Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Counselling Suite- CIO’s Appointment

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Janna Kingston (Counsellor) in Counselling Suite- CIO’s Appointment

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Counselling Suite- CIO’s Appointment

(snip)

Faye rose and shook the woman’s hand, noting the firm grasp and keen green eyes gazing at her. In that one moment, Faye knew that the petite woman was a force to be reckoned with. Though she had learned long ago never to underestimate any therapist; sneaky creatures that they were.

“Come on in,” Janna said, this time not making any comment about keeping it short or getting Faye settled. No, this boarding eval was going to be a bit different than most she had ever done.

Following Kingston into her office, Faye took in the setting and had to admit it was pretty nice. From the ocean image on the wall, to the plush blue rug and the padded armchairs around the coffee table, the place was… warm and cozy. Meant to be professional but disarming. She didn’t even need the woman to tell her to pick a seat (that thought brought back memories of Doctor Rinker) and immediately beelined for an armchair. “I’ll take water if you’re offering.”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

She couldn’t help herself and chuckled as she grabbed a PaDD and tucked it under her arm. “Water it is,” Janna said as went to the replicator and also got a glass for herself. Joining Faye in the sitting area, she set the waters down and settled into the other arm chair, PaDD coming to rest in her lap. “So… I read your file. All of it. I’m saying that upfront so you know I’ve spent the time to understand your situation and what us working together might look like.”

“Well, that’s a nice change. I guess I should apologize upfront for the pre-meeting workload,” Faye said, allowing a tiny smirk to slip past her guard.

Janna mirrored the smirk. “Occupational hazard,” she said before considering the best lace to start with Faye.

“What would you say makes you the most nervous or anxious about this transition?”

~Janna Kington, CNS

Inhaling deeply, Faye gazed into Kingston’s vibrant green eyes. “Well, The Manhattan was my home, the place I came into my own, and created family, made friends that are really important to me, and of course it’s where I met my husband. The ship became a safe place, something I’ve not really been used to. Now I’ve left that all behind to start over again. For the best possible reason, but the reality is that it’s a whole lot of changes all at once, and…” She paused trying to make sure she used the right words. “I worry that I’ll slip. That I’ll become so overwhelmed I’ll be symptomatic again, or worse, spiral. I don’t want that for Daggum, and I don’t want that for myself either. Wouldn’t exactly be a lovely start to our married life, ya know?”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

Kingston nodded slowly. “A valid concern to have. You have three major life stressors- getting married, changing jobs, and moving- all at the same time, relatively speaking. That’s going to be hard for anyone, but for someone with your challenges and history, I agree that we need to be mindful how we proceed. But before we get into all of that, I want to share my philosophy with you, Faye. I am one of those therapists who don’t usually dig unless I see or hear something that I feel duty bound to explore. That being said, the work you and I will do together will be different than the usual. It will be more directional and intentional, focused on making sure you have the tools you need and know how best to use them in which circumstance as your needs change over time. Are you familiar with Dialectical Behaviour Therapy?”

~Janna Kingston, CNS