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

Smallville is a lot like social media: pretty on the outside with a lot going on out of view. We explore if Clark’s crush on Lana Lang is caused by anticipatory nausea / anxiety about her kryptonite necklace. And we discuss when might be the best time in someone’s life to get superpowers based on what we know about brain development and causes of disability.

Mindfulness is about stepping back and being an observer of yourself. What better way to practice this than as Deadpool stepping out of his comic book to gain some knowledge and perspective.

“Doing the right thing is sometimes messy and f**ed up, and not particularly convenient.” We talk about the conundrum that is Deadpool and why, despite his erratic killer ways, the X-Men keep trying to turn him into a hero. We also talk about how to approach therapy with a client like Wade Wilson.

Earth, air, fire, water…choose an element to practice bending by using the wisdom the monks shared with Aang. “…bending is about energy and balance. By feeling the energy around you, you can find balance. By finding balance, you can feel the energy.”

Keeden’s wife, Colleen Hopkins, and Sam Leggett from Team JVS join us to talk about the heroes-in-training that appear in Avatar: The Last Airbender the 2024 TV show. We have a great range from Emilia (brand new to the franchise) to Colleen (knows literally everything there is to know). We talk about favorite characters, the struggle to be a child while also having the responsibilities of the world on your shoulders, and how a therapist might approach someone like Zuko to help them heal.

When you have powers like Poseidon, you have to take advantage of your ability to breathe underwater to take a much-deserved break from godly quests.

Percy had a tough start to life. He was different and struggled to fit in, bullied and left unprotected by many of the adults in his life. And then all of a sudden, he was a powerful demigod on a quest of mythological proportions. We talk about teaching, parenting, and what it might take to get a bunch of teenage demigods to get along.

It isn’t easy trying to make your way as a superhero when you have Superman swooping in and taking out your villains. You’re invincible, Superman, we get it. When the Justice League teamwork isn’t making the dream work, mindfulness can help deal with the frustration.

Being a hero-in-training takes on a whole different context when you are talking about expert superheroes who are training to work together as a team. Emilia has brushed up on some I/O Psychology so we can talk about team dynamics and what seems to complicate the Justice League’s attempts to be a well-oiled machine.

It’s been a long night of crimefighting and there is a lot more to do, but the sun is rising so you have begrudgingly returned to the Batcave. Before you shower off the dirt and grit from being out in Gotham, you decide to find a spot in the Batcave to lie down and check in with your body to see how it is doing.

We delve into the many skills of Bruce Wayne and how he honed his natural abilities (and financial privilege). We also explore how he maneuvers through his anger and emotional turmoil to become a crimefighter dressed up as a … bat, what seems to be a comic book version of harm reduction.

You are Tim Drake. You know who Batman is and you know how important it is for Batman to have a Robin. But Batman is hurting…and stubborn… Even though his rejection of your offer to be Robin hurts, you use cognitive diffusion to step back and remember that it isn’t personal.

Tim Drake’s start to being the Boy Wonder was very different from his predecessors, showing detective prowess much like the Dark Knight’s. We explore what it must have been like to try to connect with Bruce Wayne after the death of Jason Todd. And find out if Keeden convinces Emilia to no longer see Tim Drake as her ‘least favorite Robin’!

Dr. Harrison Wells has a wonderful monologue in The Flash 1.17 that uses mindfulness to help Barry Allen phase for the first time. We imagine ourselves as The Flash, needing to phase or we will meet an explosive end. So, we focus on Dr. Wells’ words as he helps us connect with the speed force. “Listen to me, Barry. Breathe…breathe…”

We contrast Barry Allen and Oliver Queen’s journeys to becoming heroes in the Arrowverse. Barry is refreshingly light-hearted despite his family struggles, but even he is affected by the weight of keeping secrets and the repercussions of broken trust. And…what about that secret prison with no legal oversite?

Archery is an excellent way to practice meditation and mindfulness. We imagine ourselves as Green Arrow / Oliver Queen, bouncing tennis balls and shooting them with arrows.

