Posted by Civilian Sair Songz (Counselor) in side sim - Sair’s Office, Performance Review

Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in side sim - Sair’s Office, Performance Review

Posted by Civilian Sair Songz (Counselor) in side sim - Sair’s Office, Performance Review
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Sair couldn’t help but grin. “Not sure we need to do anything about that one. It sounds like something they will sort out on their own. If conflict arises because of it, well, it might move up the chain of command, but I suspect it won’t.”

For a moment Sair was going to jump into the next file but instead the padd settled back onto her lap and Sair looked at Shedda. “Can I confide something personal to you?”

~Sair Songz, CNS

Shedda shook her head as she sipped her coffee, “I think Yost enjoys the chance to be creative in his evaluations. That’s not a bad a thing.” Shedda glanced up at Sair and set her PaDD and coffee down. “Of course.” She folded her hands into her lap giving the counselor her full attention.

Mal’athar, XO

Sair should have just said it, but it was strangely harder than she thought it would be. Why was that anyway? Was it because she was a counsellor and it was strangely humbling and maybe embarrassing to not have seen it herself? It was something she was mindful of. “As a society, Kobliads have to be looked at with a bit of a different lens regarding mental health. Because the reality is that we are all deeply affected by generational trauma. It’s so deep Shedda that it’s almost expected that most if not all Kobliads have some sort of depression or anxiety. We have operated for several generations now in a state of dysthmia. It’s a state of chronic depression that sort of means you operate at a lower emotional and energetic state as your baseline. And having treated numerous of my people, I agree. But when we got the cure, we started to experience a bit of hope, so on the whole our society’s energetic baseline had risen a little.”

She blew out a breath and gazed at the XO. “My mother thinks I’ve become depressed since I arrived here. Something beyond our normal baseline dysthmia. I want to say she’s wrong, but I’m a little bit afraid she might be right.”

~Sair Songz, CNS

Shedda listened quietly, a thoughtful expression on her face. She knew the phenomenon Sair was talking about, dysthmia, having studied information about it in her archeological studies courses. “Do you have any thoughts on what might be making you feel more depressed than your baseline?” Shedda was not a counselor, but she was more than willing to listen and talk with Sair and see if they could help her. She was very far from home, in a very different situation than she’d found herself before, and possibly feeling isolated. Shedda could only shoot in the dark though as far as speculating on the cause.

Mal’athar, XO

Sair shook her head a little, he gaze drifting elsewhere. “It’s not my first stint in the exchange program, but last time I was a Doctor. There’s something about spending your days with people doing the same work and then commiserating afterwards socially that just naturally happens. It was normal back on Kobliad too when I worked at the hospital, even as a counsellor. But this time out here is different, even with my mother here. Koro makes a lot better, but now I’m not only a civilian on a Starfleet ship who is basically a department of one, but I’m a single mother. People avoid seeing me professionally if they can help it, and socially I don’t have a place here. I’m starting to wonder if this was a bad idea.”

~Sair Songz, CNS

Shedda listened quietly. Repeat back what was said to make sure you understood. “You’re feeling isolated? Professionally and personally?”

“I guess first I would suggest that you reach out to some of the other medical staff that are trained counselors. There are too many people for you to handle all the work yourself. Even if just for a consultation to get another perspective. You are considered part of the medical staff.......” Shedda paused, “Would it help to move your office closer to medical so it’s easer to access the other medical staff?”

“I would also say that you aren’t just a department of one, you are part of the senior staff. I know that on my last ship, learning to be both in command and a department head and a scientist I would forget that I was all those things and that they can compliment each other. So you are a doctor and the counselor, but you have a lot of experience as a professional and as a person. That is valuable to the senior staff team.”

“As for personally....I know I have looked at a lot of this while waiting to hear about Maava. The school sets up parents’ nights, there are socials, family nights. You are a single parent, but you aren’t the only parent on board. I’m sure you have something in common with at least one other parent. We have lost of hobby groups on board you could try. But my best advice is to join things, don’t wait to be asked.”

“BUT Sair,” Shedda paused and met her gaze for a moment. “If you are truly feel this is not the best place for you, you must do what is best for you and Koro. But if you feel that Manhattan is the place, I will do my absolute best to help you settle into your place here.”

Shedda