Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Vanessa Slade (CNS) in Paying a visit to the counselor

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan (CMO) in Paying a visit to the counselor

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Vanessa Slade (CNS) in Paying a visit to the counselor
Posted by… suppressed (26) by the Post Ghost! 👻
As the young doctor had then started thinking about her position as the ship’s Chief Medical Officer, she had thought that it would be best to go and visit the counselor. Maybe even ask the good counselor a couple of things not knowing what to expect but is willing to do anything to get busy in sickbay. However, with things going slow around in sickbay, she just isn’t sure what she should do. Ever since she had her last little check-in with a young crew member who had just started on board, she thought that it was best to get out of the office and interact with some crew members. Mainly the Counselor. By the time she got to a turbo lift, the doors swooshed wide open. “Counselor’s office.” She commanded the turbo lift. The doors had then swooshed shut in front of her and as it went on she needed some extra hands in sick bay since it had only been her for a few months. Not knowing what it’s like to have another set of hands, it would be useful.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

Vanessa heard the chime on her door. Clicking off her console she called out, “come in.”

Vanessa Slade CNS

Ashley had then walked in. “Hello counselor. Sorry if I am bothering you.” She had said to Vanessa.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“You’re not. What’s up?” Vanessa asked.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“Well.” She thought to herself not knowing how to put it right. “I was wondering if you’d like to help in sickbay with me. Not so sure if your credentials will allow it or if they are up to date.” She said. “The only reason why I asked is because it’s so lonely over in sickbay and let alone it’s been so quiet lately. And on top of that I have no one to hang out on my breaks.” She started to explain to Vanessa.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“Well, I can help out in an emergency. I have a 2 year nursing degree from Bunker Hill Community College. I thought I wanted to be a nurse initially when I started my degree however a rotation in the psyche ward made me change my focus.”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“I’d love to have the extra help. It just sucks that it’s just myself over in sickbay. And like I said it’s been slow and quiet so nothing to much for me is going on really.” She said.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“You could try to make a friend outside of work,” she suggested. “What do you like doing?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“Well, sadly, I don’t do anything. I mainly do work and then go back to the mess hall, then back to work, then back to the mess hall, then work, then mess hall. Finally, I go back to work and then to my quarters for the night. I don’t do anything fun, nothing like that.” She said.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“Well, that is your problem. Everyone needs to do something besides work. It isn’t healthy to only work.”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“I know. But I just don’t know who to hang out when I’m off duty.” As she sat there sighing.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

Bump

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

Bump

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“Maybe if you find someone that shares your interests. What do you like it do?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“I honestly don’t know. I mean I like using the holodeck.” She said with a low tone.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“Well if you don’t know what you like how are you supposed to find someone with the same interests?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“That’s the thing I mainly focus on work and that’s it.” She said. “I don’t do anything fun all that much.” She added.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

Bump

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

Vanessa clasped her hands on the desk in front of her and let out a breath. “You seem to talk in circles and repeat back whatever I say. Maybe if I had more information about you. You say you don’t know what you like so maybe start listing all the things you don’t like.” Therapy was hard but with clients as timid and reticent as Logan it made progression a marathon.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“Well for me I don’t always like hanging with people all the time. I like to focus on work and then when I have the time I’ll then start hanging out with maybe one or two people. But that’s about it.” She said.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“Well that makes it hard to build a relationship with someone when you are only available when you have the time. That is not really a friend but someone at your beck and call when you are bored.”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“I know. I know. I just don’t know what to do. Maybe the holodeck maybe I don’t know.” She said.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“You seem to be very reserved with your words and you tend to talk in circles. Maybe if we role play talking to someone you want to get to know. I can give you specific pointers to help make friends.”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“I mean I’m okay with whatever Counselor.” She said with a semi smile.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

Vanessa held up a hand. “Okay you are doing it again. Stop turning every conversation into closed ended sentences. Its exhausting always carrying a conversation with the person only responding back with nothing. Give me something to respond to. Try that sentence but make it open ended.” Vanessa worked a lot on social anxiety with her clients. She was not sure if that is what Logan had but if she was going to help the Lt. to make friends, she had to start somewhere.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“Okay Counselor. I’m sorry if I’m just veague. I’m honestly, not sure if I have social anxiety or not. If you know what I mean.” She said.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“I don’t know what you mean,” Vanessa said.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“What I mean me going in a complete circle the way I am with what I have been saying. I’m just not so used to associating all that much if you will. What I am saying is that I want to go along with this and start associating with others and getting out of Sickbay and not working all the time. You know going to the holodeck or finding someone to hang out with or sitting next too or across from in the mess and start talking to people. If you know what I mean.” Ashley had said. Though at this given time she is to do the little “roleplay” the counselor had mentioned.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis

“Yes but you have not said anything except you want to meet people in different ways for the last five minutes. I feel like I am having a conversation with myself.” Vanessa let out a small chuckle that was good natured and not mean spirited. She was just frustrated a bit. “When you have a conversation with someone it tends to be back and forth and not shut off. For example,” she paused.

“Hi I am Vanessa.

“Hello I am Bob.”

“Bob so nice to meet you. What do you like to do?”

“I like fishing and doing puzzles. What are you hobbies?”

After finishing her demonstration she paused and then began to speak to Logan. “See like that. Information was passed and exchanged. You tend to have conversations like this.” Vanessa paused again.

“Hi I am Vanessa.”

“Hi I am Logan.”

“So nice to meet you Logan.”

“Nice to meet you Vanessa.”

“What do you like to do for fun Logan?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where do you do after work?”

“Nothing. I work and go back to my quarters.”

Vanessa paused again and looked Logan back in the eyes after her second role-playing demonstration. In therapy, sometimes things were hard to hear but that is how one made progress. “When you cut off all back and forth discord with your close ended replies you come off aloof and not wanting to talk. That is why people probably don’t engage with you. Understand,” she asked, “and then added but don’t say yes, I understand, I agree, or anything like that. Give me a response that is at least 3 sentences and don’t contain any of those words.”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“I understand counselor.” Logan said.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashley Logan
Chief Medical Officer
U.S.S. Genesis