Sessions

Posted on Wed Aug 7th, 2013 @ 8:07am by Lieutenant Commander Vanessa Baron

Mission: Nothing Stays the Same
Location: Vanessa's Office, Deck 8, USS Pacifica
Timeline: 22nd of December 2382 at 10:30

ON:

Vanessa stepped out of her office and into the small waiting room for the Pacifica's Counselling Offices. She looked across to the small curved reception desk where Crewman Darz Parrin was working away with a content smile on his face. The Bolian looked up at her smiled and gestured with a slight nod of the head across to the other end of the room where Ensign Thomas Gregs was perched on the edge of a chair. Parrin hadn't been exaggerating when he had told her over the intercom that the Ensign was nervous as her empathic abilities were already sensing a lot of nervous energy coming from him. The nervous energy was also mixed with feelings of doubt and uncertainty.

Baron: Thomas.

The Ensign glanced up from his feet and looked across to Vanessa who was standing just outside of the main entrance to her office.

Gregs: ;;looks up;; Yes?

Baron: Hi ;;smiles and points to her office;; Do you want to come on through?

Thomas nodded his head, stood up from his chair and walked the short distance across the room to where Vanessa was standing. The science officer was a good seven inches taller then Vanessa and had a wiry frame. He had short curly blond hair that Vanessa considered to look a bit messy. He also what looked like a two day stubble on his face, which was a first as he was normally clean shaven. Thomas walked past Vanessa and stepped into the privacy of her office. He came quickly to a stop causing Vanessa to bump into his back as she went to follow him.

Gregs: Sorry Ma'am.

Baron: That's okay.

Thomas side stepped out of the way allowing Vanessa to make her past him. He flashed her an uneasy smile and nervously scratched at the back of his head.

Gregs: I didn't realise that your office would be so spacious.

Baron: You would be surprised with how often I hear that.

Vanessa explained to him with a smile. It was a common reaction that she got from first time patients when they entered the sanctuary of her office. In terms of actual space Vanessa had one of the largest and well decorated personal offices on the Pacifica as it served not only as her own personal workspace but also as the room where she met with her patients. Her office had a very homely feel to it and it was set up in a way to encourage her patients to relax and feel comfortable. There were numerous chairs in the room along with a soft looking sofa and a traditional therapy chair. The desk, table, and counters were docorated with colourful and pleasant smelling plants and two large landscape portraits, one of Lake Cataria on Betazed and the other of a moonlit beach on Pacifica hung on two of the walls.

Gregs: ;;looking around;; Where should I sit?

Baron: Where ever you like. Would you like something to drink?

Gregs: ;;shakes;; No thank you.

Vanessa walked across to her desk and picked up a PADD that she had prepared earlier. It had a copy of the Ensign's personnel file on it and the results of his last performance review that had been conducted by Lieutenant Cesarian and the recently departed Lieutenant Commander L'Verrem. With PADD in hand she focused her full attention onto Thomas who had taken a seat on the small sofa, Vanessa pulled a nearby chair across to the sofa and took a seat.

Baron: Is this your first time attending a session like this?

Gregs: ;;nods;; Yes. It is.

Vanessa nodded head and quickly typed some information into the PADD that she was holding. She had already known the answer to the question that she had asked as in her time on the Pacifica she had never met with Thomas in a official capacity outside of the odd performance review. Her predecessor had never spoken with him either, which meant that this was new ground for him.

Baron: Okay. I'll should start off by explaining how this will work and cover the formalities. Everything that you and I speak about today and in any future appointments is fully confidential and is protected by the Doctor/Patient Confidentiality clause as outlined by Starfleet Medical. I can provide you with the documentation if you would like.

Gregs: That won't be necessary.

Baron: Now there are a couple of exceptions to this. If for example I feel that you pose a risk to yourself or to others and the ship I am obligated to take this to the appropriate people including the ship's Chief Medical Officer Doctor Butterworth, ship security or to your department head.

Gregs: I understand.

Baron: Do you have any questions so far?

Gregs: ;;shakes his head;; No, not at the moment.

Baron: Good. ;;smiles;; Try not to worry about any of that as it rarely ever happens.

Gregs: ;;with a small smile;; Okay.

Baron: Now as you know I'm half Betazoid and I have empathic abilities that allows me to sense your emotions and feelings.

Gregs: You're not telepathic though?

Vanessa smiled as she heard that statement from a lot of people when they learned that she was a half Betazoid. It was a well held miss conception that half blooded Betazoids didn't have any telepathic abilities at all. Half Betazoids did indeed have telepathic abilities, but they were no where as strong as their full blooded counterparts and were not as useful. Vanessa's own telepathic abilities were surprisingly quite strong compared to other half Betazoids, but they were still limited to close personal contact with others.

Baron: ;;shakes her head;; I am actually, but my telepathic abilities are nowhere near as strong or as developed as a full blooded Betazoid. I can on the rare occasion touch the surface of a person's thoughts but this is normally limited to people who I am close to.

Gregs: Okay.

Baron: Nevertheless I like to make full use of my senses during my sessions as it helps me to form a better and unique perspective with my patients. It also helps me to form any diagnoses and to come up with the appropriate treatment.

Gregs: That makes sense.

Baron: Thomas, are you comfortable with me using my senses today during our session today?

Gregs: ;;nods;; Yeah, I'm am.

Baron: Great. Do you have any questions for we begin?

Gregs: No I'm good.

Baron: ;;smiles;; Okay let's begin then. What's on your mind?

Vanessa shuffled back into her chair and got comfortable. She lowered her mental screens that she used at times to filter out mental noise and concentrated fully on Thomas as he started to speak.

OFF: