At first I didn't realize you were talking about a television show and I thought I had really missed something around here!

I'm sure it's a great show. If I had HBO I'd watch it, sounds so good hearing about it from all of you, but I'm patient and can wait till it's on A&E someday.

I don't think he's a bad therapist in general, he just makes mistakes mixing the professional and personal. He tried really hard to avoid dating Laura. Waited until she wasn't his patient, but just common sense would tell anyone she's a serious head case and should be avoided. She was basically a stalker, for Christs sake. How many years of psychology does it take to get warned off someone like that?

My problem is the Gabriel Byrne has been, for me, for the last 20 years or so, the ULTIMATE imaginary boyfriend. As in, he's my ubercelebrity crush. He's it.

boom.


So he could kill and eat puppies and all I would think is "Mmmm..yeah!"

This is too funny. I started reading your post and coincidentally, Paul Levinson and the therapist in "In Treatment" have the same name...and well, I have never seen this HBO program. I'm a little slow and get disoriented easily. I did read further and reoriented myself. After reading your post and Kerry's open call, I guess I might watch "In Treatment."

I didn't see any of last year's episodes so felt a little lost . I was pretty much horrified at what I saw last night if that was meant to be an insider's representation of treatment. Glad to learn that he is meant to be flawed since his own pathology as a master manipulator is terribly transparent even after one viewing.

April is a very angry person -- I think it will be interesting (although hard) to watch her story unfold. Guess I am hooked!

An attorney who has been simultaneous counsel to and patient of several doctors, I was intrigued and then disappointed by the Mia story line.

It might strike some as odd to be both patient and coworker, but in a medical center in a small community it is a regular occurrence. If the patient (current or former) has difficulty with the differing roles, you cut the professional relationship. Would you expect a trauma surgeon to refuse to treat a patient because the patient is the surgeon's psychiatrist and the surgeon is the best for 100 miles? No.

Of course, Mia's issues are huge. What attorney would take the continuing phone calls from her father during a meeting with a client? What client would tolerate that?

And it's a tv show.

Wish I had HBO, this sounds quite fascinating. Great blog, Joan.

clients (I never use the word "patients" as I find people who are willing to come to a complete and total stranger, who although qualified and experienced, to be courageous and honest people. My clients come because they are suffering and I find it an honor and privilege to work with them. Last night, I was more embarrassed for the portray of lawyers than I was for the Paul character. When Mia said to Paul something like, "I looked over your case and in my personal opinion...blah blah blah." Personal opinion? Did you see that office? My guess is that's around $400-500/hours...I didn't want to hear her personal opinion to hear her professional opinion. I found Paul's interaction with April to be questionable on a number of levels. The whole lawsuit situation is another story. As I was taught in graduate school, it takes "a typewriter and $20 to file a lawsuit". Malpractice is rare and the arguments the "lawyer" was using with Paul had me laughing out loud. Maybe I could enjoy this show if I viewed it as a comedy rather than a drama. Call it transference, call it projection...I can't watch this show. I'd rather be focusing on the real clients in my life.

Hmmm, the first part of my comments were left out so my comment starts out mid-sentence. So let me try to remember. I started off agreeing with Joan that watching the show which I would like to title "In Treatment is Causing Me to Be Insane" is a "nail on the chalkboard" experience. I could write a small book on why I don't care for this show...I call the courageous people who come to me clients...now you can read my first comment.

Well I already made comments on the other blog but I have finally got hold of the DVD's from last year and watched the whole thing start to finish. Since I cannot afford cable or HBO I will have to rely on snippets I can see on line or on U tube or the occasional free night at a friend for this year, but from what I have observed so far here goes: I mentioned that I am a student of psychology not by trade but by interest and taking classes over the years, in addition I am "in treatment" myself and primarily, I am a writer. I think from a writer-viewer point of view the show is compelling and yes, I, too, fantasize about Gabriel Byrne as many women do,( he is the thinking woman's "crumpet" as the English say), however, when I watch the show I am drawn in not by whether it's "real" or not but by the quality of the dramatic narrative, the rhythmic flow of the scenes and the absolutely amazing acting and believability of the actors in their roles--especially and Dianne Wiest. (spelling?) So we need to keep reminding ourselves: THIS IS DRAMA. HIGH DRAMA., not a treatise on the therapeutic process! Naturalism is not the same thing as REAL LIFE. It is an artistic attempt to recreate the feel of real life while maintaining the arcs and curves of what we require in the drama. I think In Treatment qualifies as "the well made play" and sometimes arcs over into Aristotilean Tragedy in its movement and flow. Do we ask ourselves if Hamlet is real? Did Ophelia really go crazy? I mean, ultimately, In Treatment is an opportunity to watch brilliant actors at the top of their game (especially Byrne and I like his haircut!) and brilliant writers work with the ever fascinating play of the human gestalt. I envy the writers on this show and would give a couple of teeth to be able to join their writing team! So my final say: It works for me.

Corrections: "Especially Gabriel Byrne and Dianne Wiest... "Also I misspelled Aristotelian so mea culpa--no spell check on these comment things!

I posted more professionally on Kerry Lauerman's blog, but I just had the chance to Watch the April episode. Whatever this show is or is not about real treatment... it sure is gripping. April was very powerful in her revelation.

Paul on the other hand lost it again.... He has so much to learn...

No comment about "In Treatment"...but because so many women commented about Gabriel Byrne being the cause of their night sweats I had to comment about your brother's pic and blog. Paul Newman was the end all be all hunk of the movies and if your brother resembles him in the least, you must have a full time job beating the women off!

Of course, Mia's issues are huge. What attorney would take the continuing phone calls from her father during a meeting with a client? What client would tolerate that? voucher codes | coupon codes