Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in The Wild Fork Restaurant - Dinner with the Governor

Posted by Civilian Luana Iolani Kaili (Director of Mental Health - Sacred Heart Hospital) in The Wild Fork Restaurant - Dinner with the Governor

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in The Wild Fork Restaurant - Dinner with the Governor
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Flipping the PaDD over so it couldn’t be seen, Kenzo said “Busy. Very busy. But I am hoping the fanfare of my arrival slows soon so I can get some work done.” and he laughed softly. “I actually came to the city two weeks early. I wanted to get a feel for the people and the city without the accompanying filter of my position. It was… interesting… to say the least.”

Hyrushi, Gov.

“I can imaging,” Kaili exclaimed with a gentle laugh. “Being able to be somewhere, get a feel for the place and the people without drawing attention to oneself is always nice. Though not a luxury I’m granted very often unless I use my people’s special abilities,” she added with a small wink. With one eyebrow raised and leaning forward ever so slightly, she asked, “Tell me, what have you found out during those two weeks and what it you find most … interesting?”

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili

Kenzo looked at her a long moment and then said in a manner most blunt “The people have no hope. They don’t hope for… more. The spend their lives under this dome and....” and he shook his head, “… and they don’t hope for better.”

Hyrushi, Gov.

Her face betrayed very little of what she was feeling and thinking while listening to that dire assessment. “It sounds like we both have our work cut out for us,” Kaili replied simply, her tone matter-of-fact. Blinking once with her inner eyelids, she fell silent, watching the Governor as she waited for him to say or do something else.

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili

Kenzo allowed her emotions to come to him as she spoke. She was apprehensive… concerned, maybe?… about what he had said… and as she was a mental health professional, he was not surprised. What did surprise him slightly was the level of happiness and intrigue she felt at the moment. The fact that more than some of that was directed at him personally made him sigh a bit before he spoke.

Kaili’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she caught his sigh, but she decided not to ask and to wait for Kenzo to say something instead.

“We do… and I was wondering what you saw as to how that work would take shape? I know the hospital caters to those who seek help or are deemed as needing assistance by the authorities… but what about the rest of the people? How would you recommend making mental health a priority within the dome community, Doctor?”

Hyrushi, Gov.

“There are different ways I see that going to happen and I’d suggest a multi-layered approach,” Kaili replied without hesitation. “On the one hand talking openly about mental health is always important. I also think that offering workshops that can help support the mental health of the people here. Like Yoga, meditation, music and art or journalling to name just a few. The problem with those is that it requires people to want to do something for their mental health and not everyone does or feels like there is something missing. So I’d also suggest other things that would boost the moral and mental well-being of people. Like concerts, art exhibitions, fairs, plays and similar events.” While she kept her face mostly straight, there was a glimmer of excitement in her chocolate brown eyes and Kenzo would be able to sense the joy she felt by simply thinking about organising those kinds of things.

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili