The following contains spoilers for The Falcon And The Winter Soldier on Disney+.
When The Falcon And The Winter Soldier premiered, the series made it clear that, despite being told he was a free man, Bucky Barnes was not entirely free. He experiences nightmares on a regular basis. Bucky feels a deep sense of guilt for the things he did as the Winter Soldier. As part of his government pardon for the crimes of the Winter Soldier, Bucky has to complete court-ordered therapy.
The trouble is that the therapy doesn't really seem to be working for him. That might be a result of his therapist's approach, but it might also be a result of Bucky not entirely trusting the therapist he's been given. Either way, Bucky doesn't seem to really open up to the idea of talking about his problems until he's in New Orleans with Sam Wilson and his family. Sam might actually be the kind of therapist Bucky really needs.
Bucky's Current Therapy
As part of his court-ordered therapy, Bucky doesn't get to choose his therapist. Instead, he's assigned someone who appears to have a history of working with law enforcement. It's clear he doesn't trust her from the get-go.
Bucky lies to Dr. Raynor about his nightmares in the first episode. Though he has dreams about his past as the Winter Soldier every night, he assures her that the nightmares are gone. As a therapist, she probably knows he's lying, but doesn't call him on it. Instead, she encourages him to make amends. Her process for making amends, however, comes with a set of rules for him to follow. Bucky's therapy is a rigid process completely out of his control, and it's no wonder he doesn't follow the rules to the letter.
As the Winter Soldier he was controlled with a set of code words. His every action wasn't his own. By not allowing him to even feel like he has any input in the therapeutic process, Dr. Raynor misses that calling him free has its own kind of irony. Bucky rebels against the rules by holding back. The longer he holds back, the farther freedom gets from him.
The Falcon And The Winter Soldier Meet In The Middle
Though Sam and Bucky never miss a chance to get under each other's skin, they also are always ready to help one another out. That's clear when the duo team up in the second episode of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. Their team-up lands them into trouble - and into an "emergency therapy session" at a police station.
It's a little unprofessional to out a client to a room full of people, even if that client was court-ordered. Also surprising is a therapist making the decision to bring another person into a session without the explicit consent of their client. Again, Bucky's own therapy is completely out of his hands, and it leads to him and Sam having a staring contest before Bucky admits to one of the many things that are bothering him. He worries that Sam rejecting Steve Rogers picking him to carry Captain America's shield means that Steve was wrong about his character judgments of both men.
It takes Sam and Bucky chasing down super-soldiers, breaking an old enemy out of prison, arguing with the Dora Milaje, and visiting the man who could have been Captain America before they start to truly understand one another. It's not until both of them are out from under the watchful eye of Bucky's therapist and the government that they actually seem free for them to make progress on Sam's acceptance of the shield and Bucky's recovery.
Sam's Past With Therapy
Part of Bucky's progress while on missions with Sam might be a result of Sam's approach to dealing with Bucky. Instead of holding back from one another, they freely argue and debate. When Sam and Bucky give one another rules, they aren't strict ones to be broken like they are in Bucky's therapy session. Sam also has the benefit of experience working with soldiers who actually have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
When the audience meets Sam in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, he leads a support group for veterans. He encourages them to talk in a safe space. Sam also gets Steve to talk to him moments after meeting him. He doesn't dictate the terms of the conversation, and that gets people to open up to him.
By the time the fifth episode of the series is over, Sam manages to get through to Bucky in a way his therapist never has. The two spend a few days working on the Wilson family boat together. It gets Bucky out of his head and less focused on the rigid steps of his attempts at therapy. Bucky admits to having nightmares every night. Sam also points out that Bucky's method of making amends might not really do him any good. Bucky actually considers the information Sam gives him, making real progress.
Sam Is The Help Bucky Needs
Sam Wilson isn't a licensed therapist. If he is, the MCU has never addressed that. It's more than evident that being forced into therapy isn't working for Bucky Barnes though. What does work for him is a little understanding, which Sam Wilson definitely has, and being challenged in ways that don't box him in.
The Falcon And The Winter Soldier is available to stream on Disney+.