Arrow is a show that really highlights the struggles of adjusting to life after trauma and the importance of social support to be able to have a life beyond that trauma. After all, who would Oliver Queen (and the Green Arrow) be without John Diggle and Felicity Smoak? We also explore when this version of Green Arrow goes from vigilante and anti-hero to superhero status.

You’re wearing your new Ms. Marvel uniform, and you are excited. It’s the perfect day to take your powers out for a run. You open the bedroom window, embrace the Jersey City sky, and focus your mind on creating that first energy beam ...

Kamala Khan has such a compelling story of teenage struggles, culture clashes, and the strength of family and friendship. In this episode, Emilia shares her theory on how adversity and marginalization result in more easily adapting to a life with superpowers. We also can’t help ourselves and take a few pokes at the terrible lies superheroes often make when they keep their secret more tightlipped. Source: Ms. Marvel TV show

When Psycho-Pirate overcomes you with fear, you are reminded of what Batman always says – “EVERYONE gets scared. But remember, all that means is everyone gets the opportunity to fight that fear. Everyone gets the chance to be BRAVE.” And so you take every ounce of willpower you have and you find a way to embrace the fear.

We talk about the tragic story of two young superhero hopefuls introduced in Tom King’s Batman: Rebirth storyline. Some of the topics include the terrible name “Psycho-Pirate”, humanizing the experience of psychosis, and ways to manage feelings fear and anger. Source(s): Batman: Rebirth series

What good are superpowers if you don’t use them to sit at the top of Mount Everest to reflect and take in the view?

We finally joined forces with Team JVS! Keeden’s podcast and YouTube worlds collide for a review of Invincible. We focus on the psychology of Mark Grayson, a teenager who must learn to manage his superpowers while also dealing with the knowledge that his father is not who Mark thought he was.Sources: Invincible Seasons 1 & 2 (episodes 1-4)

Keeden and Emilia got to hang out in-person this holiday season! To celebrate, we answered your questions. Listen in if you want to hear our thoughts on the future of superheroes, best holiday superhero episodes, and Dick Grayson’s mullet.

As you steel yourself for battle, you practice your martial arts fighting skills with your aunt. But she surprises you. When you tense up to spar, she walks over to you and flattens out your fists. She invites you to flow with the energy around you rather than fighting against it.

Clinical psychologist and fellow Batman enthusiast Dr. Jack Tsan is Program Director of the Multicultural Counseling Institute and the host of the People of Color in Psychology Podcast. He joins us as we talk about grief, the experience of eternal life, and how in holding too tightly to what we have lost we can lose everything else we care about. We also talk about what it is like to see under-represented groups finally take the spotlight as the main character and break the stereotypical mold, with Dr. Tsan referring to the interesting tidbits he’s learned from taking Implicit Association Tests. Sources: film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Check out Dr. Tsan’s podcast People of Color in Psychology Podcast and The Multicultural Counseling Institute (with Continuing Education courses for mental health professionals). Want to check out your own implicit biases? Click here to test out your own implicit biases.

It’s your favorite time of day. You have on your Robin uniform, and you are ready to get on your motorcycle and drive out of the Batcave into Gotham. Let’s take in the moment.

The original Robin, the child who took Batman from solo superhero to Dynamic Duo. Their similar childhood traumas form a unique bond that helps Dick Grayson see beyond Bruce Wayne’s stubborn and stoic exterior. Source: Batman TAS: Robin’s Reckoning

You are Marie Moreau and you can manipulate blood. But then Senator Neuman wants you to do something strange – she wants you to tell her something about herself by sensing her blood. Unsure of what to do but determined to expand your powers, you use mindfulness as your guide.

A college full of superpowered teenagers/young adults…what could go wrong? There are so many interesting tidbits – we talk about eating disorders, inflexible beliefs and odd perceptual experiences of psychosis, the conflict within generation v on how to react to the betrayal of adults they thought they could trust, and so much more.

It is hard to believe we’re already at Season 5! We chat about our plans for Heroes in Training and discuss our thoughts on what makes someone a sidekick. And please chat with us on Discord – we would love to hear from our listeners!

