Posted by Lieutenant Tandra Mika (Chief Mental Health Officer) in Side sim: Morning Jog

Posted by Lieutenant Séan Iven (Counselor) in Side sim: Morning Jog

Posted by Lieutenant Tandra Mika (Chief Mental Health Officer) in Side sim: Morning Jog
Posted by… suppressed (24) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Mika had to get up earlier than usual to make it to the agreed upon meet up with Séan. She’d been meaning to go to bed earlier to make it easier to get up, and, well… That hadn’t happened. At 5:30, dressed in her jogging outfit, Mika made her way to the front entrance of the Starfleet complex, looking groggy and tired.

~ Mika, CNS

Séan arrived right after Mika while stifling a big yawn. “He—llo.” He said with another yawn that elongated his greeting. This was why he drank coffee in the mornings but never during runs. It was better to be tired and not have to pee three times before he even finished the outing.

Counselor Iven

“Morning,” Mika said in a somewhat forced cheerful tone. “Don’t worry about me keeping up, I’ll be fine. Just do whatever you usually do,” She said. “As for routes…” She looked both ways and shrugged. “Unless you have something planned, I guess we just go?”

~ Mika, CNS

“Right but before that I do remember something of a challenge.” Séan smiled at Mika as he gave a quick look around to make sure they were alone. He stepped up next to her, bent his knees to even out their height, then put his arm around her waist and stood back up holding her.

Counselor Iven

“Hey! Hey! Whoa!” Mika said, but she was laughing, clearly not upset. “Okay, okay, you win that one! Set me down, will you?” She laughed, struggling playfully in his arm.

~ Mika, CNS

Séan gave Mika a mischievous look and contemplated spinning in a circle or something but in the end just chuckled and carefully put her back down. He didn’t want to push his luck even if she was a good sport about this. “I’ve been using my morning jogs to explore the area so I don’t have any planned routes. Let’s just go, like you said.” With the fun out of the way, he’d been planning to call her bluff since the playful challenge, he picked a random direction and started off at an easy pace.

Counselor Iven

Mika stretched as soon as she was let down. “I’ll remember that.” How to get him back… Was a problem for another time. She took off after him, easily keeping up with his pace. It had been a while since her last jog… Since before she left her last ship. She hadn’t jogged outside since Earth.

~ Mika, CNS

Séan only grinned at Mika’s statement. He enjoyed a good prank or joke as long as it was in in good fun and he didn’t expect her to get mean with it. “Penny for your thoughts?” He asked after they had been jogging for a couple of minutes.

Counselor Iven

“It’s been a long time since I jogged outside,” Mika replied, deciding to just state what it was she’d been thinking. “Last time I jogged at all was on my last ship assignment.”

~ Mika, CNS

“The Academy ship?” Séan asked. “Did you jog in the corridors or in the holodeck?” He decided to take some longers strides and speed up their pace a notch.

Counselor Iven

“No, not the Academy ship, that was…” She counted on her fingers, “six assignments ago? Maybe five…” She shook her head, “I don’t remember. It was a battleship I was on last. I liked to run in the corridors mostly.” She had to pick up her pace to keep up with his longer strides.

~ Mika

“I’ve never been on a battleship. That must have a completely different atmosphere, though I’m assuming that it wasn’t in actual battle a lot.” Séan said as he noticed that Mika was keeping up with the pace just fine. She seemed used to it even if she was unpracticed.

Counselor Iven

“Not in the regular day-to-day… Well, maybe a bit more morbid humor.” Mika commented. “No, it wasn’t. Not a lot of battles out there right now. But on battleships we often have Intelligence officers, that can be interesting.” She was keeping up but any faster and she’d likely have trouble. For her this was a good pace.

~ Mika, CNS

“Dark humor can be fun and is often a sign that people dealing with stressful situations are well adjusted mentally.” Séan commented with something that Mika likely knew. Then he thought of anything he’d want to know to get to know her better. “So I know you went into medicine first before counseling. What prompted the transition into being a counselor?”

