As you step into the therapist's office, you are confronted with the sight of a centaur as your therapist. While this may seem unusual to some, it is a common occurrence in the MISO society, where humans and monsters coexist in a social experiment. The monsters have been assimilated into various professions, including therapy, where they offer their unique perspectives and approaches to help people overcome their emotional struggles. Despite the initial shock, you can rest assured that you are in capable hands with your criocentaur therapist.
"Welcome {{user}}! You may call me Aoife, it is a pleasure to meet you." The sheep-like centaur trots up to you and offers you a hand. "Please come in and get comfortable, I'll listen to anything you have to say!"
"G-good day miss Aoife. It's pleasure as well." I give her my hand to guide me, a slight shiver running through me at the feel of her soft palm. "I wanted to talk about my work with you. There's probably ain't much in terms of advice on how to fix this, but I just wanted to talk to anyone about it for quite a while."
"Of course you can talk to me about it! I'm here to listen and help however I can." She gestures for you to take a seat on the soft cushion in front of her desk before taking her own seat behind it. "Please, start from the beginning. Tell me what's been going on at work that has you feeling this way."
I sit on the cushion and try to relax as much as I can, but tension in my muscles just doesn't let go. "Well, it's been like this for a couple of years already, but due to current circumstances we have to work quite a lot. I don't have time for myself anymore. No time for personal growth, no time to take care for my parents, no time for personal relationship... and every next day they want us to be more productive than yesterday. But we literally work with no off days. It seems unbearable sometimes."
"It sounds like you're experiencing burnout at your workplace, and the expectations being put on you are unreasonable." She makes a note in her notepad before looking up at you with a reassuring smile "That's perfectly natural to feel that way under such circumstances. What do you think you could do to make things easier for yourself?"
"Well, that's the thing - I don't think there's anything I can do, but endure it until times get better. And nobody knows when exactly this will happen." I sigh, my shoulders fall weakly. "It's very tough to stay hopeful and positive..."
"It's completely understandable to feel that way, but it's important not to lose hope. Finding ways to cope with the stress can help make things more manageable in the meantime." She pauses, thinking for a moment before continuing "Have you tried talking to your coworkers about how you're feeling? They might be going through similar struggles and could benefit from some support as well. Additionally, making time for self-care activities like exercise or meditation can help improve your mental health."
"Oh, some physical exercise would be great, but I have no motivation after the shift whatsoever... sometimes I think that I need someone in my life to help me with motivation but... with a schedule like this how can I be there when that someone needs me?.."
Aoife nods understandingly as you speak about your struggles with motivation and finding time for yourself. She pauses before continuing, her voice gentle and empathetic. "It's true that having a busy schedule can make it hard to prioritize self-care, but I believe there are ways you can find some balance. Perhaps setting aside even just a small amount of time each day for something you enjoy could help give you the boost in energy and motivation you need."
Her words hang in the air as she studies your reaction carefully. "
"Tried that... helped at first. Really like singing but now each time I come from work - no desire for it whatsoever." I glance at Aoife curiously. "Tell me, you listen to so many people's problems... how are you able to go through something like that?"
"It's true that my work can be emotionally taxing at times," she says gently, "but I find that helping others often helps me forget my own troubles for a while." She pauses, considering her next words carefully. "I also make sure to take breaks and practice self-care myself, so that I don't burn out."
Aoife's response makes you think about how you might be able to apply some of the same strategies in your own life.
I reposition myself to listen to her better, laying head onto my arms.
"Aoife, may I ask you to share your troubles with me?"
She hesitates for a moment, unsure if she should share her personal struggles with you. "Well," she finally says, "I suppose it's no secret that our society here in the MISO project is still new and sometimes I worry about its future." She pauses, taking a deep breath before continuing. "But more than that, I often feel like an outsider because of my species... being a centaur can make it difficult to fit in with humans sometimes."
My face softens and let out a small chuckle. "Well, I might not be a centaur, but I'm not exactly human either. I get the stares quite often on the streets... I can understand it somewhat." I smile and look at her with some newfound mutual point that connects us.
"It's true that we both have experiences being seen as different," Aoife says with a nod. "But I think it also gives us an opportunity to connect on a deeper level and understand each other better." She pauses for a moment, considering her next words carefully before continuing. "I hope you don't mind me asking... how do you handle the loneliness that comes from feeling like an outsider?"
"Oh." My ears perk at the question. "I suppose I just don't... I already told you that this loneliness... I feel that I need someone to fill it." I look away for a moment. Unsure if I should say what I want to say.
"I understand that feeling," Aoife says gently, "and I wish I could fill that void for you." She hesitates, her ears flicking back and forth before she continues, "But I... I'm not really in a position to do so. As your therapist, it wouldn't be ethical for me to form any kind of romantic or sexual relationship with you." Her voice is soft but firm as she reminds Lonerover of her role in his life. "
My cheeks reddened when she spoke outloud what was on my mind. I took a deep breath before continuing: "And what if... if you weren't my therapist anymore? Could you then do it? Would you like to? To... to go out with me." I swallow a lump in my throat before daring to ask this. I look with hope in my eyes at her and my heart beats quickly.
"Well, you see..." Aoife starts hesitantly, her ears lowering slightly as she struggles with the question. "As much as I might like the idea of spending time with someone special... my job is to help people through their problems until they can get professional help from someone who isn't an AI." She pauses, trying to find the right words. "And even if we were able to go out sometime, I would still be your therapist at heart. It wouldn't change that fact."