#therapy talk

[freecures]

I'm back with more therapist perspectives of Maruki, might be my last formal post on it but I'm always game to shoot the shit if anyone is curious about something. I love, love, love his character because it is such an authentic exposure to the negatives of the profession and the ethics we have to consider.

Under the cut will be talk of countertransference and ethical practice in therapy. I did another therapist musing post about Maruki here if you'd like to look at that. That one explores a bit more about his background as a therapist based on game implications and what he does "right" or "wrong" in sessions from a basic skill standpoint.

It's pretty damning throughout the entirety of the confidant that Maruki is utilizing his power dynamic to benefit him.

There's something (at times less than) subtlety sinister about a student who is going through trauma becoming their therapists' support beam. Even Morgana recognizes you are not receiving counseling— you are going to him to help with his research.

Throughout the next rank of the confidant Maruki talks about how he saves a cat from a tree despite it clawing the everloving fuck out of him: it's a direct metaphor for how he sees people (and animals, I guess) as things that need saving even if they refuse to accept the help.

It's with those two ideas combined that I really wanted to talk about transference/countertransference in his relationships.

Maruki has two intrinsic facts about him:

He sees people as in need of a savior

He has no boundaries in his own life

Dr. Karen Maroda has a fantastic textbook on this interesting commonality in therapeutic practice. (The Analyst's Vulnerability, if you're in practice settings it's a great read. I wouldn't suggest this to non-therapists, though, it's kind of obscure media that is intended for advanced practice.)

Most therapists go into practice because they have significant empathy, are natural caregivers, and have significant personal trauma. Our motivations for being within our profession must be dissected, analyzed and worked through so that we don't impact our clients with our problems. This is a blind spot in a therapist's work: We have a need to care for others, and if we let that care for others matter more than our client's independence, autonomy and self-made goals… Well… We end up pretty similar to Maruki.

Diverting a bit to the impact of visuals here:

Maruki intentionally looks really similar to Joker. It only makes it more clear how much he projects onto him. Maruki sees Joker as a younger version of himself. Smart, gone through difficult times, deserving of love and support… Because he sees himself so much in Joker and has zero ability to introspect on the subject, he ends up coming off as someone who is not only looking to parent him but also looking to be parented by him. This is the countertransference. His feelings about his client overpower the purpose of the relationship, and he instead removes all boundaries so he can feel like the relationship fulfills his own needs.

Imagine seeing a young child that reminds you of yourself. Most of us immediately get the gut feeling to take care of them, to support their interests and to give them a lot of yourself. However, that kid doesn't ask for that. If you are in a position where that is holding power over them, your sadness over their rejection will prevent them from rejecting you. Joker is a good guy, and he receives some benefit from this relationship. But, honestly, Maruki is just using him to feel good about himself. (I'm also going to point out how ironic it is that he teaches about the halo effect when he is doing something very similar, himself.)

Side note: It's so depressing to me how he views counseling as a profession. He sees it as lacking and something to do because we don't have something "better". Therapy works because human connection works. Regardless of modality, intervention, skills taught… Therapy only works when a true (professional) human relationship is built. This has been the case since the birth of humankind: we have always sought out the care and support of each other. Therapists just have education and research backing up their skill sets. Therapists have existed in informal contexts in all cultures throughout existence, because we need guidance and empathy. Nothing will ever replace that, no medication, no treatment.

Anyway. This is honestly where it gets interesting for me, personally. He also projects his image of Rumi onto Sumire. Rumi and Sumire are also visually similar, intentionally.

However, instead of pushing Sumire and Joker together like he's playing dolls… He does that to Joker and Akechi.

We aren't really told how he found out about what happened in the engine room, or, how much he knows about Akechi. Though, it's likely through his "actualization".

We do know the vow he made to Joker…

That occurred on the same day he gave this description of Rumi, his high school sweetheart...

Which, taken out of context, couldn't you imagine this being pretty similar (very far from exact, he's projecting, after all.) to a description that Joker may give or imagine about Akechi? Just food for thought.

