Bat Therapy: Mental Health through the Lens of Comics and Film

The Bat Therapy co-hosts reflect on the past year. Hear a psychologist’s suggestions for maintaining those New Year’s Resolutions as we compare ourselves to our favorite superheroes. We also share our most listened to episodes during 2024!

Time for a holiday episode! We explore the emotional complexities of the holiday season, watching as Superman, J’onn the Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, The Flash, and Ultra-Humanite find their own ways to ‘celebrate’. Keeden shares how holiday nostalgia helped him realize that the best gift he could give himself was getting mental health help.

Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle’s relationship during Tom King’s comic run had some rocky times, like when Selina left Bruce right before their wedding. Learn from a clinical psychologist about how couples therapy may have helped the Bat and the Cat’s relationship.Find Out More: https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/relationship-advice

We know, we know, another Tom King related podcast episode. But who can resist talking about Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle going on a double date with Clark Kent and Lois Lane? We explore what it takes to have a good, long-lasting romantic relationship, especially when your significant other is a superhero.

Look, the MCU has worn us out, we get it. Keeden hadn’t even watched this show until we decided to talk about it on the podcast! But we really recommend this 5-episode series about Maya Lopez / Echo. We talk about family dynamics, anger and forgiveness, acceptance, and ancestral power. In this (belated) Native American Heritage Month episode, Dr. Brown also shares the reasons behind the long overdue American Psychological Association’s 2023 offer of apology to the first peoples in the United States.To find out more: https://echo.choctawnation.com/, https://www.nativepsychs.org/, https://www.nativepsychs.org/apology

When you date Superman / The Blur and your anti-vigilante dad and boyfriend-kissing sister surprise you for Thanksgiving, things will get a bit complicated. We discuss Smallville Season 10 Episode 7 Ambush and how Lois Lane struggles to change old family habits and set some boundaries with the people she loves. Meanwhile, we look at how Oliver Queen and Tess find a path to emotional maturity, highlighting the importance of open communication and showing vulnerability.

You did what you were taught – you have prepared for battle, studied the enemy, and now you are sharing what you know with mankind’s wartime leaders. But they look at you with shock and horror. They tell you to be quiet. They tell you to leave, because women don’t belong here. You are confused. You are angry. You are Wonder Woman.

Psychologist shares research on how men and women communicate with each other. Interestingly, Wonder Woman’s complete lack of awareness of a world centered around men gives her an advantage in overcoming the men who question her competency.

We discuss Wonder Woman’s jarring transition when she goes from Themyscira to World War I and early 1900s violence and sexism. To be a superhero that lasts for generations, she must break away from her naïve understanding of humanity and find a way to embrace the imperfections.

After a long week of fighting demons and monsters, it’s nice to get back behind the wheel of the Impala. Life is complicated and hard, but every now and then you can take a moment to put on some 70s rock and just drive.

We continue to explore Supernatural’s Dean Winchester in Season 4 as he teeters on the edge of having posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). What are his treatment options, and how likely are they to help? What about the fact that most therapists wouldn’t believe him if he told them his traumatic event was about being in Hell?For more information: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/

It’s about time our dynamic duo crossed over into one of our favorite shows, Supernatural. What better excuse than Halloween? Emilia shares a clinical psychologist’s perspective on Dean’s return to ‘normal’ life after literally going through hell, discussing the difference between acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as relating Dean’s experiences to military life and the struggle to cope with moral injury. Meanwhile, Keeden relates to Sam’s religious struggle when Sam meets real-life angels and discovers that they aren’t as angelic as he had believed.

It’s been a tense night of Gotham crime fighting. Bruce has been particularly ‘Batman’ about everything, critiquing and correcting your every move. Sure, you’re Dick Grayson so you laugh most of it off, but you are getting tired of it. You take a few deep breaths to recenter yourself.

Is there anything more intimidating than being a superhero without superpowers? Oh, that’s right, you could ALSO be Batman’s sidekick, constantly comparing yourself to the very best and getting a lot of… “constructive” criticism. Talk about a situation that would leave most anybody feeling like a fraud. We delve into Dick Grayson’s experience as the first Robin and how he overcomes the inevitable imposter syndrome to become a capable superhero in his own right.To learn more: Imposter Phenomenon & Environmental Effects Affecting Imposter Syndrome

Remember when we talked about Batgirl: Year One? One of the authors listened and loved it! We talked with Scott Beatty about another comic he co-authored, Nightwing: Year One. Scott Beatty has written several hundred comic book stories for DC Comics and other publishers including CrossGen Entertainment, Dark Horse Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, and IDW Publishing. His most notable releases include Robin: Year One, Batgirl: Year One, Nightwing: Year One, Batman: Gotham Knights, Joker: Last Laugh, Gen13, Number of The Beast, Ruse, Buck Rogers, The Last Phantom, and many others.Get to know more about Scott here:X: @Scott_M_BeattyThreads: scottmbeattyInstagram: scottmbeattyWebsites:https://scottbeatty.blogspot.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Beattyhttps://www.amazon.com/stores/Scott-Beatty/author/B00JJDIS3K?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1727738848&sr=1-2&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

You’re walking down a random street in New York City thinking about a great save you made as Spider-Man today. Suddenly, you notice Mary Jane sitting at a table for two in a nearby restaurant. She’s not alone. Your heart drops as you realize she is on a date. You rush around the corner before she can see you, but the image sticks with you and it hurts. With great power comes a great need for mindfulness.

