In treatment

Has anyone watched this on HBO? It's fictional therapy sessions. It just started last night. It's on every weeknight. Last night a young woman was dealing with transference. I don't think the therapist handled it very well.

Hmmm, that sounds interesting. Unfortunately, I don't get HBO. What is the tone of the show? Educational?

I don't know if I get that, I'll have to see; haven't seen it advertised or anything so I probably don't.

http://www.hbo.com/intreatment/

I saw it. I agree - I don't think the therapist handled it well. He sort of just cut her off instead of being reassuring and still ending the session. And he had such a dour look on his face most of the session - I think he was trying to achieve caring and concern but to me it looked kind of like brooding. A few of the exchanges were good though.

And he made her tea! I was jealous about that.

The show has received pretty good reviews. I'm really interested to see how the therapist's own sessions go. I'm hoping it doesn't make me feel bad to hear what a therapist "really" thinks of his patients.

It looks like maybe you can watch the full episodes online. I might try that (if they're free).

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
And he made her tea! I was jealous about that.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">Ooooo, my T does that for me sometimes too. Later this week is my first session in 17 days so I am gonna ask for some tea.

im always searching online for movies or scripts of therapy sessions but they are so hard to find because of confidentiality. usually i find kinds playing "therapy" and acting like they are depressed and they think its funny. im just looking for something to remind me of my own therapy when i'm between sessions to give me that comforted feeling. so i would like to see this, especially if it has to do with transference. but i don't think i get HBO... let me know if anyone sees it available online!

krazibean, yes the episodes are available online. I watched the one with the fighter pilot (episode number 2). He was such a jerk, and that gave me new appreciation for how therapists have to sit there and put up with all types of unpleasant people! But he had an interesting story too. I am going to watch the first episode later.

Also, if you read the professional psychological literature, there are lots of examples of scripts of actual therapy sessions in journal articles. At one point, I was curious about these and read some. I have to say, they were incredibly boring! I was at a really exciting stage of my own therapy then, and I thought, wow, if this is the sort of boring session T sits through all day, poor guy. Maybe our own therapy always seems more fascinating to us.

You can watch at the link Perna gave. I agree that the second night was much better. It was about a navy pilot who was a total control freak. The therapist was much more in his element. He wasn't intimidated and really zeroed in on the issue the guy was trying to avoid.

I have watched the first 3 episodes so far. I think I am hooked! I think my favorite episode so far was the third one, with Sophie, the 16 year old gymnastics star. She seems a bit of a puzzle, and I like how Paul is handling the case.

I must admit the first two episodes were kinda not my faves because I did not like either of the clients, the arrogant fighter pilot, or the anesthesiologist with the major thing going on for Paul. She seemed so out of control and manipulative (made me want to run for the hills). I just had surgery and I thank the stars she was not my anesthesiologist! I now have sympathy for therapists and how they have to see these unlikable people week after week. I am not sure I could stomach it. (Geez, I hope my T doesn't think of me in the way I react to these TV clients! )

It is also interesting to watch Paul in action. Of course, I compare him to my own therapist. They are not at all alike!

I can't wait for tonight's show. It's going to be marriage counseling.

Did anyone watch last night? It was the fighter pilot again. Reminds me of M. Scott Peck's _People of the Lie_

Well, I saw this thread and clicked on the link to watch on-line as I don't have HBO at home either. I saw the epsiode with Laura who had a big sexual fantasy going on about her and Paul and it was obvious that there was a lot of counter transference as well.

Did anyone see this episode? He was soooooo conflicted. And his wife was in the beginning of the epsiode---what a setup!

OMG It made me cringe. I think Paul is a weenie.

I'll have to look at another episode.

Hi sister, I saw episode 1 of week 1 with Laura, but haven't watched the Laura episode from week 2. I don't remember Paul's wife being in it so I'm not sure if we watched the same week, but the Laura episode from week 1 was my least favorite of the 5 epis that week. It made me cringe too! "Cringe" is totally the right word. Some of the others are really good, so push onward. I liked the ones with the 16 year old gymnast, the marriage counseling session, and Paul's session with his own therapist. I didn't much like the fighter pilot either.

I also like comparing in my mind Paul to my own T and this depiction of therapy to my own. My T is nothing like Paul! Does anyone here have a T like Paul?

I like all of them but the fighter pilot. I've watched all episodes from week 1 and week 2. I'll probably get hooked on it like I did with "State of Mind" and then it'll disappear!

I've watched the Laura and fighter pilot episodes for week 3. Paul really seems to be losing it. He seems out of control in his sessions, like the balance of power has shifted to his clients. He just didn't know how to say no to the $450 espresso machine gift from the fighter pilot. I would have told the guy to make a Starbucks stop on his way to therapy if he had to have a coffee. Laura also seems to be more powerful now, as Paul fades. I think the potential relationship between Laura and the pilot is really throwing him for a loop. What a huge boundary crossover--Paul sleeping each night in his office, on the couch the clients sit on. To me, the show is getting more interesting now!

I kind of feel sorry for Paul but it does seem like things are spinning out of control. I wondered what he would do when his wife told him everything - he can't exactly leave home - he works there!

I like his therapist but I felt like he was really mean to her - I guess that is the danger of knowing so much about your therapist, isn't it? Ouch, ouch.

I'm hooked. Totally.

Yeah, I am hooked too. BUT

I think Paul has totally lost it and is not admitting any of his stuff to himself.

I think Gina totally gets Paul. I love her. And, I think she is tough enough to take his crap and hand it back to him. Whoa.

The relationship between Paul and Laura no longer feels therapeutic to me. I think he blew it big time and should have worked through his feelings with Gina before discussing termination with Laura. His impulsivity feels like a reaction to what is going on in his marriage--he wants to say no to his wife but he can't so he is saying no to Laura!

hmmmmmmmmm

You all sound like you're talking about a soap opera, not my therapy :-)

Link again if anyone wants it: http://www.hbo.com/intreatment/

MissCharlotte, I agree. I think he rushed into the termination discussion with Laura. She saw through him. He had his mind made up that was what he wanted to tell her. He couldn't give her space to tell how upset she was about the dying dog. Paul definitely seemed to be wanting to terminate for his own sake rather than the client's.

I've now watched the 3rd episode from week 3, about Sophie, the gymnast. She is my favorite of the clients. This episode was somewhat triggering for me--brought back memories. I thought Sophie was very brave to tell her story. I thought it also accurately showed her ambivalence about the situation. I wondered what Paul's official response would be, given that Sophie is a minor. I wondered if he would call CPS. But he called her mom after the session. Will Sophie will feel betrayed by that?

I am definitely hooked on this show.

It turns out this was the last week of the free shows to watch at the HBO website. Waaahhhh! Now I am totally hooked and won't be able to watch anymore (we don't have HBO). I would be happy to pay a buck or two at the website to watch the new episodes--I wish they offered that.

Yeah I saw where they are discontinuing showing the episodes on line. I am so hooked! My roommate thinks we just need to go ahead and order HBO just for this show! LOL

friends,

when you go to http://www.hbo.com/intreatment/ , click on "Download podcast". if you have itunes, a download prompt will show up. if you agree to download the podcast (which is free btw), you will be able to watch episodes for free, in better quality.

melissa

But they aren't posting any more after tomorrow night's, Mel, is what people are complaining about. They only did the first 3-1/2 weeks to get people hooked so they'd buy HBO.

Hmmm, I'd still say check back with the podcast option after this weeks episodes.

HBO has said this is the last week:

http://boards.hbo.com/topic/Hbo-Offi...ing/2000000970