025

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…A few days later, Juliette met Claudio at Art.City.Kafe on Oranienburger Str. 32 in Berlin. Before he arrived, she ordered for both of them—warm, crusty Brötchen fresh from the oven, served with butter, jam, honey, slices of ham, and cheese. Two large porcelain cups with lids steamed on the table, filled to the brim with Kaffee Schummel—a bold German brew of Arabica roast and condensed milk.

They ate and laughed, the air rich with the scent of coffee and fresh bread, as Juliette told stories from her recent stay at London’s Artist Residence Hotel in Pimlico. She will organize some art performance there. She hopes to engage Marina Abramovic in this art extravaganza of course with clothes off. 

After they finished eating, the waiter cleared the table. In the far corner to the right, a large, imposing German Shepperd lay stretched out. Despite his appearance, his eyes were calm, and his nose twitched with interest in their leftovers. 

Juliette is thinking. For their next conversation, Juliette would draw on her experience as an accredited psychologist. Her goal: to help Claudio untangle the heartbreak, to guide him beyond the shadow of his lost love. But how deep does devotion go when an artist paints the same woman eight times?

“There’s a lot of work ahead,” Juliette thought, “with a man so madly in love.”

“Claudio,” Juliette said gently, “let’s talk about your romantic loss—about Amanda.”

She paused, then continued, “First, let me explain why some loves are so hard to let go. We’re all drawn to those who awaken unresolved desires or reflect our inner story. But what matters most is how we understand that connection—and how we choose to respond.”

“Let’s create a therapy program to help you let go of her,” Juliette said calmly.

She leaned in. “Claudio, what is your lover’s name?”

Claudio looked at her, half-incredulous, his voice tinged with sadness and a flicker of excitement. “Her name is Amanda.”

Juliette straightened, her tone firmer now. “Repeat her name five times.”

Claudio obeyed, repeating Amanda with care. But by the fourth and fifth time, his voice had dulled—no longer tender, but flat, like addressing a stranger in line at the market.

“Claudio,” Juliette said, “this part of the therapy must be done several times a day for the next three months—or as needed. It’s based on a method called semantic satiation, where repeating a word causes it to lose emotional weight. The goal is to desensitize attachment, reduce fixation, and help you gain distance from overwhelming feelings.”

Claudio, waving to the waiter for more coffee, looked uncertain. “Even if I say Amanda five times,” he said softly, “I still miss her.”

Juliette spoke firmly. “I’m the observer—and as noted earlier, the help is right on target. Do you remember, about half an hour ago, Pedro Cabrita Reis the artist from Lisbon, Portugal? How excited you were reading that Vanity Fair article about the world’s most talked-about artist, you described a striking woman hanging his Escape with Gold piece in her office. You were clearly drawn to her confidence, her presence. You even said it felt comforting to be near someone like that.”

Claudio: “Yes, yes—but I wasn’t—”

Juliette cut him off. “Stop, Claudio. That moment revealed emotional momentum—your attraction to Amanda and the woman in the article are tied. The excitement in your voice was telling. I recognized a semantic connection—Amanda’s image and the woman’s merged, emotionally and symbolically.”

Claudio: “I’m a bit perplexed by your interpretation—but I didn’t notice any of what you described.”

Juliette leaned forward. “Claudio, now is the moment to choose. Leave behind Iliad the siren’s call. It’s time to stop. How many times did you paint Amanda? Eight?”

Claudio hesitated. “Actually, nine. I destroyed one—a portrait where I turned her beautiful face into a teasing monster.”

He paused, eyes downcast. “Sorry, Juliette. I’m only beginning to understand your plan. But I’ll try. I’ll follow the recipe—anything to free myself from Amanda. She tortures me. Sometimes... I even hate painting.”

Juliette leaned in. “There’s another layer to your tangled romance—a clear sign of heightened emotional fixation. Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) suggests we manage these emotions to either rebuild or release. We’ll weave a strand of EFT into your treatment.”

She continued, her voice steady. “Romantic entanglements often stem from emotional vulnerability, unconscious pattern recognition, and neurochemical triggers. All of this pulls you into attachment—the very core of attachment theory.”

Juliette paused, letting her words land. “We don’t have to look far. The great artist-muse affairs reflect this—think of Dalí and Gala. Their bond was obsessive, electric… even touched by elements of S&M.”

Juliette looked him in the eye. “Claudio, your relationship with Amanda fits what we call disorganized attachment—unpredictable, passionate, but volatile. A storm mixing inspiration with emotional chaos.”

Claudio nodded slowly. “I’m convinced. Painting Amanda eight times was my desperate search for her soul beneath the surface. With every brushstroke, I tried to capture what I feared losing. I wasn’t trying to possess her—I was trying to stop her from slipping away. But now, she’s gone.”

Juliette’s voice softened yet stayed firm. “Amanda was on a different path—a mirror and catalyst in your life. She seeks not just connection, but discovery of parts of herself. Adventurous and romantic, but not ready to settle. She wanted a mentor, a guide through her uncharted journey. That mentor isn’t you, Claudio. It’s time to let go.”

Claudio sighed. “At times, dark subconscious thoughts kept resurfacing in our relationship. It was unsettling. I realized I wasn’t just seeking her love—I was searching for proof I was worthy. But I never found the answer.”

Juliette nodded. “Your doubt wasn’t only about her feelings—it was about your need to feel enough. What did you truly believe about your bond? Did you feel she loved you equally? That question went unanswered, left to fate. Now, a new chapter begins, Claudio. Grab it—run with it. Let’s make your life exciting again.”

Claudio glanced up. “So, will therapy give me pointers to move past Amanda?”

“Absolutely,” Juliette smiled. “First, we dive into EFT. About 15 sessions. It transforms negative patterns into secure emotional bonds.”

Juliette added, “We also need to address attachment-based therapy. It helps heal early relational trauma by building trust and secure bonds—often through the therapist-client relationship—and can be part of EFT sessions.”

Claudio asked, “Do I need both types of therapy?”

“Yes, I strongly recommend it,” Juliette replied. “But the psychologist will decide. EFT reshapes present emotional bonds; attachment therapy heals early wounds.”

Later, at the trendy ArtKunst hotel lobby, Juliette called the café waiter and ordered two Cinzano aperitifs. The space seemed brighter than yesterday when she was making notes on Claudio’s therapy plan to progress.

Juliette’s face froze. Two tables away, an attractive Oriental woman had just put on Roy Orbison’s “When a Man Loves a Woman.”Juliette glanced at Claudio, lost in deep thought, then quickly walked over to the woman, noticing tears in her eyes.

Sotheby’s Paris: Where a 5-Year-Old Painted the Moment the World Was Watching. 

Mme. Isabelle de Coulmier was actively bidding on the original Hermès Birkin recently auctioned at Sotheby’s Paris for ten million dollars. She bowed out at the three-million mark. In the preview lounge, her two daughters and a crowd of electrified spectators, some of them brought own Birkin's, followed the drama on a Sony Crystal LED screen. Five-year-old Francine, unfazed, sat with a pad on her lap, abstract painting the “Birkin,” using Daniel Smith watercolors. A nearby couple, enchanted, offered her €94 EUR (Euros) = $100.00 for the piece. Her mother approved the sale. A great artist in the making. for LaArtTV.com by: Robina Holder AP. EPF.