The Psychologist Episode 24 Recap
> The Psychologist Recap
Qian Kaiyi and his colleagues are diligently working to streamline the "Heart Messenger" initiative, which aims to connect individuals in need of psychological counseling with suitable professionals. They face challenges, including vague requests from visitors and the need to accurately match specialized counselors with specific problems. Qian Kaiyi, however, focuses on identifying the underlying source of each problem, leading them to classify requests using keywords such as "marriage," "relationship," "family," "school," "personal," and "workplace."
After sorting through numerous messages, they successfully match a complex academic-related case with Wang Wenyu, a certified psychologist with extensive experience. Meanwhile, Lili returns to He Dun's apartment, and the two friends reconcile, expressing apologies to each other. He Dun is alarmed to see Lili's injured face and learns that Fang Zhongyi's wife, Tong Yao, was responsible for the assault, having verbally abused and physically attacked Lili.
To allow Lili ample time to recover, He Dun makes the decision to temporarily close her psychology practice. Lili remains deeply distressed, but He Dun gently guides her through an analysis of Fang Zhongyi's character, prompting Lili to confront whether his perceived kindness and wealth were truly unique or lasting. This cathartic exercise helps Lili channel her anger and pain, declaring "To hell with the scumbag!" Late at night, Ye Jiahui grapples with his conflicted feelings about Professor Ji.
His father’s words portray Professor Ji as a heinous criminal, while He Dun, who received a significant personal item from Professor Ji, respects him as a kind and esteemed mentor. Ye Jiahui finds himself in a mental quagmire, struggling to reconcile these opposing views. The next day, determined to accelerate her recovery and enable He Dun's practice to reopen, Lili enlists Qian Kaiyi for a boxing session to release her emotions. Despite her injuries, she insists on punching.
As Qian Kaiyi guides her, pushing her to hit harder, Lili's resolve is strengthened by haunting memories. She recalls Fang Zhongyi's sweet promises of a wedding, immediately followed by Tong Yao’s vicious insults and humiliation. Fueled by this emotional turmoil, Lili unleashes a powerful barrage of punches, eventually collapsing, emotionally drained but feeling a sense of release. Qian Kaiyi acknowledges her emotional triumph.
At the radio station, the team, exhausted from late-night work, finalizes the initial screening for the "Heart Messenger" system. Later that night, a mysterious young woman arrives at the station, seeking a counselor. Qian Kaiyi politely explains that they can recommend counselors based on her needs but do not delve into the specifics of her issues.
Initially, the woman appears hesitant, but Qian Kaiyi persuades her to review the profiles of approved counselors, pointing out He Dun's expertise in personal growth, interpersonal relations, and post-traumatic therapy. The woman intently studies He Dun’s profile before taking all the provided information and departing, leaving Qian Kaiyi to remark on her unusual behavior. In a disturbing turn of events, Mo Yu, after perusing a job website, takes more of Ye Jiahui's prescribed medication than advised.
He becomes uncontrollably agitated and subsequently collapses. News reports the following day detail the incident: a man in Jiyang District, during his psychological counseling, had excessively self-medicated with Prozac, an antidepressant requiring medical supervision, leading to a manic episode and collapse. Although the man mentioned a recent argument, the police opted for criticism and an administrative penalty rather than further charges. Ye Jiahui observes the news report with a cold, detached demeanor.
The "Night Talk to Your Heart" program resumes with Qian Kaiyi and He Dun. Qian Kaiyi announces that the "Say No" event has concluded, but encourages listeners to continue sharing their stories via the official online channels. He shares a listener's poignant story: Pear Flower, a nearly 45-year-old woman who, after two decades as a devoted housewife, was inspired by the show to embark on a solo journey, breaking free from her monotonous life and discovering newfound freedom.
He Dun adds that Pear Flower's experience of seeing her own name on her driver's license, after being known only as "Mrs. Wang" or "mother" for so long, helped her reclaim her individual identity. He Dun also reflects on the common tendency for people to prioritize external expectations, stifling their true selves and hindering genuine relationships. Amidst this discussion, Ye Jiahui places a call to Professor Ji, reminding him of a past invitation for dinner.
On a heavily rainy night, a security guard escorts He Dun home. Upon entering her apartment, He Dun is horrified to discover what appears to be a scene of spilled blood. She quickly deduces that her mother has staged a "fake death" scenario: the umbrella the guard returned was her mother’s, yet it hadn't rained earlier that day; the television was recently switched off; and the "blood" on the floor and doorknob was freshly applied.
Confronting her mother, who emerges from a hiding place and calls her "Junjun," He Dun expresses her profound anger and distress. Her mother tearfully confesses that she orchestrated the fake death using lipstick and red wine, not to genuinely scare her, but because she desperately wants He Dun to express her emotions openly rather than suppressing them. He Dun assures her mother she is not sad, only frightened.
The moment is then abruptly broken when her mother remembers she has burnt the pork tripe and chicken with Chinese pepper she was cooking, lamenting her repeated mistakes as she heads to the kitchen, leaving He Dun overwhelmed by a mixture of helplessness and sorrow. The next day, a distraught He Dun visits Professor Ji. He lightens the mood with a playful remark about her blocking the sunlight from his pakchoi, coaxing a smile from her.
He reassures her that she has many loving people in her life and shouldn't be so sad. He Dun then reveals her deepest fears, asking if some mistakes are truly irreparable, and shares her mother's recent "fake death" and her calling her "Junjun." Professor Ji, taking on the role of a mentor, gently scolds He Dun for letting her emotions cloud her judgment.
He points out that her mother's repeated simulated deaths indicate an intense preoccupation with her own mortality, driven by the enduring trauma of her younger brother Junjun’s death and a deep-seated fear of separation from her loved ones. He Dun's mother returns to Wen Liang for another session. She recounts that following her brother's drowning, she experienced blindness for half a year, even though doctors found no physical cause for her condition.
During this period, she developed an aversion to cold and damp environments, finding comfort in sitting on her balcony to feel the sun's warmth. Her eyesight miraculously returned after she fell down a flight of stairs, and she has had no visual impairments since. Wen Liang identifies her past blindness as a conversion disorder, explaining that intense emotional trauma can manifest as physical symptoms like vision loss, speech loss, hearing loss, or paralysis.
He confirms a possible link between her trauma and blindness, noting that suppressed emotions often find an outlet through such somatic disorders. While acknowledging the possibility of relapse if emotionally triggered, Wen Liang assures her that the risk is low if she has not had a recurrence, and future exposure therapy will be carefully managed.
Back at the radio station, Qian Kaiyi excitedly informs his team that their "Night Talk to Your Heart: Say No Special" program has achieved the number one spot in audience ratings for its time slot and across the entire station. The team celebrates their success, feeling their hard work has finally paid off. Amidst the joyous atmosphere, Qian Kaiyi receives a call to Director Pan’s office. Later, He Dun returns home to find her mother absent.
Her attention is drawn to medical documents, including prescriptions for brain-related medication and various medical receipts. Reflecting on Professor Ji’s earlier insights about her mother's fear of death and separation, He Dun pieces together the true, heartbreaking reason behind her mother’s elaborate "fake death" acts. Just then, Qian Kaiyi calls, but He Dun quickly interrupts his conversation, urgently informing him that something appears to be seriously wrong with her mother.
