Psychotherapists on Film
"Like it or not, psychologists are often the butt of a lot of jokes and sarcasm on film. Half the time the screenwriters don’t know the difference between a psychologist, a psychiatrist, and a para-psychologist" - Janine Waclawski
It can be entertaining to watch a Hollywood interpretation of what psychotherapy looks like. But as a practitioner myself, it can also be a bit unsettling. Sometimes my profession is being portrayed in the ugliest possible light. In Hollywood depictions we're lucky if therapists aren't spouting some mushy new age mumbo jumbo or sleeping with their patients.
I'm worried about the negative stereotypes of therapists being presented on the big screen and the public's perceptions of these faulty images as normal therapist behavior. The therapists we see on screen aren't normal, they are wacky, unboundaried, and unethical.
In 1998 the American Psychological Association's Media division formed the Media Watch Committee, a special panel of psychologists who examine the way therapists are represented in movies, television programs, and books. The group has been working towards developing contacts with Hollywood producers, screenwriters and directors to encourage them to release more accurate depictions of the psychotherapy process.The group is particularly concerned that many fictional on-screen therapists whose actions violate the APA Code of Ethics, are portrayed as brilliant and even noble (Sleek, 1998).
But does the picture of a competent, caring mental health professional who respects appropriate boundaries and avoids romantic attachments to her patients actually spell out box office smash? Silly, reckless therapists who often appear more neurotic than their patients just seem more entertaining.
Let's take a look at some contemporary depictions of therapists in film, and you can decide how Hollywood has handled the image of psychologists:
A Clockwork Orange
Alex, the main character, is incarcerated after a series of brutally violent incidents he commits with his gang. In jail, he is offered a reduced sentence if he agrees to take part in a kind of aversion therapy where he becomes physically ill at even the thought of violence or sex. "Government as therapist" bent on social conditioning to cleanse society of its ills.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Randall Patrick McMurphy tries to get out of work and jail time by faking mental illness. He's placed in a mental institution and goes up against Nurse Ratched, the authority figure who uses all her powers to control the patients' psychotic outbursts, and squelch their spirits. "Therapist as institution" that finally lobotomizes McMurphy and removes his individualism, leaving him helpless and obedient.
The Prince of Tides
Therapist played by Barbra Streisand makes good progress with her patient but crosses ethical boundaries when she begins an affair with her patient's brother- who later also becomes her patient.
Silence of the Lambs
Hannibal Lecter as both psychiatrist and patient, homicidal maniac with psychotic penchant for eating the flesh of his victims. Clarice Starling emerges as strong female figure in the profession though still vulnerable to Dr. Lecter's suggestions because of her own troubled history and unresolved "daddy" issues, which Lecter learns after demanding personal information from Starling. He then exploits her disclosure of her worst childhood memories to his own advantage.
Ordinary People
This 1980 film stars Judd Hirsch as Dr. Tyrone Berger, a therapist who helps a boy named Conrad resolve his guilt about the death of his brother. Dr. Berger wears the same cardigan sweater throughout the movie, making him seem friendly and appealing, and indeed furthers our image of therapists as such. Dr. Berger does become like a father figure to the boy though he makes himself available to Conrad at all hours which slightly oversteps the bounds of a real therapeutic relationship.
Eyes Wide Shut
A story about two troubled psychologists who are also husband and wife. The therapists, played by Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, have extramarital affairs with their patients and shoot morphine. Cruise's character attends orgies for a little diversion on the weekend.
Good Will Hunting
Therapist played by Robin Williams made great therapeutic inroads with his patient but crossed ethical boundaries in the process. After many failed attempts to engage Will Hunting in therapy, and his making a mockery of each therapist's approach, his MIT mentor looks up old pal and psychologist now teaching at community college to take on this client because they are both from South Boston. Later Williams discussed his own personal issues with his patient and at one point physically threatened him.
Analyze This
The popularity of psychoanalysis seems to emerge in this film, with Robert DeNiro starring as a mobster suffering from panic attacks a la The Sopranos, and Billy Crystal as his reluctant psychiatrist. DeNiro's character is naive about therapy and many of the film's gags are poking fun at his misconceptions of what therapy is all about. They begin to establish a relationship both inside and outside the therapy room where sometimes they forget professionalism and act more like buddies.
A ratings system
Media Watch has initially developed a rating system that ranks the different ways psychologists are portrayed. The rankings will gauge the overall imagery of therapists being presented in the media. There are several categories of therapist stereotypes on screen, such as:
• 'Dr. Dippy,' who is crazier or zanier than his patients. Examples are Mel Brooks in 'High Anxiety' or TV’s Frasier Crane.
• 'Dr. Evil,' usually a corrupt mind-controller or homicidal maniac like Hannibal Lecter in 'Silence of the Lambs.'
• 'Dr. Wonderful,' the warm, caring, competent therapist who has endless time to devote to patients and often cures them by uncovering a single traumatic event. Examples are the psychiatrists in 'Ordinary People' and 'Three Faces of Eve.'
• 'Dr. Rigid,' who stifles joy, fun and creativity. The spoilsport psychologist who tries to have Santa Claus committed as a lunatic in 'Miracle on 34th Street' is an illustration of this stereotype.
• 'Dr. Line-Crosser,' who becomes romantically involved with a patient, like Streisand in 'Prince of Tides.'
