Painting the Town Yellow in Las Vegas

As paruretics we learn to accommodate so our day to day lives are less affected, until things change. Maybe it is a new job, moving to a new city, or having to travel that initiates the obsession of – where will I pee? how will I pee? This summer, I grew tired of obsessing and decided to invest in myself and attend the Vegas workshop.

Airfare, hotel, and seminar – it adds up, so I wanted to squeeze every last drop out of my investment. To prepare I read The Secret Social Phobia and Free to Pee – underlining, making notes, and reflecting. The weekend prior, I practiced fluid loading to get accustomed to the unnatural feeling of peeing 3 seconds and pinching off. Terrified, I walked into a busy public bathroom to simply stand in front of a urinal (without having to, or trying to go) just to observe how it made me feel.

The workshop is held over three days. Day 1 is a meet and greet. The dread of walking into a room of strangers and feeling vulnerable soon morphed into a feeling of kinship. Everyone could relate to one another in some aspect. We each set our goals for the next day’s pee-practice.

Day 2, I am nervous of the challenging task before me. Dr. Steve canvasses us on our goals and pairs us up accordingly – avoiding the awkwardness of having to ask “will you be my pee-buddy”.

We came together as pee-buddies and left as pee brothers.

I’m paired up with my pee-buddy and we set off to progress along our hierarchies of goals. Several sessions later, by the end of the day, we are each astonished with our progress. That evening, we all go out for dinner and nightlife… and we pee like we haven’t peed before.

Day 3, we discuss our goals and set off to the different scenarios we want to work on. We team up and pair off, like special forces on a mission, to support one another with similar goals.

Blood is thicker than water, pee is thicker than blood.

My pinnacle was walking into a public washroom while talking with my pee-buddy and without breaking conversation straddling up to the urinals, side by side, and peeing. I felt like I won the Super Bowl. Peeing at the Super-bowl… that will take more work.

Having what I’ve learned and experienced at the Las Vegas workshop under my belt, I have the tools in-hand to further my recovery.

– Dave, Calgary, Canada – November 2023