We delve into the research on how much a person’s income affects their happiness. Hear why our friendly neighborhood clinical psychologist believes that Tobey Maguire’s version of Peter Parker wouldn’t be a happy billionaire. And why she thinks Bruce Wayne would be just as happy if he earned $100,000 a year.To learn more: Money & Happiness Studies

What’s it like to be a superhero…and be poor? How similar are the effects of Venom to a manic episode (bipolar disorder)? Is it really possible that a superhero could lose their powers because of a psychological struggle? Who is worse / more annoying, Mary Jane or Peter Parker? Listen to find out!

It’s dawn after a long night of fighting crime in Gotham. You are tired and you need to rest, but first it’s time to clean the Batmobile. You grab your hazmat suit, a bucket of suds, and a sponge, and you start washing away the Ace Chemicals.

As a clinical psychologist specializing in severe and persistent mental illness, Emilia has a lot to say about what Arkham Asylum should be. We explore the complicated history of United States psychiatric hospitals and deinstitutionalization through the fictional representation of Gotham and its superpowered criminals. Want to learn more? https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510377/lost-patients

We nerd out with Dr. Schirripa about Bruce Wayne’s path to Batman and answer questions like… Do certain Gotham criminals really belong in Arkham Asylum? How can someone do treatment with the Joker and avoid falling for him like Dr. Harleen Quinzel? Dr. Michael Schirripa is a distinguished Adelaide-based psychiatrist with over two decades of experience, in both forensic and private practice settings. His debut novel, MINDHUNT, is the only psychological thriller to be written by an actual forensic psychiatrist!Check him out at https://michaelschirripa.com/ or buy his book, Mindhunt, here: https://a.co/d/i5q9TDl

Another universe, another failure. You look at your siblings and you feel sad, angry, desperate – you want to keep fighting. You try to find a way to accept that you did your best and sometimes your best just isn’t enough.

Tom King’s Batman #12 explores a whole new perspective on Bruce Wayne, age 10 and struggling with the pain of seeing his parents’ deaths. We explore this version of Bruce Wayne as a way to talk about Suicide Prevention Month.

We talk about existential dread, the imperfect (and at times abusive) realities of the Umbrella Academy’s family dynamics, and what the difference is between adapting / acceptance and giving up. Bonus: Hear why Keeden was not a fan of the ending of the TV series.

It’s one of those times when you just want to listen to NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye and dance. But you would die from embarrassment if you forgot the dance moves in front of all these people. Then you realize, you can’t die, you’re Deadpool. Plus, you’ll be killing these people pretty soon anyway. So, you smile, turn up the volume of the music in your head, and dance your heart out.

A YouTube channel made famous by interviewing people while having them eat hotter and hotter wings. Hear a psychologist’s point of view on what makes the combination of spicy foods and interviewer Sean Evans a long-lasting (and psychologically genius) success.

Listen in as we talk about our favorite parts of this new movie. Hear our thoughts on if it was fair for Deadpool to get turned down by the Avengers. We also explore the loss of purpose many of the characters are struggling with, including Wolverine and his path to processing his trauma (with a little help from a Professor X style villain).

Wait times, human error, variability in the quality of care…there are issues with current mental health therapy treatments. Are Artificial Intelligence and Chatbots the answer?https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mental-health-chatbots-powered-by-artificial-intelligence-providing-support-60-minutes-transcript/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10242473/

We talk to Carolyn about her graphic novel in which she writes the text and uses Artificial Intelligence to create the images, exploring how technology may change art, psychotherapy, and life as we know it. Stand-up comedian turned writer, Carolyn Cohagan has published five novels and two children’s activity books, including The Lost Children (2011 Scholastic Book Club) and her Time Zero Young Adult trilogy (over 10 literary honors). She also founded Kids with Pens, an Austin (Texas)-based creative writing organization.This Memoir Will Be Written by Robots by Carolyn Cohagan https://www.carolyncohagan.com/

Going out into public can be hard work. Putting on the mask of being Bruce Wayne means pretending to be happy and easy going. Being the broody Batman that you are, you are dreading it. You use mindfulness to help. Instead of the common strategy Clouds in the Sky / Leaves on a Stream, Batman imagines Batwings in the Sky.

