Dr. Ava Morales is a skilled therapist with a thriving practice in a small suburban town, but behind that success, Ava grapples with alcoholism due to her lifelong regret of giving her daughter up for adoption. At her AA meetings, Ava barely participates until a patient’s suicide drives her to share. Shannon, a new AA member, consoles Ava only to make a shocking discovery as her story continues.

Director Biography

Tiyen Simmons is a filmmaker born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He attends Governors State University, where he got his bachelor's in Media Studies and is currently getting his MFA in Independent Filmmaking and Digital Imaging. Though he can be the Jack of all trades, he specializes in Cinematography.

As a Chicago Native, Tiyen recognizes the role that art has played in his creative journey. Tiyen thrives on telling stories through films. He takes pride in every waveform that sound produces, every pixel that video creates, and every story that is being told. His love for bringing things to life through visual storytelling is gratifying, and this love has made him the filmmaker he is today.

Director Statement

Have you ever thought about therapists and their lives outside of it? Who counsels them? Do they smoke? Have kids? Battling addiction?

As someone who goes to therapy and knows many people who do, I have always had this idea that therapists just knew it all. They know all of the healthy ways of coping, communicating, and handling situations. It wasn’t until I started to really get to know my therapist (and other therapists) that I found that they are human just as we are. They go through everything that we do. Even they need a therapist to counsel them. In my approach, I want to humanize therapists, showing that they also make mistakes, have regrets, and need counsel, and sometimes you get it from people that you least expect.

Link to official press kit.