‘Wow.’ For the first time, Suze looks genuinely impressed. ‘Is that hard?’

‘No, it’s quite easy,’ I say, flipping through the book. ‘I’ll get the audio version too, so I can listen to it when I’m out jogging. And there are some other titles David said I should look at, too.’

I start scooping hardbacks into my basket. CBT Thought Diary, CBT for Spending Addiction, The Compulsive Spender’s Journal, Shopaholic: Break the Pattern … As I pile the books up I feel a glow of virtue. David was right, I can break free of my old ways. There are some really cool pencils too, matt black with slogans like Growth and Exhale. I’ll get a pack.

Suze is watching me, a bit nonplussed.

‘But Bex, how is this different from normal shopping? Where’s the challenging or whatever it is?’

Oh, right. I’d forgotten about that, just for a moment.

‘I was coming to that,’ I say, a little severely. ‘You put the things in your basket and then you challenge yourself.’

I lift up the top book and stare at it intently. I’m actually a bit hazy about what I should do next, not that I’ll admit that to Suze.

‘I need this book,’ I say at last, in a sonorous voice. ‘This is my belief. The evidence for this belief is: David told me I should get it. The evidence against it is … none. So. I will buy it, calmly and with meaning. Amen.’

‘Amen?’ Suze gives a sudden giggle.

‘That just slipped out,’ I admit. ‘Anyway, wasn’t that cool? I’ve totally learned how to challenge myself.’

‘Do the pencils now,’ Suze says.

‘OK.’ I take the pencils out and focus on them. ‘I need these pencils. This is my belief. The evidence for this belief is: pencils are always useful. The evidence against is …’

I stop dead as a thought strikes me. I’ve already bought a pack of these pencils, haven’t I? The first day I came here. What did I do with them?

‘The evidence against,’ I continue triumphantly, ‘is that I’ve already got some! So I’m going to put them back!’

With a flourish, I put the pack of pencils back on the shelf. ‘You see? I’m controlling myself. I’m a completely different person. Impressed?’

‘Well, OK. But what about all those books?’ Suze nods at my basket. ‘Surely you don’t need so many?’

Hasn’t she been listening to anything I’ve been saying?

‘Of course I need them,’ I say as patiently as I can. ‘They’re essential for my progress. I’m going to buy them calmly and with meaning.’ I reach for a gorgeous notepad. ‘I’m going to buy this calmly and with meaning, too. I can keep my dream journal in it. Everyone should keep a dream journal, did you know that?’

Suze still looks dissatisfied as I put it in my basket.

‘All right, so suppose you do shop too much,’ she says. ‘What do you do then?’

‘Then you use different techniques,’ I explain. ‘Like tapping.’