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Characters On The Couch

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

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The Revenant Humanizing Revenge

THE REVENANT
Humanizing Revenge

January 14, 2016 by Dr. Sandra E. Cohen

As much as I loved Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, I can’t say I felt the same about The Revenant. I know the film won big at the Golden Globes and has received Oscar nods for Best Picture and Best Actor. Perhaps that’s because a fantasy lives deep inside us about exacting revenge where we believe revenge …

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Humanizing Revenge
The Danish Girl Barren Trees & A Divided Self

THE DANISH GIRL
Barren Trees & A Divided Self

January 7, 2016 by Dr. Sandra E. Cohen

Director Tom Hopper’s beautifully conceived film, The Danish Girl, begins and ends with artist Einar Wegener’s paintings of barren trees. The barrenness in these trees tells volumes about the lonely depletion of a self when the real self is split off and hidden. Artist Einar Wegener’s courageous transition from male to female, together with Eddie …

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Barren Trees & A Divided Self
TRUMBO The Dynamics of Fear It's Ravages Ruins & Undoing

TRUMBO & The Dynamics Of Fear
It’s Ravages, Ruins, & Undoing

December 14, 2015 by Dr. Sandra E. Cohen

“Now the truth of the matter is that there are a lot of things people don’t understand. Take the Einstein theory. Taxes. Love. Do you understand them? Neither do I. But they exist. They happen.” – Dalton Trumbo Dalton Trumbo is right. Things we don’t understand do happen. And, some things we don’t understand invoke …

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It’s Ravages, Ruins, & Undoing
What Happened Miss Simone No Rest For A Love Starved Girl

WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE?
No Rest For
A Love-Starved Girl

October 14, 2015 by Dr. Sandra E. Cohen

What Happened, Miss Simone, Liz Garbus’ documentary of the brilliant and troubled Nina Simone’s life, ends by diagnosing Miss Simone with bipolar disorder. Does that explain her outrageous behavior? I don’t think so. Those with bipolar disorder are taken over by extremes of moods. But, in my experience, there’s much more to being bipolar than …

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No Rest For
A Love-Starved Girl
Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs Written As An Artist With a Psychoanalyst's Sensibility

AARON SORKIN’S STEVE JOBS
Written As An Artist
(With A Psychoanalyst’s Sensibility)

October 13, 2015 by Dr. Sandra E. Cohen

Steve Jobs, the recently released film, beautifully written and conceived by Aaron Sorkin, and directed by the gifted Danny Boyle, is brilliant and unexpected. A MUST SEE. I saw a screening at the Director’s Guild on Saturday, October 10th. It is without question Best Picture worthy. I can’t give enough accolades to the director and …

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Written As An Artist
(With A Psychoanalyst’s Sensibility)
Ashley Judd 7 Ways To Overcome Shame After Sexual Harassment

ASHLEY JUDD
7 Ways To Overcome Shame
After Sexual Harassment

October 8, 2015 by Dr. Sandra E. Cohen

Ashley Judd is speaking out. Good, because sexual harassment is damaging. You feel powerless. End up with a lot of unwarranted shame. You even blame yourself. But, when someone has power over you, of one kind or another, it’s hard to say, “No” – to report it, or to stand up for yourself. You might …

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7 Ways To Overcome Shame
After Sexual Harassment
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Inspiration

“We come to Film and TV to find our hidden stories. If we look deeply into a character’s psyche, there is much to see about ourselves.”

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