420 // video 01

[guestlectures]

[Hey, Asgard! How's things? Alana's coming up on a week here and she's finally getting used to all this magic weirdness that so many people seem to take for granted.

She looks extremely professional today, dressed up like she's got places to go and patients to meet; none her concern about being here, magical powers, or some dog-crazed potential-murderer's mental state showing on her face.]

I'd like to thank again everyone who's helped me over the past few days. I really can't tell you how much I appreciate all of you and the support you've given me.

[It would sound tacky to say that she would gladly return the favor if there's anything she can do, but it goes unsaid- implied with the warmth of her smile.

That warmth shifts to something a little more focused as she changes tack.] To those of you I haven't met yet, hello. My name is Dr. Alana Bloom and I'm from the same world as Will Graham.

[insert cannibal joke of extremely good taste here]

I'm a doctor of psychiatry. I've worked in that field for over ten years, both independently and consulting with various government agencies, and I've been wondering how I can offer my services now that I'm here. [She's not a soldier, and she has no desire to be found superfluous should some kind of conscription be suddenly introduced.]

With that in mind I'd like to make my services available to anyone who'd like them. I can't say I've dealt with a situation quite as unique as the one we're all in right now, but the basics of sound mental health apply everywhere. You needn't necessarily feel yourself on the edge of a breakdown- I'm happy to help talk through any situation, whether it relates to here or the place you've come from. [She says this with confidence. Having worked with the FBI She doesn't think anything here will shock her.]

The effects of sudden, traumatic changes can be difficult to recognize in your day-to-day life. I know there are many people whose friends and family have also been brought here- sometimes it's easier to see changes in them, and I'm willing to give some limited advice in that area as well. [This isn't a gossip column, and she won't tolerate anyone treating it as such.] Please feel free to contact me any time if you'd like to talk. If you have any questions regarding me or my qualifications, please don't hesitate to ask either. Thank you.

[She ends the video with a link to her secure inbox, in the unlikely case anyone out there has been immediately swayed by her. Those seeking a consultation can answer there or on this post.]

Comments

[Video]

[granddevil]

And who will help you? [ to, you know, help you get over the fact you have met Satan and will meet giants, demons, werewolves, magic... ]

[Video]

[guestlectures]

I have people to talk with, but thank you for your concern. [Ahahaaa she doesn't feel all that braver talking over the network like this.]

text;

[infomodder]

[Welp. He was trying to keep who he knew from here as secretive as he could, and then she had to go and claim him. "You're too unstable to snuggle with, but you're not too much of a raging freak for me to claim you in a brand new world where I could legitimately get away with avoiding your murderous ass." It's better friendship than being deep throated without being asked while having a ridiculously high fever in his own home, but anything is better than that.

He doesn't like that she's just outed they know each other, and not just because he's probably a bit of an embarrassment at this point. Embarrassment, failure, reminder of things that never should have happened, disappointment, none of that. There's just some people here he'd rather not know about her at all. This is not so good.]

You're going to end up with a lot of homework if you go through with this. There's a lot of different worlds here, and a lot that are nothing like the one we know. You might end up spending hours just getting the basic details before you can be of much help.

[Fairies, vampires, werewolves, inbreeding resulting in crazy children (who knew?), it goes on and on and on.]

text;

[guestlectures]

[The thing is, even without the prospect of snuggles being on the table, Alana would do this for any close friend of hers. People are not nice smooth pieces of lego, in her experience. People are messy and have baggage that's like an old incontient dog- no matter how hard you try it makes a mess all over the carpet right when you have guests over.]

There's only so many times I can walk around the city an get terribly lost. It'll be nice to have something to do with my time. Are there any decent scientific journals in Asgard? [It wouldn't even need to be peer reviewed.]

[video]

[averagemedium]

[The look he's giving the feed isn't quite mistrustful-- dubious, definitely, and uncertain. Ryan's got his arms crossed over his chest, leaning back a bit from the screen.]