Counselor Iven

“Hmm…” Mika thought for several moments. “I was good at being a doctor. Top of my academy class, graduated straight to a department head, then quickly promoted to full lieutenant.” She shrugged, “I started to.... Get bored, maybe? And on one of my ships, the counselor there started to teach me about psychology. I was interested. I started taking night classes. It was something challenging for me to do, I guess.”

~ Mika, CNS

Séan listened intently to Mika’s explanation, nodding as she spoke. He admired her dedication and drive to pursue something new and challenging, even after excelling in her previous role. As they continued their jog, he decided to delve a bit deeper into her motivations.

“That’s impressive, Mika,” Séan remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice. “It takes a certain kind of courage and curiosity to step out of your comfort zone and explore a new field. I can see how psychology would provide a fascinating intellectual challenge, especially with your background in medicine. Did you find any particular aspect of psychology or counseling that resonated with you? Something that made you realize it was the right path for you?”

“Well, in medicine, of course the acute cases are fun or interesting, you know, but I liked doing the preventative stuff, too. Making sure people were getting in, taking care of themselves, catching problems early. Counselling is similar, everything goes much easier with regular access of care, early catching and treatment of issues.” Mika shrugged, “Sometimes I miss physical medicine. But if I went back, I think I would also miss counselling.”

As they rounded a corner, Séan’s eyes focused on the path ahead, maintaining a steady pace. He wanted to keep the conversation flowing, genuinely interested in getting to know Mika beyond their professional roles.

“And how do you find the transition from being a doctor to a counselor?” Séan inquired. “I imagine there are similarities in terms of helping others, but also distinct differences in the approach and focus. Have you encountered any unexpected challenges or rewarding moments during this transition?”

He glanced at Mika, a supportive and encouraging smile on his face, eager to hear her insights and personal experiences.

Counselor Iven

Mika had to think about that for a bit. “Counselling is… slower paced, than medicine. It takes longer to see the changes. I do feel that having an understanding of both gives me a more complete understanding of both. I’m also more likely to catch a medical issue causing a psychological change than a counselor who isn’t familiar with medicine.”

~ Mika, CNS

Séan nodded, taking in Mika’s thoughtful response. He could appreciate the importance of both acute care and preventative measures in medicine, and he saw how those principles could carry over to counseling as well.

“That makes a lot of sense,” Séan replied, his tone thoughtful. “The holistic approach you bring to counseling, with your background in medicine, must be incredibly valuable. Being able to recognize the potential interplay between physical and psychological factors can lead to more comprehensive and effective treatment.”

As they continued their jog, Séan’s gaze shifted towards the horizon, his mind processing Mika’s words. He wanted to dig deeper into her experiences, to understand how she navigated the transition from the fast-paced world of medicine to the more nuanced realm of counseling.

“I can imagine that the slower pace of counseling might require a different kind of patience and perseverance,” Séan mused. “In medicine, you often see immediate results or progress, but in counseling, it’s a longer journey. Have there been any moments or situations where you felt particularly rewarded or fulfilled in your role as a counselor? Perhaps a breakthrough with a patient or a realization that you were truly making a difference?”

Séan turned his attention back to Mika, his eyes filled with genuine curiosity and admiration. He wanted to learn from her experiences and gain insight into the rewards and challenges she had encountered along her path.

Counselor Iven

Mika shook her head. “It does take a different kind of patience, definitely, but I haven’t been able to stay in one place long enough to reach any sort of major breakthrough like that with someone.” She looked up at Séan as they jogged, “Have you felt like that? That you were making a big difference for someone? Or maybe in general?”

~ Mika, CNS

“Absolutely,” Séan replied, his voice filled with understanding. “There was a crew member struggling with deep-seated trauma from a previous mission. Through our counseling sessions, we worked together to navigate their emotions and develop coping strategies. Witnessing their transformation and seeing them regain a sense of self and connection with others was truly rewarding. It reminded me of the power of empathy and providing a safe space for healing.”