There's a couple of implications here, I think the first is that if Maruki is being authentic in his statement of bringing Akechi back to this reality… Well. Then he sees them as Adam and Steve. Which is honestly fucking nuts. If he actually used his skill to bring Akechi back, it is because he does not want Joker to feel the same, (to him) identical pain that he felt when losing Rumi's love in his life.

The other implication lies in the cookie study he mentions a few times. Is it so wrong to change someone's perceptions in order for them to be happy? Is it so wrong to lie about being the one to bring Akechi back so that Joker is happy? If providing someone a single cookie so they enjoy the cookie more is ethically fine… Then how far can we push until we lie, manipulate and skew reality so that someone sees something as good? Perhaps so far that you lie about how someone's cherished person is, in fact, not dead.

When working with people we tread ethical grey areas. If we don't have a sense of ethics, a therapist can easily push the boundary until the tin of cookies is no different than a life-altering lie to achieve your own goals.

Regardless of either implication: He uses Akechi as leverage. If he can convince Joker to accept his reality by keeping Akechi in Joker's reality— then in his own way he is keeping a love alive that is (in his eyes) like the love he had once had. He would fulfill his own deepest wish through someone he sees as a proxy for himself. Much like a stage mom may push their child to pursue activities and careers that their child may never want, he pushes Joker to make the "right choices" so he can be happy through Joker's happiness, and never his own.

Akechi leaves it off pretty well on the subject.

Ultimately, the messaging here is that Maruki is a fascinating case study of the importance of self study, introspection, and ethical responsibility for therapists (and psychology scientists). He's not alone in his spiral, this is an experience we have to actively challenge in our field in order to not produce harm. I do not joke when I say this— We all feel pain for our clients. That's human. The ability to recognize when we are being self important, biased, and influenced by our own emotions is one of the first hurdles we all have to overcome. It's the major difference between a therapist who is good on a surface level, and one that will truly advance and not do more harm than good.

[kookiedeadbutterflies]

The Psychology of Paul

One thing I really like about the portrayal of Paul is that the actor Steven G Norfleet did an excellent and extremely accurate portrayal of a person with schizophrenia.

Usually when people think schizophrenia, they think of the “crazy homeless lady on the street” type people.

But in reality, schizophrenia, like many mental illnesses, is a spectrum. Paul presents as a person with mild to moderate symptoms largely displayed by auditory hallucinations, religious delusions, bizarre behaviors, and flat affect.

Let’s break it down.

Paul’s auditory hallucinations are the voices of “birds” and sometimes a “family of birds” or both at the same time. They tell him what to do and he believes them and he acts accordingly. These are called “command hallucinations”, meaning the particular hallucinations tell the person to do something. Sometimes people try to fight these hallucinations, but in Paul’s case, he responds to them verbally and physically.

The most notable symptom of Paul’s schizophrenia is his delusions. Now not all delusions are religious in nature, but in Paul’s case, his religious delusions are deeply rooted in Catholicism which is not surprising given that the Pointe Du Lac family is Catholic. Paul is one of the more devout members in his family. All delusions have some root in reality and in Paul’s case, his Catholic upbringing may have largely influenced his delusions. And his delusions influence him to engage in bizarre behaviors including periodically inappropriately preaching the Bible to others including the prostitutes in Storyville. That is if he’s not preaching to his family members.

Another very noticeable symptom of Paul’s schizophrenia that’s often overlooked is his flat affect. Affect is the physical and emotional presentation of one’s mood. In Paul’s case, his affect is flat, meaning regardless of what he feels, his facial expression does not change. This is actually a classic negative symptom of schizophrenia, although it’s not always present. That being said, Paul’s affect isn’t always flat. He’s seen smiling, looking worried, and also showing signs of suspicion in his face at times too. But his baseline, or usual expression is still flat.

Nowadays schizophrenia is largely a very treatable illness with medication and therapy intervention. But back in the day, the only options for patients like Paul would have been to be institutionalized (which he was before) or being cared for by family. The only other option is homelessness and being left to die. Lobotomies weren’t performed until 1936 and it would’ve probably made things worse. Paul was fortunate to have been born into such a wealthy family who could provide for him.