Far as I've ever seen, the 'basics of sound mental health' don't leave a whole lot of room for-- well. Just about any of this. Anything too far out of the ordinary in general. You're sure you can work with the kind of people we've got?

[video]

[guestlectures]

I can work with any kind of person, so long as they want to be worked with. [People are people, bro. Some just have worse problems than others.]

But like I said- you don't need to be having a mental breakdown to talk to someone.

text;

[standsonhigh]

Oh good, I was hoping we'd get a proper psychological doctor eventually. It's a little embarrassing but I do have a few problems, perhaps you can help me with them. Not like there's many people here to talk to.

[This is going to be such fun, he's such a child when it comes to actual issues and problems.]

voice;

[guestlectures]

[Alana finds it hard to read the tone of text at the best of times, so she switches to voice in the hopes he will too.]

In my experience nearly everyone has a problem or two, so I'd say you're in good company. No need to be embarassed.

text

[liquidsky]

[Normally Barty would respond privately, if he'd respond at all. A lot of his life can be considered traumatic in some way - growing up in his family, Azkaban, being mind-controlled by his father, not to mention spending a year looking into his mirror and seeing Mad-Eye Moody's face and then the matter of that eye and the retroactive realization of just how many option that dirty old bugger had for looking at people, but for the most part he has come to believe that he deals with it just fine. Others might disapprove of his outlets.

But the magical words Will and Graham have been spoken and so Barty isn't just all ears, but thinking. Wondering. And deciding he wants to be seen for this, if only to find out what Will might do about it.]

People keep telling me I'm insane. Perhaps they're on about something.

How could I know?

text

[guestlectures]

How would you describe someone who was insane? What is it about them that would give them that label?

[It's a label that, frankly, Alana hates. It's too vague and used too often without any regard for the individual it's being attached to.]

[text]

[boogerman]

Is it free of charge? Because I too have a problem.

[text]

[guestlectures]

I haven't set any prices yet. If and when I do, I'll make sure that information is available.

[digophelia]

[Oh god why. Words can't describe how super leery she is of this. Her first gut reaction is suspicion. As a former mental patient of an aslyum, this is the last thing she wants to see. She says it flatly-]

Out of the goodness of your own heart.

[guestlectures]

[Suspicion is exactly what Alana expected. The word psychiatry is not a pleasant word for many people.]

No- because this is job and I want to make myself useful so I won't be drafted into any future militia the gods decide we need. I'm a doctor, not a soldier.

permavideo;

[sufferably]

I can think of one group you might want to focus on, Doctor.

[guestlectures]

[In other circumstances she'd ask him to call her Alana- but this is business. Her smile does brighten to see the familiar face.]

Doctor McCoy. I can't do much unless they come to me for help.

video;

[ex_galvanist88]

Does this offer of contacting you any time to talk only refer to psychiatry?

[unlike everybody else, Whale isn't going to be skeptical or bug Alana about psychiatry...he just wants some action. :/ ]

video;

[guestlectures]

[Oh, Whale.]

I doubt I'm going to be overwhelmed with patients due to this broadcast... [so she'll probably have some free time to answer her phone. But let's cut to the chase-] What did you have in mind?

video;

[writeswrongs]

[Hello, Alana. Castle has been looking for someone like you.

Not because he needs any type of psychological counseling or someone to talk to - that's Kate's job - but because the idea that Alison suggested about starting a creative writing/journaling therapy group really intrigues him. And even though Castle is technically brilliant at everything, he can concede that having an actual therapist to help him run the group might be a good idea.]

You might be just the person I'm looking for.

video;

[guestlectures]

[That's not quite the response Alana was expecting from anyone. Consider her flattered, Castle.]

How can I help?

[bruxisms]

...To what end? Could you not use what you learned against us?

[ He cannot help but be suspicious. It is in his nature, and he mislikes the idea of being so forward with emotions. ]

[guestlectures]

I could, yes. I won't, though. [Her expression and tone are honest. She's got nothing to hide.]