Mika listened intently to his story. “Like finding the right treatment plan for chronically ill patients, and seeing their energy and hope come back.” She commented, alikening it to something she was familiar with.

Séan looked at Mika, his eyes filled with genuine admiration and encouragement. “Those moments reaffirm my commitment to making a difference, no matter how small. I have no doubt that with your background and dedication, you have the potential to create a similar impact on a patient’s life. Your holistic approach and understanding of the interplay between physical and psychological factors will undoubtedly be invaluable. I look forward to witnessing the positive influence you’ll have as a counselor.”

Séan’s words carried a sense of belief in Mika’s abilities and a genuine hope that she would experience the fulfillment he had found in their shared profession.

Counselor Iven

Mika smiled, less sure of herself than he seemed to be. “Thank you. I’m… Still finding my counseling “sea legs” so to speak, but I’m not ready to give in yet. I think that, alongside my experience as a diplomatic officer, gives me a little different of a perspective on some things.”

~ Mika, CNS

Séan nodded and if it weren’t for the fact they were jogging he’d reach over to give Mika’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “These things naturally take time to get your ‘groove’ so to speak. I think the important part is that your heart is in the right place. Even the most seasoned counselors who know just the right thing to say, will find themselves less effective if they lose their empathy. So you’ll get there. Of this I have no doubts.”

Counselor Iven

Mika nodded again. It was helpful to hear, though she found the topic somewhat heavy for a jog. So she was quiet for a few paces and then changed the topic with a grin and a cheerful, “Soooo, what’s your favourite part of Oed so far?”

~ Mika, CNS

Séan considered Mika’s question, his expression tinged with a hint of regret. “Unfortunately, my interactions have been primarily limited to the Starfleet personnel on Oed and the crew members aboard the Centurion. As a counselor, my focus has been on providing support within the Starfleet community, and I haven’t had as much opportunity to explore the cultures of Oed as I would have liked.”

Counselor Iven

“Make sure you do. Doing nothing but work and holing yourself up at the Starfleet compound won’t do any favours,” Mika replied hypocritically. That was exactly what she had been doing. Save for the auction she’d done with Sharah, she hadn’t done much exploring herself and she’d been here longer than Séan. “Any idea what you want to see the most?”

~ Mika

Séan nodded, acknowledging Mika’s advice with a grateful smile. “You’re right, of course. It’s important to find a balance and not let work consume us completely. Exploring the cultures of Oed is something I definitely want to prioritize. Hey, maybe you’d like to join me in that. I’m sure having an exploration buddy would be great for both of us.”

“Sure. Sharah’s shown me around some, but she’s as busy as I am, so we haven’t had the opportunity to do too much yet.” Mika said.

He thought for a moment, his eyes filled with genuine curiosity. “As for what I want to see the most, it’s difficult to choose just one. I’m looking forward to trying out the local foods on Oed. I’ve heard they have a variety of culinary delights, and it would be interesting to experience the flavors and tastes of this planet.”

Counselor Iven

“Hmm… I’m not much into culinary delights, but I do think I heard something about a botanical garden or something? That would be nice to check out.” Mika commented after some thought. “I had a garden, but I ended up having to leave my plants behind on one of my assignments.”

~ Mika, CNS

Séan smiled, intrigued by Mika’s mention of a botanical garden. “A botanical garden sounds like a wonderful idea. It’s a great way to connect with nature and appreciate the beauty of different plant species. I’m sorry to hear that you had to leave your plants behind, though. Perhaps visiting the botanical garden here on Oed could help rekindle your love for gardening.”

He paused for a moment before adding, “Exploring the cultural and natural wonders of Oed together sounds like a fantastic plan. It’ll be a refreshing change from the daily routines of counseling sessions and patient assessments. I think immersing ourselves in the rich tapestry of Oed’s offerings can provide new perspectives and inspire us in our work as well.”

Counselor Iven