Welcome to another season of Bat Therapy! This prologue delves into how we decided on this season’s theme of monsters and magic. We also talk about some of the characters and storylines we want to cover.

Fisk becomes mayor while Matt Murdock struggles to avoid being Daredevil. Being a comics meets mental health type of podcast, we are particularly excited to talk about Matt dating a psychiatrist. Hear a psychologist’s thoughts on Dr. Heather Glenn (and why the doctor becomes more annoying in the end) and the show’s portrayal of couples therapy. And who better than Daredevil, Kingpin/Fisk, and The Punisher to take an opportunity to talk about the important difference between anger and aggression.

Spoiler alert for this new MCU movie! Find out why a therapist finds the start of the movie to be a hilarious representation of depression with Yelena, a gun for hire. Trauma, depression, some hints at dissociative identity disorder and bipolar disorder, then add a dash of good ol' fashioned team bonding. A lot of great mental health related content in this movie, including a great message about why it is important not to ignore our internal demons.

We reminisce about Val Kilmer's portrayal of Bruce Wayne and Batman in Batman Forever.

Dr. Emilia Brown introduces Keeden to one of her favorite comics, Venom (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 16-20). When being Batman isn’t enough to save someone, Bruce Wayne begins using a drug to give himself superstrength. Sadly, the drug is highly addictive, and soon Batman becomes a mere shadow of his former self. This comic explores his struggle to leave the pills behind.

SPOILER ALERT! Keeden and Dr. Emilia Brown delve into the psyche of a variety of heroes and villains in the new movie Captain America: Brave New World.

Last week we talked about She-Hulk and Daredevil, lawyers turned vigilante. This week Dr. Emilia Brown shares about how life in the United States is imitating art, highlighting efforts by psychologists and other scientists & healthcare professionals to continue their work amidst numerous data removals and executive orders. How can psychologists embody She-Hulk when the ethics and purpose behind their work are at risk?

Sources:

https://updates.apaservices.org/

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/06/nx-s1-5288113/cdc-website-health-data-trump

https://www.bmj.com/content/388/bmj.r253

We explore two examples of lawyers who become superhero vigilantes. On the surface, She-Hulk and Daredevil have a lot in common, but one is a reluctant superhero while the other sometimes seems more comfortable throwing punches than working within the legal system.