The solicitor's letter has taken me by surprise. I have been asked to forward all my records concerning a former patient, Lian. She is making a claim against her former employer for unfair dismissal and her solicitor wants to see my records of her psychotherapy in case they can be used to support her claim.

Lian is a 43-year-old woman who was born in Hong Kong and came to this country ten years ago. Her husband had been suffering from a serious heart condition and they came to the United Kingdom so that he could receive better medical care. However, his condition continued to deteriorate and he died five years ago. They had no children. After her husband's death, Lian became increasingly isolated and she was referred to me because she was feeling anxious and depressed. I started seeing her a year ago, offering her once-weekly sessions at the lower end of my fee scale. She was working