But Media Watch members also want to keep a sense of humor. They plan to recognize lampoon-ery as lampoonery, they say.'We want to be careful not to get too critical of things that are obviously satire,' 'Then we would come across as too self-centered and rigid. When the film is making fun of everybody, therapist included, we shouldn’t act overly offended.' (Sleek, 1998)
Citations: Sleek, S. (1998) How are psychologists portrayed on screen? APA Monitor, 29 (11).
To read the full APA article, click here.
georgie
15 Comments
I can understand why these professionals are disturbed by the twisted portrayals. Unless the portrayal is consistently put forth in a general and demeaning fashion, however, I don't think there is a reason to be concerned -- particularly if most people have the same implicit understanding of the situation as me.
That said, if my profession were the focus of repeated inaccuracies, I might start to get offended as well. I've been lucky that for the most part, engineers have been portrayed in a positive light. But the "mad scientist" is close enough as to feel uncomfortable. The closest real offense is the portrayal of the "nerd", "geek", etc. (Though thanks to Best Buy for making the Geek Squad hip.) Not that I'm really the nerd type -- but some people might have the impression that all engineers are. :-)
How come I haven't heard anyone complain about how lawyers are portrayed? *lol*
Maybe, the psychiatry/psycology profession just needs more people jumping to a career as a writer/producer, etc. It's worked great for the medical profession. Michael Crichton graduated from Harvard Medical School before switching to a writing career. I'm sure almost everyone has seen at least one episode of "ER". Crichton is pretty meticulous in potraying things as accurately as possible.
I think the more important issue is not how psy's are portrayed, but how the patients are. In America at least, there is still a big stigma attached to having to see a therapist. It implies that there is something seriously and abnormally wrong with you. It's something that gets swept under the rug, and is not talked about in day to day conversation. Perhaps the portrayal of therapists is just a byproduct of this repression? (Now I'm starting to sound like one... :-)
-JB
There is a very good reason for this. We considered based upon a thorough cost benefit analysis that the distorted image which Hollyhwood portrays of us is far preferable to anything even resembling the truth. And speaking of a truth that can't be handled. Let's not forget the treacherouis and brilliant cross exam of a young liutenant questioning a seasoned military commander and who with one twist of ironic logic convinces the said commander to confess to a crime in open court which means the abrupt end of a brilliant carreer and probably considerable time in the stockade. "You can't handle the truth!" Yep, that's a pretty typical day for me. (Please note that this boomer needs wysiwyg tools to post image of 'Few good Men" poster. )
She also seemed well boundaried in the beginning despite Tony's attraction to her which I believe was slightly mutual, in the sense that she was lured by his libidinous power as many, many other women were in the course of that series. However, she didn't act on it, and in fact in an extremely ethical manner she consulted with her own psychoanalyst to avoid allowing her personal feelings to get in the way of their therapeutic work. But it didn't seem to stop her from wearing sexy short skirts and sitting legs crossed more than a little seductively in front of Tony. I don't blame the guy for being attracted to his therapist a little more than normal transference, she was obviously bringing some of her sexual self in the room, perhaps to counteract the pull of her own attraction to him.
Later, things really started going downhill, when Melfi was raped by a man connected indirectly to the mob and Tony picked up on her tortured feelings in session. He, as patient, begins to respond to her vulnerable need to be taken care of and Melfi fantasizes that she could ask Tony to enact revenge on her behalf. She resists the urge when Tony asks, "Can I do anything for you?" and responds with an emphatic "No." Acting on this angry impulse would have destroyed the therapeutic process, as if it wasn't compromised enough already.
I think someone wrote an article or a book analyzing the accuracy of the therapeutic relationship between Tony Soprano and Dr. Melfi. If it's out there, I'd love to read it.
Too bad they couldn't find some way to fully maintain the integrity of Dr. Melfi, and yet make things, er, stimulating at the same time.
I'm not sure which article you're thinking of, but here's one I found on MSNBC:
"Therapists puzzled by Sopranos Dr. Melfi" -- June 5, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19056719/
Here's an excerpt:
A patient needs to know that what gets said in the doctor's office stays there, said Van Schaik, who's never witnessed such a violation. I've been at gatherings where people talk about patients in a more disguised form. Even that can be inappropriate. A good therapist should do the best they can to protect the anonymity of patients.
It's a shame, Van Schaik added, because prior to Sunday's episode, The Sopranos was the best portrayal in the popular media of a therapist-patient relationship. Annibali agreed: We're so used to seeing therapists presented as incompetent hacks. Or as people who are more disturbed than their patients!
What's been nice about Melfi, the Virginia therapist explained, is that she's a complex and caring figure. She's not ideal, but she tries to help Tony even as she struggles with the idea of treating him.
ps. Yes, I was slightly obsessed with the Sopranos. I haven't seen the final episodes so don't ruin it anybody ;)
Why People Avoid Psychotherapy: Barriers to Seeking Help
Laura Schlesinger, Ruth Westheimer (although I love her). I mean this collection of nutjobs gives the whole profession a black EYED EGO.
I wonder if Dr. Laura or Dr. Phil would be liable for malpractice if someone took their advice from radio or television and some kind of injury resulted. Dr. Laura spends two minutes with a caller on air, and some off handed comment might send them over the edge. She and Dr. Phil certainly don't hold back on their biting criticisms.
With Dr. Phil and Dr. Laura, I guess you get what you pay for -- ha!
If I'm in a nasty mood, I love listening to Dr. Laura. You always know when she's going to pounce. It's like watching a lion hunt. :-)
If I'm in a more compassionate mood, I'm embarassed for the callers, and angry at Dr. Laura for being so high-and-mighty -- not to mention bloodthirsty!
Hey you know AdGuy always gets the last word! ;)