That said, I don't expect anyone to take me at my word that they should trust me with what can be extremely sensitive information. Without proper trust there's only so much help I can be.

[emulation]

[Well - girls in Madame Klein's School for Possessed Girls had access to therapy. So many of them had been put through traumatic events, and all of them would be put through the task of killing a fellow human being to rid it of a demon, so. Therapy was definitely a thing. Katie hasn't missed it much herself, but she can't see the harm of keeping it up here.]

Uhm - do you talk to kids, too?

[guestlectures]

[Another child? Alana is going to have words with the gods about this.

Rather than let her frustration show she smiles warmly at the girl.]

I don't see why not? In my experience children have just as many things they want to talk about as adults.

anon text;

[tradire]

And what reason does anyone have to trust your words as fact and that you will not simply speak what was told to you in confidence?

[guestlectures]

In the world I come from there's something called doctor-patient confidentially. I means that I won't share details of anything shared with me unless given permission, or if I think a patient's life is in danger.

[Video || Private]

[in_loveless_memory]

You're a psychiatrist?

Er... have you ever... worked with children?

[Video || Private]

[guestlectures]

Yes, that's right.

I've done a lot of work with families and children, yes.

voice: private

[zen_en_vert]

Doctor Bloom, my name is Doctor Banner. Bruce is fine. I was wondering if I could speak to you in a somewhat professional capacity?

I'm one of the doctors working at the local clinic, and I think it would be very worthwhile to be able to make referrals. We see a lot of patients with minor conditions that seem to be stress related, probably brought on by the fact that we're living in what basically constitutes a warzone.

voice: private

[guestlectures]

Not at all, Doctor. I was planning on approaching the clinic regard the same matter, actually. [She'd made inquiries as to whether they had any affiliated psychiatrists and hadn't found any conclusive answers]

Unfortunatley I haven't got any credentials with me, but if an interview has to take place I'm willing to demonstration what I can of my experience and training.

video;

[bratking]

You know Will Graham, then? He's a decent servant, even if he's supposed to be a tutor.

[The moral of the story is: buy Joffrey food once and you're his servant now.]

video;

[guestlectures]

I hadn't realised Will Graham had taken up servitude, but I do know him.

[She sounds amused rather than offended.]

[emergingspirit]

[Huh. A network post that actually got him to respond, however briefly.]

There is already another doctor of psychiatry here.

[That word is still weird to him ok.]

[guestlectures]

[Hey! It's the nice man that Alana had embarassed herself in front of in the tea shop.]

Do you know their name?

[video]

[climbingwalls]

[She seriously considered not saying anything. Not answering and doing everything she can to avoid her whenever she might have a chance of running into her. But she doesn't even know what house she's in, she wouldn't know where to be to avoid her -- Doctor Bloom might even be in the same house, for all she knows. Abigail doesn't think she would be, but she might.

And at least controlling when she has to run in to her is preferable to running into her god knows when, unexpected and unprepared.

She takes a deep breath, clicks on the feed... and then just stares into it for a second, not even sure what to say. 'Hi'? 'I'm alive, if you even knew I was dead'? 'I didn't think I would ever see you again and honestly I didn't mind too much'?]

Doctor Bloom? [Another pause.] When did you get here?

[video]

[guestlectures]

[Alana has been carefully containing her composure through the various surprises this thread has turned up. Who knew the multiverses were so diverse? She certainly hadn't, but she's kept her cool nonetheless. She's quite proud of herself for that.

Well. That composure had to go sometime.

Luckily, she's already sitting down. Will hadn't said anything about this.]


Abigail-

video; private

[reaction]

[ A doctor of psychiatry. That definitely strikes his interest. He's at Jo's bar, being a day drunk as per usual, and decides that this is a good time as any to have a chat with the smarty pants brunette lady ]

When you say you work with government agencies, do you mean to say you chat up the crazies behind bars? Or help to put them behind bars? [ He waves a finger at her. ] You probably have plenty of enemies.

video

[fire_punk]

What's psychiatry?