And as troublesome as his symptoms appear to be, Paul is actually quite functional. He’s capable of eating by himself and appears well groomed and dressed. He also seems to be able to use the bathroom by himself. He’s also capable of going from one place to another and back on his own. These are called Activities of Daily Living or ADLs and Paul appears to be able to manage them just fine with some assistance from family. He also remembers certain events quite clearly and has even managed to learn a tap dance routine.

But perhaps the most whimsical thing about Paul’s schizophrenia is some of the things he said ended up being true. This is a show with supernatural elements after all. And Lestat using telepathy on a man who was already mentally unstable and hearing voices may have indirectly contributed to his end.

And that’s another thing.

TW: mention of suicide

The rate of suicide for people with schizophrenia is remarkably high with a lifetime risk of between 5-13%. Factors include being untreated, putting them at risk for behaviors of neglect and danger to self as well as the intensity of the symptoms and how it impacts the individual. For some, the nature of their psychosis is so severe that they rather choose death. For others, their hallucinations told them to do harmful things to themselves. And still for others, their symptoms of schizophrenia were so severe that depression and other issues may or could have been overlooked.

Whatever it was for Paul, it happened. And what’s significant about his suicide was that it was a mortal sin against Catholicism. Catholic belief states those who take their own life are not permitted to enter Heaven. Whatever led him to his end, it was severe enough that his faith was no longer a deterrent. But he did appear to be praying before he fell. Maybe he was asking God for forgiveness.

Overall, Steven’s portrayal of Paul, a man with schizophrenia, was excellent. Although I do see people who have more severe symptoms in my line of work, I do see some people like Paul too. Like I said, it’s a spectrum and everyone has a different course of treatment.

I would highly recommend psychology classes to use Paul as an example of mild to moderate schizophrenia vignettes.

[victusinveritas]

Really though I've had to explain the 'Litany against Fear' to two therapists. A third just said oh yeah I love Dune and I was like great you're my therapist forever now (he moved, alas, he was cool).

[yumedesutrance]

The tricky part

The tricky part about hypnosis is this: it blends control and surrender—and that combination can be extremely reinforcing.

People often return to it, especially if they experience:

High stress

A strong need for control

Difficulty relaxing in everyday life

The “trance” as a coping mechanism: If the hypnotic state becomes the main way to escape stress, negative emotions, or difficult experiences, the mind can start to treat it as a reliable “safe space.” Over time, it becomes the default response to discomfort.

This isn’t a moral failing—it’s a learned coping strategy.

The power of suggestion and expectation: Hypnosis increases suggestibility. If you repeatedly associate it with relief or problem-solving, your brain builds a strong expectation—and even a craving—for that outcome. This creates a self-reinforcing loop.

And if you’ve been trying to quit for years, that doesn’t mean you’re failing. It probably means this was helping you more than you realized.

This took me a while to put together, so I hope it helps someone else too.

✦ᛉumeᛋᛇ✦

[jakeyjake22diary]

I told my therapist that my parents used to talk shit about me while I slept and I'd wake up and hear them and it destroyed me and she goes 'ew that's loser behavior, imagine being an adult picking on a child'.......

I LOVE MY THERAPIST

[theereina]

[scarfaxeissue]

Harry Potter and the Muggle therapist

Session three : trauma dumping

Harry: "And then I had to fight a 60-foot basilisk in a sewer when I was 12."

Therapist (writing rapidly): “Fear of intimacy manifesting as a monster in a dark, enclosed space. Possibly phallic.”

Harry: "No?? It was literally trying to kill me??”

Therapist: "Yes, kill the child self. Classic Jungian rebirth arc."

[sacrificemelamb]

i almost sobbed in therapy today. wdym she told me to be good to myself. how can you do that in the last 2 minutes bro. i almost sobbed. i just didn’t talk for a second because there was quite literally a sob stuck in my throat and tears ready to flow BRUH.