Some Tough Love in Confession

Well, to be totally honest, it hasn't been the best of weeks...I love it here at Franciscan, but I'm still struggling with cutting. I've been rejecting professional help for a while now, but thanks to Fr. Dominic, I have to get it. I went to Confession today and Fr. Dominic was my confessor. I told him how it'd been like 5 days since my last confession and explained to him how I'd cut myself twice in the last 5 days. He told me I'm not alone and I'd probably be surprised at how many times he's had students confess self-injury to him. He asked me if I'd gotten a counselor's help lately and I told him no. I told him how it never seems to work and that I feel like it's a waste of both my and the counselor's time. He then said something that literally made me feel a stabbing pain in my chest. He said "Catherine, look. You've gotta do this. Look at the cross and look what He did for you. Now it's your turn to pick up your cross. When you're in counseling and it starts to hurt, think of Him and what He did to save you." I started crying and I know he could tell I was pretty upset. Then he said to me "If I make your penance to call the counseling center, will you do it?" I said "To be totally honest, Father, yes, but it'll take a while." He agreed and said "Okay. Your penance is to call the counseling center sometime in the next 6 weeks." I agreed and so now I'm praying that God gives me the strength to actually do it. It was some tough love from Fr. Dominic today, but I know that he wants me to get the help. It's nice to be in a new environment and kinda have a fresh start. Only one of my friends here knows about my cutting, and he's been a big support system already. Because it was a penance, I pretty much have to call the counseling center. I don't know when it'll be, but it'll be when God gives me the strength to do it.