Posted May 12, 2022, 4:39 p.m. by Ensign Kastarak (Doctor / Counsellor) (Richard A)
OOC: This thread takes place after the T’Aria/Kastarak quarantine story has concluded but before the Chernov’s arrival to Risa
A few days ago, Kastarak received the necessary credentials. He was surprised, he did not expect them to have come so soon. He had received the credentials to perform psychotherapy, or counselling, as well as psychological assessment under supervision (from a remote supervisor at Star Fleet Medical Academy), and been allowed to continue his psychiatry residency that he had been forced to discontinue four years ago when joining Star Fleet Academy.
Back then when he joined Star Fleet Academy, he faced the speciecism from his human and other non-Vulcan leaders (it was mainly the humans…) when he told them he wanted to continue psychiatry residency as a medical doctor. After all, he had already studied it a few years on New Vulcan and had been assigned to a post-traumatic stress disorder unit at a hospital on New Vulcan where Vulcan refugees with severe emotional dysregulation due to PTSD were hospitalized and cared for. But the humans (and one Tellarite, and two Andorians, and one Caitian) stopped him from continuing with psychiatry.
“It’s not appropriate for non-Vulcans to see a Vulcan for their emotional needs. Really, you must understand that.”
“It’s bad enough enduring Vulcan bedside manner when dealing with orthopaedic issues, but when it’s matters of the heart and the soul, that’s just a no. We can’t condone that.”
The quotes went on and on. And while they did not officially ban Kastarak for pursing psychiatry, they made it absolutely clear that their recommendation was in a different direction, and Kastarak understood he had to abide by those recommendations.
Just a few months ago, just a few weeks after his work on the Tasmeen, Kastarak had been able to continue psychiatry – largely thanks to the support of his ER supervisor Dr Valkeapää who, while not understanding psychiatry very well saw Kastarak’s discrimination and pushed for his reinstatement. It worked, and Kastarak could begin some of the standard part-time courses. He passed the necessary exams to begin supervised practice on the Chernov.
Last night, the captain appointed him to the side role as ship counsellor, as the Chernov no longer had Ensign Dran on board. Her office had been totally cleared out – her many chairs were all gone (where, he wondered), and he found some help from Ensign Sutalo – his nurse colleague and somewhat friend – in arranging it.
A few hours of work, and the office was now Kastarak’s and in a different setting. It was much less busy, more minimalist, light and bright, but cozy at the same time, or so Sutalo would say.
“Are you ready to take on patients in this role now?” asked Sutalo, and Kastarak said “yes”.
Now he was ready to help mend not only bodies but minds.
– Ensign Kastarak (Medical officer/Counsellor/Psychiatrist under supervised practice)
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