Meeting of the Counselors

Posted on Tuesday November 5th, 2019 @ 4:38pm by Lieutenant Gypsy Sage & Lieutenant Camm

Mission: Oh Where, Oh Where, Has My Everything Gone?
Location: Counseling Offices
Timeline: After the Counselor's Arrival

ON:

Lieutenant Camm was super excited that there was going to be another counselor on the station. It was always good to have fellow colleagues to converse with, especially when it came to people's mental health. Camm was always more of a free spirit when it came to treatment routines. He believed strongly in relaxation and ways to be in tune with your emotions and he hoped that this new counselor would have similar feelings.

Of course, Camm was aboard this station for a reason, much like most of the crew. His methods were often considered unconventional, although for some reason they still seemed effective for some of his clients, but not for all. He currently busied himself with making a welcome package for the new counselor. His package contained some rather questionable brownies, and a small art kit, along with a chime for centering. He had placed everything in a basket and put the basket on the desk in the extra office next to his.

Gypsy had slept well the night before. Her first night had passed quickly and well. She'd met with the CO and now she headed to find her office. It took a few tries and the computers helped, but she found the counseling center and headed inside. She looked around noting that all was quiet. She called out to see if anyone was there. "Hello?"

"Oh! Oh! Are you here?" Lieutenant Camm popped out of the offices with a large grin on his face, his bulbous head bobbing up and down in a way of greeting. "Hello hello! You must be Miss Gypsy! I am Camm. I hear we will be working together. Welcome to your office!" He gestured behind himself to the open doorway.

Gypsy suppressed a grin. "Well, actually, Miss Sage, but call me Gypsy. You must be Camm." He was enthusiastic and that made her smile. She'd read up on him on the way to the station and she had a few questions, but she suspended them. People were rarely their files. They were so much more and sometimes the people putting their files together had a bias so she wanted to get to know him.

"So... I left a care package for you on your desk. Computer, lights.." The lights came up in the office as they stepped through the door. "Just some supplies and things I thought you might enjoy. It's totally cool to have you aboard. I'm glad there's another counselor. I'm not sure I can handle all these people on my own!" He chuckled warmly.

Cassie smiled. "How lovely!" She looked at the basket. The brownies looked suspicious, she recognized the other items and held back a chuckle. "Thank you Camm." She motioned for him to sit. "Have a seat. Tell me about yourself."

Camm grinned and sat down in a chair, making himself comfortable. "Is the counselor going to counsel the counselor?" he joked with a chuckle. "There's not much to tell. I've been bounced around to quite a few places. They don't seem to care much for my methods."

She smiled. "What part of your method?" She ignored the counsel comment. In fact, she was counseling and getting to know him.

"I'm not really sure. I'm a strong proponent for art therapy, meditation, altered states of consciousness. I believe that through our connection to the universe we can find inner peace and that is honestly what most people need. Peace." He shrugged. "I like to try and create a totally cool environment where people can just chill... you know?"

She smiled. "Well, there is a place for that for some but others require more common methods. I don't see why both approaches can't be offered. I like your idea of art therapy. Have you thought about running something like that in a group setting?"

Camm tipped his bulbous head back and forth for a moment. "I never thought enough people would be interested in such a thing." He pulled at one of his ears, almost nervously. "Humans... are not so good in groups sometimes."

"That, I have learned. Why don't we call it an artist retreat? That way it'll take the therapy portion out of their minds. You can lead a class on it once a week. It could be a good stress reliever." She hoped that he understood that she was interested in his ideas. Standard treatment had its place but this kind of treatment did too.

Camm grinned, his head bobbing again. "Yeah... yeah I'm seeing where you're coming from. That might even be fun! Of course, I might need your help with a dry run. Have you done a lot of art therapy?" he asked. He was definitely liking Gypsy. She was already full of good ideas.

She smiled. "Some. More poetry writing, but I have done immersion painting." She studied him. "What's your favourite kind of art?"

Camm leaned forward in his chair and cupped his face in his own hands, grinning broadly. "Oooh... what a great question! I love all sorts of art, but I think my favorite is painting landscapes. There are so many! So many planets and so many different types of landscapes! What about you? Do you have a favorite kind of art?"

She smiled. "Actually landscapes. I used to do charcoal sketches as a child. Perhaps we can paint together soon."

Camm bobbed his head, looking at her. "That would be totally groovy. You're pretty cool. I think we're going to get along just fine!" He beamed at her.

She smiled. "Me too. Now I should go to my quarters and finish unpacking what little I brought. I also have some shopping to do." She studied him. "How are you at shopping?"

Camm giggled. "Shopping? Depends on what you're shopping for."

"Some things to make my quarters home. I had to leave most of my stuff on the psychotic shuttle."

"Yikes!" Camm sat up in his chair, looking worried. "Psychotic shuttle doesn't sound good. I can show you some shops here though and there's always the matter synthesizer for anything you can't find on the station. I have a stack of paintings you're welcome to look through and see if you want any of them."

She smiled. "Let's hit the shops first." Camm seemed like a nice person. While his methods were a bit out there, there was no reason to discredit them as they had their place too. She had been here only a brief time but she saw the pattern emerging.

"That sounds wonderful!" He grinned and practically bounced out of his chair. "I have to say... I'm not into all the fashion things they have, but you might be! Some of it is rather unusual... there are a lot of species that work in the mines on the planet below us and they each bring a little bit of their culture to the station. It's sort of nice and sort of confusing..." He chuckled and waited for her to be ready. "At least we don't have to do that walk to shop... you know... the space one."

She smiled. "You don't like the space shop?"

"Space walk. I don't like the space walk. I almost had to crawl across it and I try not to leave this asteroid... It makes me feel like I'm going to just float away!"

"It can be unnerving at first but also beautiful."

:OFF