Doctor Philip Freedenberg, usually referred to as just Dr. Freedenberg or Freedenberg, shares the responsibilities of Director of the Department of Fictional Psychology with the Kudzu Vine on the basis that an Earth human is better-equipped to understand the needs of the characters whose creators are also Earth humans and who may even be Earth humans themselves.
While the Kudzu could be described as a glorified secretary, sitting in an office doing paperwork all day, Freedenberg is required to make rounds of the department and oversee the treatment of all the souls that pass through on a daily basis. He often takes an active role in the rehabilitation of recruits who come in severely traumatized. One notable example is Agent Ithalond, an Elven ex-bit character from that notorious badfic, "C*l*br**n." The doctor has his office in room C-2, which actually consists of an anteroom for dealing with patients and a separate work and living space beyond. The anteroom is bright egg-yolk yellow. Such are the luxuries of rank.
Freedenberg, who has a reputation for looking like Alec Guinness, comes off as a genial, grandfatherly figure, utterly inoffensive and nonthreatening to all but those who come in with a phobia of grandfatherly figures (which, sadly, is quite a few). He has a near-permanent smile and gentle speaking voice. However, he is not one to be trifled with. He brooks no argument with his treatment, not from canons or agents. Being exceptionally well-versed in his art, he can change people's minds for them; it is a rare individual who ever realizes what happened. He is apparently skilled with Potterverse magic, as he demonstrated during a battle in FicPsych during the 2008 Mary Sue Invasion; while not actually a wizard, he dual-wields HFA-modified wands.
He wrote a book, Your Sanity and You, which is presumably an agent's guide to sanity, that elusive concept.
Appearances[]
- "At the Sign of the Multiple Exclamation Points"
- In which Agent Nenya Gabriel assists Nurses Nathonea Dewstan and Constance Sims during her stay in the department.
- "The Many Deaths of Marrissa Picard: Q-uesting" (Star Trek: TNG), Agent Alec Troven (DI)
- In which Dr. Freedenberg puts Alec on Prozac after a particularly traumatic mission.
- "Introducing Ilraen"
- In which Ilraen-Aroline-Fothergill is given a culture implant, 2006.
- "Gestalt Therapy"
- In which FicPsych weathers the 2008 Macrovirus Epidemic and Mary Sue Invasion.
- "Gingersnaps"
- In which he works closely with Doctor Fitzgerald when Agent Fritz Sorgebrunnen snaps and tries to kill his partner for no apparent reason. Takes place Christmas Eve, 2009, and late 2011.
- "Therapy Cats"
- In which he supports a proposal for FicPsych to host said kitties, 2012.
- "AHAIRQL: Team Physical Therapy"
- In which the Kudzu prompts the nurses to get involved with the All-HQ Australian Indoor-Rules Quiddich League, 2012.