Cross-legged and leaning forward, her skirt tucked between her legs she stared at the Lieutenant. He was lost in a cycle.
“Traan,” she beckoned in a soft nurturing voice to pull him back to reality, gradually getting firmer. It was not working.

“Lieutenant!” She screeched at top of her lungs like he was a first year cadet.

“Sorry I was trying to get your attention. Whats going on? Whats running through that head of yours?” As she awaited the answer she messaged the receptionist to cancel her appointments.

A bit shocked by the screach. “Uh, nothing major really…just sort of puting the pattern together in my own head. I think I’m using the alcohol to cover my ass when I get promoted or take a new job historically…I put pressure on myself to succeed, and I drink just in case I fail, as a cushion, and as an excuse if neccesary…I mean i’m doing that subconsciously obviously…but yeah. Just bouncing around between 5 different assignments in the last 7 months has just…kind of execerbsted my natural proclivities in the drinking department.” He chuckled. Apparently he didnt need the Doc to help him work through his own psychological messes. He just needed to get into a room with one and vent, then he, as the strong minded Andorian he was, would tidy up that mess in his own head.

“Let’s touch on the drinking, Traan, does it allow for an escape?” Minh wasn’t familiar with Andorians, eventhough they were close to Betazed they hadn’t really been a close in intraspecies affairs. She often wondered why.

“Of course it does.” He said

“From what?” She wondered.

Traan took a long slow inhale. “Pressure.”

“Traan, pressure gets to all of us, whether it be our homelives or our professional lives or both. Alcohol and addiction seems like a viable escape, at the time, but there are repercussions.” she paused, “Would you consider a group exercise? Like AA?”

“Oh that ancient human abstinence group? No…I honestly think just being here and getting that out has helped me more you realize. Drinking is a part of my culture, but yeah…now that i reflects on it. I’m drinking to avoid the pressure I put on myself as convoluted and masochistic as it sounds…subconsciously that’s exactly why. And being here and being reassigned to half a dozen different jobs in the past 6 or 7 months, the problem just became apparent and prevalent since I was putting pressure on my self repeatedly…if I go on another bender I’ll come back and let you know though and maybe we can look at options…but I think I’m good.” Traan said, he sounded calm and reflective, and almost cheery for amd Andorian.

“Alright, well, I think I have a lot to go through. Let’s hold our schedule for next week’s session. I want to touch on the feeling of pressure.” she paused, one could not magically be cured, she was worried. She had developed a concern with Traan, that he was just going through the cycle, that he started to raise his defences.

“Sure, sounds good.” Traan replied. The appointment quickly wrapped with the obligatory pleasantries and agreeing on a time for their next appointment.

Traan was already apprehensive that the headshrink was getting her claws into him. He knew many professionals that were apt to do that from time to time as a matter of justifying their existence, its was a trait common to most sentient species. But Traan pushed aside his reservations and became resolved to find a way to look forward to his next his next meeting. It didn’t take him long to find something about Minh to look forward to.