Shrinks on the brink: how horror films are turning therapists into protagonists
Recent cinema portrays therapists as deeply flawed individuals, reflecting a broader cultural shift towards therapy and its limitations, with a spate of horror films putting them centre stage.
Therapists in the spotlight
The old adage that "every therapist needs a therapist" has found new resonance in film. Rather than remaining supporting characters, therapists are increasingly taking lead roles, often in horror films that explore their personal struggles.
Recent films featuring therapist protagonists
In the span of a month, UK cinemas have seen several such releases. Mary Bronstein's If I Had Legs I’d Kick You stars Rose Byrne as a therapist and mother spiralling out of control. Smile (2022) follows a psychiatrist (Sosie Bacon) pursued by a metaphor for her own mental health. Backrooms shows Renate Reinsve as a composed psychiatrist who gradually unravels. Rebecca Zlotowski's A Private Life features Jodie Foster as a therapist turned investigator, neglecting her family while probing a former client's death.
Therapy's rise in popular culture
A 2026 survey found 37% of UK adults in therapy, up 2% from the previous year. Therapy has become "sexy," boosted by influencers on TikTok, dedicated podcasts like Esther Perel's Where Should We Begin?, and reality shows such as Couples Therapy that break client confidentiality.
From villains to flawed humans
Earlier films often depicted therapists as either villains (e.g., Shutter Island, Nightmare Alley) or perfect saviours (Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting). Now, filmmakers show them as fallible individuals whose career choice makes them more compelling. In If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Byrne's character cannot care for her own needs, while her own therapist (Conan O'Brien) is similarly burdened.
The horror genre connection
Almost all these films belong to the horror genre. Supernatural elements—a labyrinth of memory, a magical hole in the ceiling, a trauma-hungry demon—mirror the protagonists' spiralling negative thoughts, creating an atmosphere of claustrophobia and dread. The underlying fear: if therapists are as flawed as anyone, how can they effectively treat others? The real horror sets in when a previously composed therapist loses control.
