#nightwing analysis

SESSION NOTES:

[BEGIN TRANSCRIPT]

Dr. Misaki Eto enters the room with a cup of tea, placing it in front of Richard Grayson, who is sitting with a bright—albeit tired—smile.

Dr. Eto: "Alright, Richard. Before we begin, I should let you know that this is a safe space. You can talk about anything, no judgment. Also, I brought tea. Because, frankly, you look like you need it."

Grayson: chuckles "Oh, you have no idea." takes the tea gratefully "And you can call me Dick."

Dr. Eto: "Dick, then. So, tell me, what brings you here today? And if you say ‘Bruce made me,’ I will absolutely call him and tell him he needs therapy first."

Grayson: laughs, but it sounds a little too practiced "Well… technically, it wasn’t Bruce. It was a friend. They said I needed to ‘get my head checked out’ because I don’t know how to take a break. Which is ridiculous, by the way. I love breaks. Breaks are great."

Dr. Eto: raises an eyebrow "Uh-huh. And when was your last break?"

Grayson: sips his tea, eyes darting to the ceiling as if the answer is written there "...Does sleep count?"

Dr. Eto: "If you have to ask, then no. So, when was it?"

Grayson: "Define ‘break.’"

Dr. Eto: "Time where you are not working, fighting, solving other people’s problems, or emotionally carrying an entire group of people who do not understand the concept of processing their emotions properly."

Grayson: silence blinks sips tea

Dr. Eto: "Yeah, that’s what I thought."

Grayson: sighs, rubbing his face "Okay, okay. So maybe I don’t take breaks. But I like helping people. I can’t just… stop. What if someone needs me?"

Dr. Eto: "What if you need you?"

Grayson: pauses, clearly thrown off "...Well, damn."

Dr. Eto: "Yeah. Damn. That’s what I thought." leans forward "Dick, I’ve seen a lot of people like you. People who think that if they just keep moving, they won’t have to deal with all the weight they’re carrying. But let me ask you this: what happens when you finally stop?"

Grayson: "...I don’t know."

Dr. Eto: nods knowingly "That’s the problem, isn’t it? You don’t know because you never stop. You’re a high-functioning burnout case waiting to happen."

Grayson: huffs "Okay, that’s dramatic."

Dr. Eto: "Is it? You flinch when I bring up rest. You deflect with humor. You refuse to admit you’re exhausted because then you’d have to acknowledge that you need help. And if you do that, then what? You think everyone around you is going to fall apart?"

Grayson: "...Maybe."

Dr. Eto: "Alright, let’s do something fun. On a scale from ‘I’m doing great’ to ‘I cried in my car last week and pretended it was just allergies,’ how are you?"

Grayson: sips tea aggressively

Dr. Eto: nods "Got it. Not great."

Grayson: laughs softly "You’re good at this."

Dr. Eto: "You’re not the first person I’ve met who wears a smile like armor." leans back in chair "But here’s the thing, Dick. I don’t care how many people you help if you’re running yourself into the ground while doing it. If you burn out, if you collapse, who takes care of you?"

Grayson: quietly "...I don’t know."

Dr. Eto: softens "That’s what we need to fix. You deserve rest, Dick. You deserve to stop without feeling guilty about it."

Grayson: nods slowly "...That’s really hard for me."

Dr. Eto: "I know. Which is why I already made the decision for you."

Grayson: blinks "...What?"

Dr. Eto: "You’re taking a mandatory two-week break. Effective immediately. No work, no fighting crime, no carrying the emotional baggage of your entire family. Just rest."

Grayson: laughs, but in the way someone does when they’re hoping you’re joking "You can’t be serious."

Dr. Eto: "Dead serious. And to make sure you actually take this break, I’ve already written letters."

Grayson: "...Letters?"

Dr. Eto: "Letters. One to your work—because I know you have a job outside of whatever it is you actually do—one to your family, and one to whoever signs off on your daily self-sacrificial tendencies."

Grayson: stares "You did not."

Dr. Eto: smugly "Oh, I did. And if I hear that you are not taking this break, I will personally show up at your home and read them all aloud."

Grayson: mutters "This is an abuse of power."

Dr. Eto: "This is therapy."

Grayson: sighs, rubbing his temples "Okay, okay. You win. Two weeks."

Dr. Eto: smiles warmly "Good. Now, finish your tea. It’s supposed to help with stress."

Grayson: "Do you have one that helps with existential crises?"

Dr. Eto: grins "I’ll see what I can do."

[END TRANSCRIPT]

THERAPIST NOTES: Diagnosis: Overworked. Severely emotionally exhausted. Too good at pretending he’s fine.

Treatment Plan: Mandatory two-week break. Monitor stress levels. Introduce actual rest as a concept. Maybe trick him into hobbies that don’t involve saving people.

Letters Sent:

One to his very concerned workplace

One to his probably dysfunctional family

One to the man who may or may not be Batman

Conclusion: Richard Grayson is a chronic overachiever with a hero complex the size of Gotham. He is a genuinely good person who struggles to believe he deserves rest. For now, I will force him into taking a break. If he does not take it, I will personally track down the person who raised him and tell them to intervene.

…Though, something tells me that person is also in desperate need of therapy.