“In Treatment” is an American series, developed and produced by Rodrigo Garcia in 2008. This series deals with the story of Paul Weston, a psychotherapist, and his sessions with patients. He also have supervision sessions with Gina Toll. Each episode lasts about 30 minutes and focuses on a session with a patient. This series is composed of 106 episodes divided into three seasons. The patients suffer from a wide range of psychological issues : marital conflicts, suicidal thoughts, traumatism or relationships issue.
Ethical problems
This series raises ethical problems, such as the question of the power of psychologists towards patients.
As Gina said in the 15th episode of season 1 : « Helping a patient to view the world differently is a powerful experience ».
In fact, knowledge about psychological processes helps psychologists to be more able to understand people. However, there is a subtle balance between support and manipulation. If creating a therapeutic alliance is a necessity, some boundaries must not be crossed. Paul felt in love with one of his patient, Laura. He struggles with boundaries and his mixed feelings. Transfer may be a useful key in psychotherapies because it may helps the patient to deal with his issue. But if an inversion occurs, therapeutic process could be disturbed. If the psychologist is overwhelmed with his own feelings, how can he possibly help the patient ?
Thus, as his clinical supervisor, Gina helps him to analyse his feelings in order to gain some hindsight. She sheds light on his contradictions. The importance of supervision is clearly highlighten throughout the series.
Interests and limits of this series
The interest of this series lies in the representation of psychologists and psychotherapies. Paul is far from perfect which demistifies the idealized visions of psychologists. Psychologists are human, they do not know everything, they are not omnipotent and sometimes they do need help too. As for psychotherapies, this series may help people to give up stigma and fears. People usually do not know what happens behind the closed doors of a psychologist’s office. This series shows how a session might take place. It deconstructs stereotypes.
- Patients do not systematically have to lay down on a sofa.
- A psychologist can interact and talk with patients.
- He does not necessarily stay silent.
Some episodes of this series could be used as learning tools with clinical vignettes for psychology students. Yet, students need to be aware that, as interesting as these videos are, they are only fictional.
Words we have learned :
- Marital conflicts : conflits conjugaux
- Therapeutic alliance : alliance thérapeutique
- Boundaries : limites
- Hindsight : recul
- Session : séance
Aurore LECRECQ & Cécile LEPAINTEUR