How a psychologist thinks about your favorite Film & TV characters.

Dr. Sandra E. Cohen

A FACE IN THE CROWD
6 “Mistakes” A Woman Makes
Falling for A Narcissistic Bad Boy

Lonesome Rhodes, a brashly-charming-drunken-drifter, is turned radio personality by Marcia Jeffries in Elia Kazan’s 1957 film, A Face in The Crowd. The film explores the climb to power of a rabble-rousing anti-social con man, as well as Lonesome’s ultimate tantruming downfall. Sound familiar? But perhaps the real question lies in why a woman like Marcia …

Read moreA FACE IN THE CROWD
6 “Mistakes” A Woman Makes
Falling for A Narcissistic Bad Boy

MY OCTOPUS TEACHER
Why Healing Means
Returning To The Same Place
Over & Over

Why return to the same place over and over? It’s healing. How? Craig Foster says it best in his moving, life-altering, love-story, My Octopus Teacher: “That’s when you see the subtle differences. That’s when you get to know the wild.” It’s true, too, of going through a wildly tumultuous emotional time, not so different than …

Read moreMY OCTOPUS TEACHER
Why Healing Means
Returning To The Same Place
Over & Over

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
A Narcissistic Mother Takes Over
& Destroys A Child’s Soul

A narcissistic mother uses her children. She controls them, starves them of love. In John Frankenheimer’s The Manchurian Candidate (1962), that’s Eleanor Shaw Iselin, Mother of lead character Raymond Shaw. Raymond is deeply convinced: “I’m not lovable.” No wonder he has enough hate to be brainwashed to kill. “Yes, Mother,” “Yes, Ma’am, and “Yes, Sir” govern …

Read moreTHE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
A Narcissistic Mother Takes Over
& Destroys A Child’s Soul

GROUNDHOG DAY @ 27 YEARS: 1993-2020
What Does It Take To Get Out
Of A Very Bad Negative Rut?

Do you feel like poor Phil Connors (Bill Murray) – stuck repeating the same day over and over again? COVID-19 quarantine can do that. It’s been 27 years since Harold Ramis’ Groundhog Day hit the theaters for the first time. But 6 months probably feels long enough. If you’ve been ruminating about your love life …

Read moreGROUNDHOG DAY @ 27 YEARS: 1993-2020
What Does It Take To Get Out
Of A Very Bad Negative Rut?