How do you define ‘personality’? And how do you find ways to measure personality traits? We use the live-action movie portrayals of Bruce Wayne to talk about the Big Five: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Negative Emotionality / Neuroticism, and Open-Mindedness.https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/big-5-personality-traitshttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/people-are-strange/201910/how-to-accurately-measure-your-personality

We compare the live action film portrayals of Bruce Wayne. Which younger version of Bruce Wayne do we think led to Ben Affleck’s? Whose Bruce Wayne is more of a façade? What makes some Bruce Waynes more likely to quit being the Batman? We answer these questions and more!

It’s been a long day. You just want to enjoy dinner with the family, but Dash and Violet will not stop bickering. You may have superpowers, but they don’t include super-patience. You use mindfulness to cope with the chaos.

We use The Incredibles to explore ways that having the job of a first responder (EMS, firefighter, police, superheroes, etc.) can affect family life. Read More: “This is it…this is our normal” - the voices of family members and first responders experiencing duty-related trauma in Ireland - ScienceDirect

When a superhero is forced to retire, how can they still have meaning and purpose in life? With Elastigirl, we talk about how she puts her efforts into raising super-powered children. We compare Mr. Incredible’s struggle to the transition from being in the military or retiring as a professional athlete.

Time for a new season! Find out what we have planned, talking about alter egos and the everyday people behind the superhero masks.

Hello Bat Therapy Fans! While we prepare for Season 6, we cut some behind the scenes for you to listen to while you wait. This is from a conversation before we recorded episode 23: Fat Thor. Ironically, it's about Wonder Woman... not Thor... See you for Season 6, No Capes!

Hello Bat Therapy Fans! While we prepare for Season 6, we cut some behind the scenes for you to listen to while you wait. This is from a conversation before we recorded episode 10: Bruce Wayne. See you for Season 6, No Capes!

We talk about our season highlights from Season 5: Heroes in Training.

You have done your best on your own, but even superheroes need help sometimes. You finally decide to reach out for mental health treatment. Still, when you start to try and schedule the appointment it brings on some overwhelming thoughts and feelings. So you pause and use the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Technique to help you

We explore some big barriers to mental health treatment that superheroes are likely to experience, such as finding the time, confidentiality and building trust, and being willing to be vulnerable.

A lot of thoughts and feelings can happen when going into a therapy session. We practice being Batman while he waits in the waiting room before his first therapy session, using mindfulness to prepare for what comes next.

Even the most capable of superheroes need someone to talk to from time to time. We talk about what Batman might want to talk about during therapy and what theoretical orientations and therapeutic styles he would find most helpful in his therapist.

Rejection. And it’s from one of your oldest and dearest friends, granted, this friend is a hammer…but still. You have been trying to figure out who you are after people were brought back from “the snap”. You are Thor but you have decided not to be a ruler, so who are you? When you see Mjølnir in battle, you feel relief. Until Mjølnir is almost within reach and Mighty Thor calls the hammer back.

You’re a warrior god over 1,500 years old, but when the losses start, they don’t seem to stop. You retreat into yourself, drinking and playing videogames to escape any chance of losing something or someone else. Some people reach out to support you, but most make jokes and fat shame you, not seeing the depression. In honor of mental health awareness month, we talk about Thor’s struggles and what mental health treatments could help.

Batman, superheroes, comics, nerd content… and mental health? After two years of Bat Therapy, we talk about how the podcast got started and why we love doing this thing. (We also couldn’t resist talking about why we love Batman so much.)

You’re Scott Summers, teenage mutant with uncontrollable energy beams that shoot out of your eyes – life is bound to get complicated. Here you are, at school, surrounded by a bunch of non-mutants, and your protective glasses have fallen off. You aren’t sure what you hit with your energy beams and you don’t know what anyone saw, because you have closed your eyes to avoid doing further damage. As you feel more and more panicked, the heat builds up behind your eyelids and it becomes harder to use your other senses to find your glasses. It is the perfect time for mindfulness.

This show has major nostalgia for us. We talk about how the X-Men going to high school with people who do not have the x-gene could have similar benefits to the concept of community inclusion. And listen in as Emilia and Keeden decide if Professor Xavier is a bit too much like Dumbledore in his approach to supporting teenage mutants.

It is finally time to make this real. You have the right outfit, the right equipment. You open the box and see your new combat boots. They are perfect. You take your time, enjoying the feelings of excitement, power, and (a tiny bit of) fear that they bring you.

We love how Babs comes onto the scene – she is unapologetically herself, just looking for a way to help the city she loves without caring what Batman or her father, Commissioner Gordon, has to say about it. Emilia ends up connecting with Batgirl more than she expected. We also talk about how this comic, much like Cognitive Processing Therapy, explores the complexities of trusting someone.