Lieutenant Layla Nevark - Finding the Space
S Philbrook
((Counseling Care Center, Medical Center, Mezzanine Level))
Layla led them into her office with a smile on her face. She had worked hard on her clinical space, making sure there were options, chairs, couch, desk, bean bags. Any seating arrangement that might make someone comfortable, but on top of that she had also made a corner space for crafts. It may have been a surprise to some crew who came to see her but she was on an Outpost. She was aware there may be need for her to see children when this could be more appropriate but she was also a keen practicer of mindfulness and therefore would argue until she was blue in the face that colouring, painting, drawing, play was a way to access a peaceful state of mind that might help anyone access the help they might be in need of.
Nevark: ::Gesturing to the options in the room:: Please feel free to make yourself comfortable.
Layla mirrored the sitting choice and then moved to the opposite armchair and sat down.
Nevark: Honestly, I get that counselling is not everyone's favourite thing. So I try to make it as open and comfortable as possible. People can sit where they want, we can do what works best for them. And I will speak to them in whatever way they feel most comfortable. ::Tilting her head slightly:: With that in mind please feel free to call me Layla, Counsellor, Lieutenant, whatever is the most comfortable for you. Is there anything you would like me to address you by? Or even anything you don’t want me to say.
Rosek-Skyfire: ::smiles wanly:: Lael is fine. Commander Rosek doesn’t need the help. I do.
Layla nodded slowly, she was impressed with the reflective practice of Lael opposite here. It wasn’t often that people were able to see that the label of their rank could at times interfere with the progress they could make. Each person was someone beyond their rank, someone that was cared for, liked, loved and part of a community.
Nevark: Well is there anything in particular you would like to talk about ::gesturing to craft corner:: or do? Or just a general catch up check in? ::chuckling:: Or do you want me to stop talking and let you explore the space a bit more and then you can decide?
Rosek-Skyfire: I’m sure you can see by my record that I was aboard one of the ships where assimilated attempted to take control during the events of Frontier Day.
Nevark: ::smiling softly:: I have but reports and records don’t show the impact or the situations each person was put in.
Rosek-Skyfire: ::exhales shakily:: We lost a lot of people that day. So many…
Layla paused before she responded, she wanted Lael to feel comfortable and that was always a journey. This was going to be about letting Lael feel safe to open up.
Nevark: But that was harder for you than you ever anticipated?
Rosek-Skyfire: I’m a telepath and empath. ::pauses:: But my abilities are a little unusual. For my kind, this would typically mean these abilities only work with Al-Leyans and Humans, if the thoughts and feelings are strong enough, for the most part, the species doesn’t matter. Of course, there are limitations and exceptions. For example, Rodulans and Ferengi.
Nevark: ::nodding slowly:: I myself am a telepath and empath but actively ignore it whilst working, it took a long time to get there. I take it you didn’t have the headspace to do that or anything like it going through that experience.
Rosek-Skyfire: ::exhales:: I heard them and felt them. The assimilated, I mean. With exceptions, but…so many voices and so much fear. It was like nothing I’ve ever felt. ::closes her eyes:: The only thing that kept me from giving in was my crew. ::opens her eyes:: I was temporarily in command and had to stay in control. If I didn’t, people would get hurt.
Layla nodded again, she felt all she did was nod in sessions but sometimes that gave her the time to think as well. The responsibility of command during frontier day was astronomical, they had been expected to handle the crew they loved and cared about being taken over, they then had to choose between lesser evils throughout the experience. She had been lucky where she was to not have been impacted to the same degree by any stretch of the imagination. But she had spoken to multiple officers who had survived the day with far more direct trauma than she had.
Nevark: And being in that seat of command meant that some people had to get hurt. A choice no one ever wants to make.
Rosek-Skyfire: Response
Nevark: I am here to listen Lael, this space has no judgement. I promise you that. I may ask questions. I may probe. I may seek to understand more but I will never judge the decisions you make.
Rosek-Skyfire: Response
Layla paused again before speaking trying to give Lael some more space to talk and express themselves.
Nevark: Can we try and hold some space for that thought. Not the actions but the feeling?
Lt Charlena Vanlith
Engineering
Amity Outpost
V239604CV0