Mental Health Awareness on Film and TV

Traumatic events of the last few years have led more and more people to acknowledge the importance of focusing on their mental health. In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, we have compiled a list of five films and five television programs that show the value that mental health professionals bring to our lives. These productions stress the importance of not ignoring pain and hiding feelings, and instead addressing and confronting these emotions to start the healing process.

“The Three Faces of Eve” (1957)

Joanne Woodward won an Oscar for her performance as Eve White, a housewife with multiple personalities (dissociative identity disorder). The film was adapted from a book written by two psychiatrists about a real woman who suffered from this disorder. Lee J. Cobb played Dr. Curtis Luther who helps Eve get her life back by uncovering the childhood trauma that led to the disorder.

“Ordinary People” (1980)

Judd Hirsch plays psychiatrist Tyrone Berger who helps teenager Conrad Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) overcome survivor’s guilt and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the accidental death of his brother. The film also deals with family dynamics and alienation, as Conrad’s mother Beth (Mary Tyler Moore) is incapable of showing even a hint of affection toward anyone.

The Prince of Tides (1991)

Barbra Streisand directed and starred in this adaptation of Pat Conroy’s novel about high school football coach Tom Wingo (Nick Nolte) who falls in love with his suicidal sister’s psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Lowenstein (Streisand). The film tackles a wide array of mental health issues, including dissociative identity disorder and PTSD, as Dr. Lowenstein helps Tom dig up repressed memories to get to the root of his pain.

“Good Will Hunting” (1997)

Robin Williams delivered one of his most memorable and acclaimed performances as Sean Maguire, the court-appointed therapist to Matt Damon’s Will Hunting. Maguire helps the genius janitor Hunting let go of his anger (resulting from child abuse) so he can live up to his potential and form meaningful relationships.

“The Sixth Sense” (1999)

Bruce Willis famously portrayed child psychologist Malcolm Crowe who helps Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) make the most of his very unique condition and learn to communicate with his mother and be a normal(ish) kid.

“The Bob Newhart Show” (1972-1978)

At a time when people were fairly skeptical of psychology and hesitant to seek professional help, Bob Newhart used comedy to address the stigma surrounding the profession. His portrayal of psychologist Bob Hartley normalized the idea of therapy sessions and brought attention to various mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.

“The Sopranos” (1999-2007)

Lorraine Bracco played psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi who helped mob boss Tony Soprano handle panic attacks and bouts of depression as he struggled to balance his actual family life with his crime family life. Dr. Melfi at times was the only person Tony could really talk to and also served as the moral anchor on the show.

“Monk” (2002-2009)

Detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) suffers from debilitating obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and his psychiatrists and private nurses have their hands full trying to keep him functional enough to solve crimes through his astute observations. While the show uses Monk’s OCD for comedic effect, it takes a more serious look at Monk’s attempt to grieve his wife’s death, the event that caused his OCD in the first place.

“In Treatment” (2008-2010, 2021)

Over the course of three seasons, psychotherapist Paul Weston (Gabriel Byrne) helped his patients tackle all sorts of problems, including PTSD, anxiety, and psychopathic tendencies. Each season follows a set of patients, with each episode presented as a unique weekly session. In 2021, HBO ran a 24-episode fourth season starring Uzo Aduba as Dr. Brooke Taylor, a protégé of Dr. Weston.

“Ted Lasso” (2021-present)

In season two of the Apple TV+ hit, the Greyhounds bring in sports psychologist Dr. Sharon Fieldstone to help a player involved in a tragic incident on the pitch. Dr. Sharon proves invaluable, as she helps Ted handle his panic attacks and others on the team overcome life’s obstacles and end an eight-game tie streak.