The potential negative impact of media on our understanding of mental illness has been explored and documented, but we seem to overlook the other side of the story. Just as movies and television shows sometimes choose entertainment value over accuracy in portrayals of individuals with diagnoses the same choice is frequently made when it comes to the Hollywood interpretation of the helping professional. Many people are curious about what happens within a counselor’s walls. They wonder if it’s a magical mindreading event or something else and sadly the media often leads to incorrect assumptions about the process. There are numerous examples of helping professionals in the media, but portrayals are inconsistent at best and frequently wrought with unethical behaviors or overall incompetence. Counselor educators and others training up and coming mental health professionals are challenged if they want to use movies, television shows, or other media to demonstrate specific counseling skills. Most often the best use of the aforementioned portrayals is “what not to do,” or “how to lose your license.” The presentation will be based on the research gained from clinical work, counselor education and supervision, extensive literature/media reviews, and current consultation with counselors in the field.
