Rebecca, your doctor in New York is a quack. He gave you a bandaid not a cure. My method would be to do some digging and figure out what's really going on inside your mind...and then we discuss the appropriate medications.
— Dr.Akopian, "I'm So Happy that Josh is So Happy!"
Dr. Noelle Akopian is a licensed psychiatrist in West Covina, California. In 2015 former New York attorney and now local resident Rebecca Bunch became her latest patient. This was for disingenuous reasons at first but eventually despite this and after some false starts, Akopian began therapizing Rebecca. This was on a semi-regular basis and during their sessions she tried to impart some sage counsel to her patient. Unfortunately the doctor's advice often fell on deaf ears which became a continued source of frustration. Nevertheless, Akopian continued to try to help Rebecca as best she could through all her personal issues. She is married to Dr. Davit Akopian who is also a therapist. Dr. Akopian's first appearance was in the Season One episode "I'm So Happy That Josh Is So Happy!". She is portrayed by actress Michael Hyatt.
I'm willing to make a deal with you Miss Bunch. Make an appointment, start to get help and I won't press charges against either of you.
”
–Dr. Akopian, "I'm So Happy That Josh Is So Happy!"
Season overview
When Dr. Noelle Akopian first met Rebecca Bunch her new patients only goal was getting her prescription drugs refilled. Akopian refused and offered of actual therapy instead. Rebecca refused only to return sometime later with her friend Heather Davis trying to break into Akopian's home. They planned on stealing her prescription pad but Akopian caught then on the act. She made another offer to not press charges if Rebecca agreed to the therapy. Rebecca accepted the deal but was not good on her word and kept cancelling appointments. Akopian was on a plane trip to New York when she found herself seated next to Rebecca. Since they had a long flight ahead Rebecca finally agreed to begin therapy. However, it didn't last as Rebecca had downed some sleeping pills earlier. As she slept, Akopian watched in flight TV only to disturbed when her patient unexpectedly woke up. She had experienced some kind of epiphany while she slept and Rebecca thanked Akopian for some reason. Akopian was confused and suggested they up her therapy sessions to two times a week.
Towards the end of 2015, Dr. Noelle Akopian had an emergency appointment scheduled with a new patient named Rebecca Bunch. Rebecca told her she no longer felt like herself and Akopian suggested they delve into her childhood to get to the root of her problem. Rebecca refused since she already did the therapy thing before and didn't want to go through it again. She told Akopian all she needed to get a refill of prescription drugs she got from her previous therapist in New York. Akopian was shocked by the amount of medication she was on and told Rebecca the other doctor wasn't doing her any favors. Before she could prescribe any drugs they would need to have intensive therapy sessions. Rebecca ignored her suggestion insisting that she needed to get better by Monday for a 'work thing' but Akopian refused.
The next day Akopian found Rebecca crawling through the doggy door of her house as she was trying to get to a prescription pad on her kitchen window sill. With Rebecca was her next door neighbor Heather Davis and they both were clearly high on marijuana. Akopian sat them both down in her office and told Rebbecca she could have them arrested for breaking and entering. However, Akopian offered a deal that she wouldn't press charges as long as Rebecca agreed to continue therapy sessions with her. Rebecca reluctantly agreed but pushed her luck when she asked for the drugs and Akopian kicked them both out ("I'm So Happy that Josh is So Happy!"). Akopian was annoyed when Rebecca made appointments but never showed up and kept rescheduling their sessions.
She unexpectedly ran into Rebecca when she boarded a plane for a trip she was going on. Both she and Rebecca called the stewardess over to change seats but were told the flight was completely sold out. Akopian resignedly turned to Rebecca and asked her if she wanted to have a session now since they had five hours to kill. Rebecca agreed and started from the beginning telling Akopian how she was concieved on a cruise ship ("Josh is Going to Hawaii!"). The session doesn't last long as Rebecca took some sleeping pills before hand which kicked in not long after they started. As Rebecca soundly slept next to her Akopian watched the comedy series "Broad City" until the plane landed.
Rebecca had a vivid dream where Akopian was a spiritual guide trying to impart some sage wisdom (♫ Dream Ghost ♫). The imaginary Akopian showed Rebecca that as a child her mother always loved her far more than her father. This "Dream Ghost" also showed Rebecca how she'd been ignoring her love of music because of a college fling gone bad. The apparition also showed Rebecca her friends in West Covina worried about her in contrast to how Audra Levine and her New York co-workers celebrated her leaving. The real Akopian was confused when Rebecca woke up from the dream and entusiatically thanked her. Akopian then suggested that they up their therapy sessions to twice a weekend and questioned how many sleeping pills Rebecca took ("Josh Has No Idea Where I Am!").
Dr. Akopian's session with Rebecca Bunch has her patient discuss a "love triangle" she believes to be the center of with Josh Chan and Greg Serrano. Akopian told Rebecca she's not in a good place to be in a relationship and neither man seemed to be offering one. Rebecca disagreed and decided to seek guidance from the universe to choose between them. After she left, Akopian questioned if taking Rebecca's money was ethical but reminded herself she was saving up for a kayak. At the next session, Akopian learned Rebecca believed all signs now pointed to Greg. Akopian pointedly asked Rebecca if she heard anything she said. When Rebecca ignored her comment and left Akopian started chanting about the kayak ("All Signs Point to Josh...Or is it Josh's Friend?").
Sometime later at another therapy session with Rebecca, Akopian was barely listening when she snapped to attention. Rebecca actually suggested that Josh, whom she recently started dating, may not be the happiness she was looking for. Noelle prompted Rebecca to continue and her patient said she may have other underlying issues that need to be addressed to truly be happy. Akopian was so giddy with this development that she asked Rebecca if she could stay longer and told her secretary Candace to cancel her next five appointments. Unfortunately before they could begin discussing her problems further Josh Chan barged into the office. A frustrated Akopian objected as Josh proposed to Rebecca who completely forgot about therapy and quickly accepted ("Will Scarsdale Like Josh's Shayna Punim?").
