Posted by Lieutenant Steven Leon Marsh (Chief Science Officer) in Seeing the counselor

Posted by Lieutenant Laural Corynn Witley, Ph.D., M.D. (Chief Counselor) in Seeing the counselor

Posted by Lieutenant Steven Leon Marsh (Chief Science Officer) in Seeing the counselor
Posted by… suppressed (18) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Steven stood outside the counselor’s door and rang the chime. It had been a while since he attended a counseling check in. The ship had been in the middle of situation when he arrived which prevented the normal chain of events required when one onboarded. Since he was psychologically sound, there was not a pressing need however, there was also no point in having to make the counselor hunt him down for those that required these such check in’s back at Starfleet command. Waiting for the counselor to open the door, Steven straightened his command shirt out of habit.

Marsh CSO

The yeoman at the front desk informed Laural Lt. Marsh had requested an appointment for his psychologcal evaluation and the sound of the door chime a few moments later told her he had made it to her office. Coming around her desk, she directed the computer to open her office doors, and when they parted, Steven was greeted by the sight of a young woman sitting slightly lower than eye level because of her grav-chair. Her eyes sparkled with warmth, however, matching the polite smile that also graced her features. “Lieutenant Marsh, please come in and make yourself comfortable. I’m Laural Witley.”

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

“Thank you,” Steven replied, moving into the office and taking a seat in one of the chairs. “It has been ages since my last Starfleet officially required counselor chat so I decided to not make you come looking for me.”

Marsh CSO

“I appreciate that,“ Laural replied sincerely,. “If you’re trying to make sure you pass your evaluation, this is certainly a good start,“ she added with a chuckle to indicate she was kidding. “Would you like something from the replicator?“

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

“No thank you,” Steven stated. “I was just in the mess hall about an hour ago.” Looking around the room, Steven took in the space. It was in stark contrast to where he worked. Science labs were sterile by nature however Witley’s space was warm and welcoming.

Marsh CSO

Wit subtly observed Steven look around the room, understanding it was a natural reaction when sitting still in new surroundings. “I like to use these meetings just to get to know people and for them to get to know me, so if you ever find yourself needing or wanting to talk with a counselor, you’ll know me at least.”

~Dr. Witley, Chief Counselor

“Offer accepted,” he said politely. Since this was a check in and not an official appointment there was some room for banter. “I was just admiring your work space. Far different from the antiseptic and sterile environment of the science labs where I work. Don’t get me wrong. We have a good time at work. Nothing like astro anomalies and amino acid compounds to get your heart thumping during duty.” Steven had an easy going personality which made him easy to get along with for most people. Having transferred from the Europa a few months prior, Steven hadn’t gotten to spend much time with the other department heads. It was nice to get to know someone.

Marsh CSO

“Nothing gets my heart pumping like an amino acid,” Laural replied dryly with a nod. Then she smiled. “I’m still working on making the office my own, but Starfleet Medical has deemed certain color schemes as more calming than others. I imagine one of these days I’m going to encounter someone from a race who thinks my office screams chaos,” she added with a chuckle. “I imagine as a scientist, you, like myself, also are trying to keep your bias in check.”

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

“Science by nature is analytical and based on facts versus opinions. We also have a lot of rules to ensure safety in the lab. When individuals get my ire up it is usually because they ignored some safety protocol. Off duty I consider myself an open minded guy and try my best to give everyone a fair shake. I have been in Starfleet long enough to know individuals are capable of amazing things.”

Marsh CSO

Laural smiled. “Me too. Definitions of ‘individual’ certainly have been expanded since I’ve been here, but so has my imagination.” Thinking about what he’d offered earlier about safety protocols, she said, “I’m curious. Do you find you’re under more stress here compared to other duty stations because of the containment areas, for example?”

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

“Every station has it’s own stressors. Doesn’t matter what ship you are on when the pressure starts. What matters is how you deal with the stress.” Marsh paused for a moment and leaned back in his seat. “Starfleet is filled with highly intelligent, highly motivated, and high acheivers. From a biological perspective, we are like a beehive. We all work for a common purpose. When stress hits and it is time for us to do our job, all those factors merge into people that get the job done. Now after the stressors are lifted, we all unwind in one way or another. I tend to open a nice red wine. My family owns a vineyard so it is like a gentle reminder of them and why I do what I do which is to explore and protect.”

Marsh CSO

“I suppose you’re right that stress is stress, no matter where you are,” Laural replied, “especially because your body and mind’s stress response is the same no matter the trigger.” She smiled. “A little wine in moderation isn’t a bad idea, and I think you’re the first person I’ve met who’s described alcohol use as means to be reminded of family. Will you tell me more about that?” Wit wasn’t judging his answer. She was genuinely curious about the emotional connection he had with red wine.

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

“My family owns a vineyard. I was raised not only drinking it but growing it, distilling it, bottling it,” his voice trailed off. “Replicators anc mimic any chemical formula but that is all it is. A copy,” Steven stated the one glitch with the miraculous machine. “Wine is like cooking. It is organic. Depending on the soil, water, temperature, time the grapes are picked, and the storage method every bottle tastes just a little bit different. I think it might be why I gravitated to science at an early age. Wine is more than a drink. It is living science.”

Marsh CSO

Wit smiled. “I suppose that’s one of the reasons I gravitated to my work too. For all the technology and advancements we’ve made, beings are so as diverse as they ever were and helping them cope with their existence requires an individualized approach. Would you say when you’re looking to unwind with a glass of wine, is that more of a solo coping strategy or do you prefer to be amongst friends?“

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

“Why can’t it be both,” he shrugged it off. “A nice glass of wine after a tough day reminds me of home, especially when I choose a bottle from our vineyards. Sometimes you just want to be alone to decompress. That doesn’t mean you are depressed. Being new on the ship, wine is a great way to make new friends. At my other posting I would host wine tasting especially when I got a crate from back home.”

Marsh CSO