Posted by Commander Janusz Korczak (Counselor) in Reaching Out When Instinct Says Not To

Posted by Civilian Rafael Torres (Resident) in Reaching Out When Instinct Says Not To

Posted by Commander Janusz Korczak (Counselor) in Reaching Out When Instinct Says Not To
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Korczak, unlike any other counselor or therapist Torres may have spoken with in the past, did not take notes. He simply listened. When Torres finished, he nodded in understanding. “Feeling isolated and alone can certainly trigger a desire to return to old, problematic, behaviours. That, coupled with grief, is a potent cocktail for a relapse.” Korczak then smiled at Torres. “And the fact that you recognized that and sought help is a wonderful step, Mr. Torres. Many, many individuals in your situation would not have been able to do that. So take some pride in yourself for that.” He lifted the pot and poured the two cups three quarters full. The smell of citrus and fruit filled the space with a wholly relaxing aroma. “Black currant and lemon. My family’s favorite.” he said and picked up a cup. He inhaled the aroma and smiled slightly before taking a sip. “The smell always make home seem a bit closer. So where is home for you, Mr. Torres? Do you have family?” he asked.

Korczak, Counselor

The smell naturally didn’t elicit the same reaction, but it wasn’t unpleasant at all. Raf sipped from the cup and took a moment to process the mostly nice taste. It also gave him time to gather his thoughts. “I come from Ajilon Prime. I suppose that is home because it’s where I’ve lived most of my life. And the only family I have that matters is my pops. He still lives there.”

Rafael Torres, Resident

“Do you speak to him often?” Korczak asked. “Is he a source of support… or conflict?” he asked and sipped his tea. Open and frank conversations were key to assisting those with dependency issues. As was getting a strong understanding of where they come from.

Korczak, Counselor

It was hard. Raf didn’t do great with strangers, but as he gazed at Korczak, he figured he might as well approach it similar to how he had with Karilan. “Pops has always stood by me, even when I didn’t think he would or even should. But… my last full relapse was hard on him. It’s not a great day when you get a call that your son is in the hospital after overdosing.” He swallowed down the guilt and shame. “He raised me himself and we’ve always been close. I had a… moment, not a full relapse but one slip, and I realized after how much I was hurting him. I had to get back on my feet properly and not rely on him so much. So I’ve been trying to do just that. I call him now and again and I let him know where I am and how I’m doing, but I’ve only been on Oed week. He knew I was off-world looking for work and I was going to call him after I got settled in at my new job but then…” Raf gritted his jaw, breathing through the emotions. “Then my friend died, and I haven’t been in a good head space to make the call.”

Rafael Torres, Resident

Korczak nodded again in understanding, but then said “Mr. Torres… one of the best things about most parents is that it doesn’t really matter where our head space is at… they still have room for us. And sometimes it’s a good idea to reach out when we aren’t in the right frame of mind. It sounds like you and your father are close, no matter your own past. If you would like, you can call him now and I will sit with you while you talk. It may help you feel less… isolated.” Korczak knew that deep attachments like those Torres shared with his father were a foundational support that addicts needed to utilize or try and establish in order to have the kind of ‘safety net’ they would need if they started to fall. That was, after all, the entire premise behind the age-old and highly effective ‘Sponsor’ programs.

Korczak, Counselor

His hand tightened against the tea cup and Raf dug the fingers of his other hand into his palm. All he could think of was that heartbroken expression in his father’s eyes, knowing that he had let him down yet again. But this was different, wasn’t it? “It’s been six months,” he said quietly. “I don’t even know if he’s at home. Hell, I don’t even know what time it is on Ajilon.”

Rafael Torres, Resident

“Well… let us find out, shall we?” Korczak said. =/\= Computer, what is the local time on Ajilon Prime? =/\= The computer chirped and said =/\= Ajilon Prime local time is 0710. =/\= Korczak looked at Torres and said “If he is an early riser, he is probably up. If not, a call from his son would be a good way to start the day.”

Korczak, Counselor

His knee bounced up and down and Raf braced his arms on his thighs, bowing his head. Hands clenched, he tried to quell the myriad of feelings that all threatened to consume him. Shame was the biggest one. It was the thing the dogged him constantly and there were plenty of reasons for it to be there.

Rafael Torres, Resident