Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Live from the Government Tower

Posted by Civilian Ana Caputo (Governor’s Chief of Staff) in Live from the Government Tower

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Live from the Government Tower
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

“So if you could go anywhere you wanted- participate in any part of the colony in total anonymity as just another citizen, do you know what you would do? Or do you enjoy being known and visible?” Eddie followed a line he hadn’t really planned on, but thought the listeners would enjoy.

-Eddie

Eela inhaled slowly, giving the question not only her full attention but also the thought it required. “You know, when I was therapist I got used to doing more listening than talking. That still is true most of the time. But as I dig deeper into some of the things I’ve bene dealing with in my personal life, I realize that I tried to shy away from the spotlight even when I was in it. I think I was afraid to be seen, for lots of different reasons. But now? It’s not so much that I enjoy being visible, but I’m forcing myself to be so and get comfortable with it. To be my whole self, whatever that looks like at this point in my life, and let everyone see that. There will always be parts of me that I reserve for when I’m away from the public eyes, but I like to think that the Eela that you all see on a day to day basis is me at my core. And as I wade through some difficult things I suspect you’ll get to see more of her. She’s a pretty colourful person and I think she has a lot of wonderful things to offer.” It was nice to sit back and truly speak of herself in such kind terms after so long of having a questioning (and often unkind) internal monologue.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“So then if you are fully Eela Dasca, when you look out your office window where do you want to be? Assuming you had a few hours off when guys like me aren’t trying to play a really long game of twenty questions.” Eddie smirked and relaxed in his chair.

-Eddie

Eela laughed. “Well, with the assumption that I do get downtime, and trust me, it’s a challenge some weeks, I love being in my patio garden, or spending time with friends. I’ve been very fortunate to have made some very dear ones and I’m a social person by nature, so when possible, I like to be out and about. But that is also balanced with the need for rest, so I’m at home quite a bit, and I love cooking for people, or coming through my extensive library. I’ve got a cozy little reading nook and for a brief periods of time I can get lost in whatever it is I’m reading. But there’s still so many places on Oed I haven’t been. I’d joke that I need more hours in my day, but let’s be real, work would find a way to claim most of those too.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Eddie nodded like that was the one pain he was sure they both knew. “If I had seven more hours in the day, at least six of them I’d be in the office. Do people ever bother you when you’re out and about? ‘Hey you’re the Lieutenant Governor. Can you help me with this? Why did you do that?’ That sort of thing.”

-Eddie

Her gaze shifted upwards for a brief moment. “Umm, not so much, though sometimes I wonder if it’s the security contingent that keeps people away. They’re understandably a little more adverse to people just walking up to me after recent events. But that actually brings up the one instance recently where a young woman saw me in a restaurant where I was having lunch with a friend. Afterwards she asked for a photo, and I have to admit it was so surreal. But at the same time it was really nice to have that interaction, and I’m definitely up to having more interactions with people. It’s like this conversation we’re having. All the meetings upon meetings can be so tiresome, but having genuine exchanges like we’re having right now? That sustains me in a way that other things can’t. For me, especially as a Haliian, that connection with people is so vital to my mental health, and it’s not been until very recently that I’ve come to realize how much it was missing in my life. So while I can guarantee I’m not going to be able to make everyone happy with my responses, I at least hope people can see that I’m just a person like them trying to figure out my way through life.” As the words finished flowing, she could feel their own sincerity and depth within her. She didn’t seek the spotlight, but she would use it to help Oed however she could.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“Well if you’re sustained by genuine conversation and connections, if that’s culturally and personally valuable to you, did that affect your practice as a therapist? Beyond that does it affect your personal experience with mental health and mental healthcare?” Eddie followed up.

-Eddie

A smile tugged at her lips as she nodded slowly. “Okay…those are very good questions,” Eela said, giving herself a moment to properly think them over. “And I am probably going to have to tackle them a bit separately.”

“So… yes, as a practitioner, it was very important to me that there was connection, but there are a couple things that influenced my practice. So, first off, it’s important to understand that there are many styles or modalities of therapy. The underlying philosophy behind each plays a role in how you conduct sessions and the way we structure goals for the patient. My degrees and training came from Starfleet Medical and I had the wonderful fortune of having a very broad education and training in a wide range of therapy styles. Personally, I’ve always gravitated towards relationship-based therapy, and a holistic approach that takes into account the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of a person.” She smiled. “That’s the Haliian approach actually, and it’s the thing that feels most natural for me.

“Does it ever become difficult to maintain what’s typically a proper professional distance from patients?” Eddie followed up.

“However, you also need to keep in mind that especially early in my career, mental health professionals on starships were rare. It took a lot of advocating from those of us practicing at the time to convince the higher ups that it was useful on most places where people are stationed, mobile or not. So, the thing about therapists is that because we are individuals and we each have our own beliefs and styles, we are not always the right therapist for every person. And that’s okay, and normal. But if you’re the only one around on a ship, and finding a different therapist isn’t possible because you’re off exploring some region far out, then it’s up to that therapist to adapt and maybe try modalities that are not your natural inclination. You do your best to find the middle ground so you can support as many people on your crew as possible, but I always did find I did my best work when I could use my abilities in different ways and build a really strong therapeutic relationship.” She paused there to give Eddie a chance to ask follow-up questions before she tackled the other question he had asked.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“What do you do, in that case? If you’re the only therapist around, and not a good fit for someone… what do you do?” Eddie asked, deeply appreciating her thorough answers.

-Chief of Staff