"I'll at least get you on a waiting list. Hopefully a Yeerk will be willing to keep your medical appointments."

"If they want something else that's fine. What's a subtle artist?"

"Subtle artists are like magical psychologists. There aren't very many real ones but some people get the power applied in a different way so that they can help meet demand. They can among other things block nightmares from happening pretty easily."

"I think I might not know enough about nonmagical psychologists for that to be a helpful thing to say?"

"They're like doctors but for mental health in particular."

"...That sounds, uh, useful."

"Yes. I wasn't sure you'd be receptive to the idea but you should probably at least talk to one long enough to deal with the nightmares and see what they think of the rest of your issues."

Shrug. "Okay. Which things are issues?"

"The flashbacks, the - learned helplessness, though maybe that's not as bad as I first thought - I'm not actually a psychologist, I can do some forms of therapy but for more ordinary problems than having been in Hell."

"It sounds really optimistic to say it’s not a very ordinary problem."

"It might be common but what I mean is that I talk people through their feelings about losing child custody or getting a divorce or recovering from alcoholism. Mundane problems."

"Hmm. - What’s learned helplessness?"

"When you have a lot of experiences where trying to do something has no results or bad results and give up on doing things."

"I guess that does happen a lot."

"Are you up for learning how to take the bus now?"

"I guess." He curls up a bit.

"It's also okay if you aren't ready."

"I don't have a... set of steps in mind for becoming ready for things?"

"I am imagining this has been a long day for you and you might benefit from some time to rest or be alone with your thoughts or look around on the Internet."

He stares at her in stunned silence as he attempts to process this absolutely mindblowing concept.

She waits patiently.

"...Benefit how?"

"Approach a new task with more equanimity? Retain information better? Experience it as more pleasant?"

He nods slowly and looks away and murmurs, "And notice things. And only see things that are really there. Right?"

"- perhaps, if that's something that often troubles you?"