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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on May 1, 2005, at 13:44:17
Do you find it a realistic portrayal?
I was struck with how different she "felt" than my therapist. More... contained. Definitely more contained. Not as open and receptive.
It's not the words so much. It's the feeling. My therapist was never particularly warm or touchy feely. He always stayed firmly planted in his seat metaphorically. But he stayed there while remaining open. While she stays in her seat and "feels" contained.
Oooh, it's hard to explain. I know there are therapists of all persuasions. Some reach out metaphorically and envelop you with warmth and concern. Some, like mine, remain in their seats and allow you to metaphorically snuggle up to them and their circle of emotional holding and mother's milk of acceptance and safety. And others are more contained.
And that's not even counting the differences in how interactive they are. The therapist in the Sopranos seems about the same as mine as far as giving feedback and other actual interactions.
I do think she should wear longer skirts. I imagine that clients of either sex could find that a bit seductive. Or maybe some would appreciate her modelling of being comfortable with her sexuality.
I love the glimpses into her personal life though. I know my therapist has one, he even talks about it from time to time. But... it's a comfortable way to really take in the fact that therapists have lives - to see it in 2-D.
Posted by thewrite1 on May 1, 2005, at 16:01:04
In reply to The Sopranos therapist., posted by Dinah on May 1, 2005, at 13:44:17
I don't know about realistic. There are aspects of her that are much like my T, though I'll admit she's a bit reserved by comparision. I like to watch her, though. I even found myself attracted to her because she is a T. I won't even delve into that to see what that's about, but I will say, the short skirts I like. :-)
Posted by Dinah on May 1, 2005, at 16:06:05
In reply to Re: The Sopranos therapist. » Dinah, posted by thewrite1 on May 1, 2005, at 16:01:04
What aspects strike you as being similar?
And would you like the short skirts only a few feet away? :) Even as a woman, I think I'd have trouble keeping my train of thought.
My therapist reminds me more of the one on Monk. Except that he doesn't have that beautiful office and the waterfall. oooooh how I'd love that waterfall. Mine has a smallish cramped office. I'd find the chairs placed so close together in that huge space a bit unsettling.
Posted by thewrite1 on May 1, 2005, at 16:30:58
In reply to Re: The Sopranos therapist. » thewrite1, posted by Dinah on May 1, 2005, at 16:06:05
Similar aspects would be things such as how she dresses. My T doesn't wear short skirts like that, but she always looks like she could be attending some sort of siminar where she might be speaking, if you know what I mean. Also my T has sort of the same demeanor, and she does that whole leaning in thing fairly often. It's been awhile since I've seen the Sopranos. Perhaps I should pull out the DVD's and get a better idea. Oh, can't do that. Husband sold them on ebay. :-(
As far as the short skirts, it wouldn't bother me close or far away as attraction to women is not new to me. Would it distract me from therapy? For sure. H*ll, it distracts me now and my T doesn't even wear that kind of stuff.
Posted by daisym on May 1, 2005, at 17:17:07
In reply to Re: The Sopranos therapist. » thewrite1, posted by Dinah on May 1, 2005, at 16:06:05
I like to see how therapists are portrayed on shows or in the movies. I always wonder if this was the writers experience with a therapist. I like Monk's therapist -- except the time he came back from vacation and just drove by. :) After all, he made a house call!
I've never seen the supranoes, so I can't comment there. I saw a movie on lifetime this week in which the therapist was the one having the affair and she was so distracted from her patients. I didn't like that at all. And all her blouses were totally unbuttoned! Sort of like how they dressed Streisand in Prince of Tides.
Over all I think therapist/Pdocs are most often portrayed as fake, cold, overly-reflective and manipulative who joke in private about their clients. Which is really too bad.
I've been thinking that Babble would make a great TV show. I'll write about one of us and our therapist each episode, so the world can really see what happens. But I can't figure out how to wrap it all up, solve the problem, each time. Need that magic wand again.
Posted by Dinah on May 1, 2005, at 17:31:17
In reply to TV therapists, posted by daisym on May 1, 2005, at 17:17:07
It would, wouldn't it? My favorite dramas are usually those that have a core cast but change everything else each week. So maybe there could be some unifying theme to center it. Someone researching a book, or a therapy supervisor maybe. :)
I must confess that my therapist would never ever make a house call. Although there are some 8 am appts that I wish he would since I could pretty much walk to his house and downtown seems so far away.
Prince of Tides is my least favorite therapist portrayal. I know she wasn't technically his therapist, but still...
My favorite is still the one in Ordinary People. Although in real life I might not like him. He definitely didn't stay in his chair.
Posted by shrinking violet on May 2, 2005, at 13:50:42
In reply to The Sopranos therapist., posted by Dinah on May 1, 2005, at 13:44:17
I've had the same thoughts regarding The Soprano's T.
Even her office is very contained and clinical and detached....looming bookshelves, nothing personal or "homey" (like plants), uncomfortable-looking chairs (at least for the client), and a fairly large space between herself and her client AND with a table in-between.
I think the office itself says more about her as a T (character, of course) than her demeanor.
She also draws out her words, and sometimes it drives me nuts, although I've seen that actress in other roles and it seems to be the way she speaks, although it does seem more pronounced when she plays this character.
Maybe she's afraid of her own reactions to her clients? Doesn't' want to show caring, or emotion or (gasp!) attraction toward a client. But there's nothing inherently wrong or 'bad' about a T reacting that way either, but she seems to go overboard, and I agree, she's very closed and cold; it looks as if her office is at least 10 degrees colder than it is in the rest of the world...but that could just be me!
Posted by mair on May 2, 2005, at 16:04:19
In reply to Re: The Sopranos therapist. » Dinah, posted by thewrite1 on May 1, 2005, at 16:30:58
I've only seen the Sopranos a few times and not at all recently. But I think part of the image of coldness is in the way she dresses. Short skirts notwithstanding, she's very dressed up in what appear to be pretty expensive clothing. She conveys a professional (and distant) image. I live in an area where people tend to be pretty casual - that woman looks like no therapist or pdoc I've ever seen around here. Plus it makes her look uncomfortable, maybe because I would be extremely uncomfortable if I dressed like that. You really want your T to seem comfortable and relaxed.
My favorite T portrayal is not in a movie or on TV but in a book. I can't even remember the name although I really liked the book. I'm pretty sure it's Wally Lamb's second book, not "She's come undone" but the other one with the guy and his schizophrenic brother. (maybe it's something like "these things I know to be true")Both end up being treated by the same T - a woman from India who gives out warm tea and seems to be so wise and motherly - but firm as well. I remember reading the book and just wanting this woman to envelope me.
Mair
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