[Dragonmail: Allen Marks]

[inchesofevil]

Mr. Marks,

My name's Duncan Jackson, I'm a student at FCU. I have an alt in Zenderael who could benefit from psychiatric help, and Professor Morgan recommended you to me as somebody who might be interested.

Let me know if you are and we can discuss further details.

Thank you for your time,
Duncan Jackson


[Dragonmail: Ravindra Savarna]

Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you about this. It took a while to track somebody down.

But the good news is that I can do you one better than general advice. I found a psychologist who's willing to work with you, to help you fix those issues you wanted help with.

He wanted to talk to you directly to discuss the details. His name is Allen Marks.

Comments

[fixed_distance]

Mr. Jackson,

Thank you for your letter.

You're correct that I expressed an interest in working with individuals dealing with issues related to digitally mediated experiences.

[the vocabulary is a work in progress...]

However, unless the individual is a minor in your custody, it would be preferable for them to contact me directly. Would that be possible?

[inchesofevil]

['digitally mediated experiences', man he is so out of the loop on this, brb reading up on the new terminology going around the social justice circles]

I'll let him know.

He has an anxiety disorder, so initiating contact with you might be an insurmountable hurdle for him. I'll see what he says, but would you be willing to initiate contact if I could provide proof of his interest?

[fixed_distance]

[there's nothing standardized yet, just various competing terminologies and corresponding arguments about their relative merits, enjoy]

Yes, that would be fine.

[inchesofevil]

[This letter is included.]

I doubt there's anything else you need from me, but if there is, feel free to ask. I'm his former player, so I feel responsible for him.

[paladont]

[WHOA wait no too much, he doesn't even know what would be expected of him or how this works and he can't just contact a TOTAL STRANGER if he has no clue about anything]

How does it work?

[inchesofevil]

Therapy? There are different techniques, but generally it's just talking about your problems and coming up with ways to work through them.

He can explain it better than I can.

[paladont]

[Talk? About his problems? To a STRANGER?]

[Duncan you didn't exactly make him the kind of person who'd be okay with that. He has a hard enough time talking to his friends about his problems.]

Ah...

And he can fix it, like that?

[inchesofevil]

[oh, ravi :< it is obvious you are looking for an easy answer when there isn't one. it is a little bit heartbreaking]

He can help.

If I ask him to contact you, will you talk to him?

[paladont]

[wow that sounds so daunting, though. he can't do this by himself, man, he doesn't even know how this kind of thing is done! the therapist is going to think he's an idiot]

You can't talk to him for me?

[inchesofevil]

I already did.

He wants to talk to you to set it up.

[paladont]

[pacing, running through options and getting nowhere]

Alright.

[inchesofevil]

Okay.

One last thing, then.

I need you to write "I am interested in being contacted for discussion." Write your name legibly underneath and then your signature under that.

[paladont]

[this feels silly... but at least following instructions is easy]

I am interested in being contacted for discussion.

Ravindra Savarna
Ravindra Savarna

[fixed_distance]

Hello Mr. Savarna,

Duncan Jackson mentioned you might be interested in psychotherapy services. First I wanted to explain a bit about what that is, and what it would entail.

On earth a person generally seeks therapy when they encounter some difficulty they're having trouble working through on their own. They might want coping strategies for a stressful period in their lives, or help breaking out of a pattern that seems to be hurting instead of helping them. In some cases, a person might even come to a therapist just be for advice, if they feel like they've tried multiple strategies to get out of an unwanted situation and nothing is working.

What a therapist is able to provide is an unbiased listener to help you look at situations objectively, as well as some tested strategies to help you break unwanted patterns that could be holding you back from solving problems that are bothering you.

What you should know about me personally is that I am still a student, but I do have prior experience working in a supervised setting and am considered qualified to do so. And while these sessions would be confidential, if possible I would like permission to publish some information with identifying details removed in order to potentially help others in the future.

If this sounds like something that would interest you, please let me know.

Thank you,
Allen Marks

[paladont]

[Heimdall has a last name too now?! ...well of course he does, but still, that's surreal. Why couldn't he have just told Ravi his real name?]

['psychotherapy'? wow earth makes this sound like such a big deal]

[ravi is definitely having some difficulty that he's having trouble working through on his own, though. an unbiased listener to come to for advice does sound nice... especially with the guarantee of confidentiality]

[but there is a snag at the bit about publishing information about it. not comfortable w/that, even with the identifying details removed]

[if he says no will allen still help... :(a ]

[this letter goes through several revisions as he tries to get his phrasing down]

I am interested, but I don't think I'm comfortable with having the information published.

[fixed_distance]

[ah... maybe it was too much to hope for that a willing participant would essentially be dropped in his lap]

That's all right, I can definitely see how it might be unwelcome. The readership would be limited to a small group of professionals, if that's a concern.

But it would still be possible for us to work together without any publishing element at all.

[at least it will help him gain experience]

[paladont]

[okay, not immediately turned away for refusing, that's promising]

[sssstill not comfortable with the idea even with that clarification, he doesn't have any experience with scholarly research so he'd need to be convinced of the worth of that sort of thing]

Then, for now at least, if we could do it without publishing anything.

[fixed_distance]

That's perfectly fine.

For a meeting place, would the World Library be acceptable? I can secure the use of a private office for the sessions.

[...he thinks. uncertainty here wouldn't send a very professional message, though.]

[paladont]

That's fine.

[simple answer belies how nervous he is about this]

[fixed_distance]

Would you like to set an appointment time? These are typically weekly.

[paladont]

[uhhhh not sure what to say...]

[allen why are you making him decide something]

[examining his schedule for free time, coming up very short]

How long would we meet for?

[fixed_distance]

Ah, sorry for not clarifying. The sessions would be one hour.

Would Wednesdays potentially work for you?

[paladont]

[an hour on a wednesday... he can manage that, probably...]

That works.

It would need to be in the evening. I'm not off duty until six or seven.

[fixed_distance]

That's fine. [he has work during the day too]

Would 7:30 or 8:00 work? Would it need to be later? I'm not sure how far you need to travel.

[paladont]

Eight is fine.

[omg wait that means tomorrow at 8, aaaaa]