Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Leah Hart (Nurse Practitioner/Counseling) in En Route- Mental Health Priorities

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in En Route- Mental Health Priorities

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Leah Hart (Nurse Practitioner/Counseling) in En Route- Mental Health Priorities
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
He nodded, but it was an empty gesture. He was unlikely to actually do that, not just because he didn’t want a psych in the first place, but because travelling across six ships, she was likely to be busy enough.

~ Roman

Did she accept it? Maybe not, but there was only so much she could push add she knew they had reached their limit. [o]Alright.[o] Leah gave him an encouraging smile. [o]Believe it or not, I am more optimistic than I was earlier in our conversation. I know it might not feel like much, but you did take a step forward today and that took courage and I won’t view it as anything less than that. Neither should you.[o]

She looked like she might close the call, but she leaned in and eyed in intently with all the knowing of someone who had dealt with many a recalcitrant patient. [o]Call me. It’s a part of my job. I didn’t go into nursing or Starfleet expecting routine schedules.[C] Leah winked and then the screen returned to its usual standby mode.

~Leah Hart, NP

It was maybe an hour or so later that Hart’s comms chirped with a call from the Sentinel, marked from Cmdr Roman Alden and jr Lt. Miranda Farquharson.

Yeoman Rand

Leah had just been winding down before bed when her attention was pulled away from her reading. Setting the PADD down, she moved over to where her communicator was plugged it into the terminal and activated the call.

~Leah Hart, NP

On the screen appeared Roman, looking worse than earlier, and Rand as well, sitting next to him. “Sorry, I hope we’re not bothering you. I…” his voice broke off and he glanced at Rand. “I need to- to talk.”

~ Roman

Leah was surprised to that he was reaching out to her, and that fact was not overlooked even if she didn’t let her surprise show at all on her face. She also noted Rand’s presence and had no doubt the woman’s presence was key to little turn of events. “[O]I’m glad took my invitation seriously and called,[o] Leah said. [o]Fill me in. What’s happening for you?[o]

~Leah Hart, NP

Rand saw the look on Roman’s face, the uncertainty and the absolute stubbornness that he didn’t want to talk, and the resignation that he needed to do so. She squeezed Roman’s hand. “Talking doesn’t come easy for either of us Lt. Hart. However Roman is a very skilled and talented Violinist. He is also an incredibly gifted composer.” She smiled at Roman. “After your call Roman and I talked a little, and then he played. His music is very expressive.” She flushed and looked away from the screen showing obvious signs of nervousness. “We thought, maybe he could share the recordings with you.”

Leah gave a nod a small smile. [o]I’d very much like to hear them.[o]

“I wouldn’t say I’m that talented,” Roman said, with a glance at Rand.

Rand inserted a data disk into the computer and sent the files through their commlink.

Both were audio files. Both were violin pieces. The first had a gentle motion that gave life to a wistful, sad melody, with long, low notes. It was beautiful, with the ability to bring tears to the eyes of those who heard it. As he finished playing, the tune remained sad and slow.

Bracing her elbows on the desk, Hart closed her eyes and rested her chin on laced hands. She listened, letting the music swell over her, floating over subspace like a tangible piece of emotion it was. It wasn’t sorrow, nor melancholy. If she had to name an emotion that the piece invoked, she would have named it despair.

The second piece began slow and soft but gained in speed and volume as it went on, the notes giving it a sad feeling but the pace making it feel fast, creating a feeling of sadness but also fear and anxiousness. It ended by slowing once again to a soft, quiet, low noted end.

Yeoman Rand

The second swept over her with equal force, that frantic need to stop things from unravelling. When Leah opened her eyes she let them see that she was effected, that she felt what he had tried to communicate. After a long moment, Leah nodded slowly. [o]I think I understand. And I know how much courage it took to share something so personal, but let me say how grateful I am that you did.[o]

She breathed deeply and continued. [o]Commander, I don’t want you to think I’m trivializing what you’re going through when I say this, but you are not the first, nor the last. And I know from personal experience that when you feel that way, it can be hard to see in front of you. We can’t see that the path will get clearer and that lightness will come back to push away some of the darkness. But it can, and I promise you, if you work with me, we’ll find that path forward to the light. You’re not alone in this. I can tell Rand wants you to know that, and I need you to remind yourself of that everyday, even if you have to put a note somewhere really obvious where you can see it.[o]

~Leah Hart, NP

Roman sat looking quite uncomfortable as the music played. It was his own, and he did not generally play to share his work. “Don’t tell Rand that, I’ll be finding notes in every conceivable place,” he said, and smiled a little. He sighed and shrugged, looking more than a little uncomfortable and highly embarrassed. He didn’t care how many other people went through it. As long as no one knew he was. He looked at Leah like he might want to say more, but simply did not know how. To discuss feelings was not something he enjoyed, nor knew how to do.

~ Roman

There were times to push and times to hold back and for Leah it was usually about intuition as to which she chose. This was not a time to push. [o]Okay, so I’m going to add another bit to your homework. I want you to make a list. Every time you play between now and then, I want you to name one emotion that surfaces. I don’t care what it is, so long as it is honest. If there are more and you want to write them down, feel free, but I’m only going to ask for one in each instance And just remember, no one else is ever going to see this list. It’s just between us.[o] The idea was to get him accustomed to naming his emotions. He didn’t have to enjoy it or be comfortable with it, but the idea was a lot like exposure therapy. Over time, it would get easier because the nervous system would know what to expect.

~Leah Hart, NP

“Okay.” Roman said, surprisingly compliantly. But his voice was filled with the same lack of caring, the same defeat that had prompted Rand to talk him into calling in the first place. The first few times he tried to do that, he was definitely going to just write something.

~ Roman