Here is a behind the scenes look at what happens after the recording stops. If you like this content, in Season 5, we'll be adding more of these behind the scenes episodes for our Patreon Supporters! Check out: https://www.patreon.com/battherapy for more information and to support us so we can keep bringing you great content!

Here is a behind the scenes look at what happens after the recording stops. If you like this content, in Season 5, we'll be adding more of these behind the scenes episodes for our Patreon Supporters! Check out: https://www.patreon.com/battherapy for more information and to support us so we can keep bringing you great content!

With the end of the season here, we give out superlatives to the Gotham Rogues Gallery villains. Most likely to succeed at villainy, most popular, best tasting (when Killer Croc is feeling peckish) and more!

Use those spidey senses and fully take in the moment of slinging Spiderman’s web.

Keeden finally gets to talk about Spiderman’s villains! What happens when the “evil villain” isn’t some unknown person, but instead they are your teacher, your mentor, your best friend’s dad? Hear about this and our thoughts on what would happen if Spiderman swapped places with the Dark Knight.

Set your intention and take a break from superheroics to take a mindful run around the world as The Flash.

Keeden finally gets his wish – we talk Eobard Thawne and his obsessive focus on The Flash / Barry Allen. We explore how his anger and persistent vendetta keep him from finding a place he can call home.

Keeden immediately comes up with a Loki-style illusion he can practice conjuring for this Mindful Nerd Moment: making the Statue of Liberty disappear on the 4th of July.

Loki is a great example of how intelligence and wit can be used to deflect from a person’s true self. Loki begins with a hunt for power and domination in order to chase away the fear of not being enough. But it is only when he is forced to let go of the distractions that he can find what he truly wants. Sources: TV show Loki; MCU films including The Avengers, Thor

This week’s guest, Juan Lopez (owner of the oldest bookstore in the Carolinas – Nostalgia Newsstand), joins us to look, feel, listen, and smell comic books. See what memories and feelings come to you when you take the time to stop and smell the comics.

Juan Lopez is the owner of Nostalgia Newsstand, North Carolina’s oldest comic bookstore located in Greenville, NC. We take advantage of his wealth of knowledge to talk about the history of Hispanic representation in comics, including George Perez’s impact and the power of taking characters beyond the stereotypes.Sources: Check out https://www.facebook.com/NostalgiaNewsstandNC/

Even small decisions can be overwhelming. What is Arnold Wesker to do the first time he is ordering a pizza for the first time without Scarface? Use mindfulness, of course!

Arnold Wesker struggles to separate himself from Scarface, caught in a uniquely toxic relationship that makes him wonder: Who is a ventriloquist without his dummy? We explore this as well as what Arnold Wesker’s mental health diagnosis might be and what it is like to be one of Scarface’s henchmen. Sources: Batman TAS: Read My Lips, Cat Walk, Double Talk

“Cut off one head, two more shall take its place.” Rather than using Hydra’s mantra to bring about world domination, we use this imagery to build confidence and resilience in the face of adversity.

How does a secret, world-dominating organization take over S.H.I.E.L.D. from the inside? We cover this and other topics including how trauma (and being a professional spy) can affect someone’s ability to trust other people.Sources: films Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: Winter Soldier

Saying Jason Todd is an angry person is an understatement. Coming out of the Lazarus Pit and hearing from Talia al Ghul that the Joker is still alive is enough to put anyone over the edge. But what if Jason Tood could have taken a moment to ride out the wave and try to find a moment of peace?

Family dynamics can be tricky enough without being a part of the Bat Family. Jason Todd has some anger issues (to put it mildly). We talk about his struggle to feel accepted as the rougher around the edges second Robin and how nonjudgmental friends help him go from being seen as a villain and murderer to a hero of his own making.

We give Erik Killmonger a second chance at returning to Wakanda. What if he had been able to set aside his rage and took in a Wakanda sunset before his royal takeover?

We explore the powerful film representation of Erik Killmonger, Wakandan royalty raised on the streets of Oakland. The stark contrast between their childhoods brings into question whether T’Challa can truly understand Erik and why Erik would naturally continue to choose violence as the solution to the world’s problems.