#subtle pushing vs you need to hear this followed by reductionist catchphrases. I want to remind her of her experience at the radio station.

[nnicknnelsonn]

this.

Part of Nick's co-dependency on Charlie is that he likes that Charlie can rely on him and he feels useful to Charlie, so as Charlie starts to get better and doesn't need Nick to support him as much emotionally, he starts to feel at a loose end. It's complicated because it hurt him seeing Charlie in so much pain, so he is relieved that he is getting better and having a fuller life. But being hypervigilant and in distress about Charlie's mental health and fear that things would get worse meant that he now has the head space to really feel how that affected him, not just Charlie. He hasn't allowed himself to feel all those feelings and start to take care of his own emotional needs. He doesn't have the pressure that Tara has about expectations on her for her future, but he's lagged behind on thinking about his next steps organically and what makes him happy outside of Charlie.

I get why in the show Tara is hesitant to take Nick up on his offer of lifts to ballet because he is now transferring, helping Charlie to helping Tara in order to be useful. But, luckily, what's great about helping Tara is that those car journeys offer her an opportunity to help Nick with what's going on in his head. Never underestimate the power of good, regular car journey conversations. (Even Charlie's dad does his best parenting in the car!)

Transitioning out of being focused on Charlie, to dealing with internal vulnerabilities that were brought to the surface by the months of intense worry he's experienced, to now having nowhere to put that focus that feels satisfactory, has him all confused and unsure of who he is and what he wants. He is so good at drawing feelings out of others, but his own feelings seem all mixed up in his head. I'm not sure he's aware of what he's feeling because external pressures like choice of Uni and long distance from Charlie need his attention. Never mind the fact that he's doing his A Levels, which are very intense coursework. I think he may need his mum, Charlie, Tara, and/or a therapist to unravel what's going on his head. Tara's a bit like Nick's Tori. Tori understood something was up with Charlie earlier than everyone, the same as Tara with Nick, and slowly and persistently chipped away at his resolve to not share and gave hugs and words of support and attention. Tara doesn't let Nick get away with saying he's all fine. She subtly pushes him.