Who’s watching “In Treatment” on Sky with Gabriel Byrne?
I’ve guilty of addiction and I’ve only seen a few episodes. Should I worry?
It’s about a psychotherapist and five anxious and angry patients, including a couple. In many short episodes, the stories expand out and reveal their secrets.
It’s relationships as drama, sex as power, denial as intrigue and ethics as a foreboding line that must not be crossed. We see the anxiety of the characters as they suspect their other half of an affair. Anger as they lose battles against what they wanted for themselves and what they demand of others.
It’s not all perfect. I find the psychotherapists bring a lot of interpretation into the conversations. They make inferences and statements based on flimsy evidence. I prefer to work only with what the client gives me. It’s pure and respectful. But the drama is all the better because of the therapists imposing their interpretations, but goodness knows what it does to the anxiousness and anger of the clients.
So many people have something significant preventing them having a happy relationship:
- they are single after a long time and following a break-up, divorce or bereavement;
- they are single for over a year, and not happy about it;
- they are living at home while trying to maintain independence and credibility;
- perhaps they are worried or anxious about dating; or
- they may be angry or depressed about a relationship.
People’s thoughts and emotions affect their actions and beliefs. In fact, each of these things affect each other over time. I love to see my clients be able to separate out an anxiety or fear and then work with that worry until they experience strength. Fabulous for them, but I don’t think it’d make great TV. I’m going to nip downstairs now and can watch another episode.
Brian Birch
Join my mailing list for a free gift.