History Main / TheShrink

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': After Buffy's suspension from Sunnydale High is overturned it's on the condition that she attend regular sessions with the school's therapist. She's initially reluctant, but once she meets Mr. Platt he turns out to be a genuinely supportive figure. He picks up on the fact that there's things she can't talk about (namely Slayer duties) but instead of demanding she open up he works around it to empathise with the root issues (her fraught romantic relationship). Just as Buffy works up the courage to open up about more of her issues the Villain of the Week kills him.

* ''Film/DearZindagi'': Jug is the Awesome type. He immediately positions himself as different from other stuffy therapists by wearing jeans to a conference and is able to draw Kaira completely out of her shell by movie's end through meaningful anecdotes and metaphors, outings alongside the shores of Goa, and just being able to understand her and her issues. He's so good that Kaira falls in love with him by film's end but he correctly rebukes her.

* ''Series/{]Forever|2014}}'':

* '''The Awesome Shrink:''' ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. But even within this group, there are different varieties of Awesome Shrink. They can be compassionate and understanding where everyone before has been cruel to the protagonist. Alternatively, they provide the character in question with the kind of ToughLove he's always needed. Regardless, this doctor is always smart, almost always cool, and never resorts to drugs when they're not needed.

* Dr Ashley Kafka, also of the MarvelUniverse and specifically ''Comicbook/SpiderMan''. The Ravencroft Institute she founded feels like the writers were making a specific attempt to avert BedlamHouse. It didn't last, because subsequent writers assumed that a mental institute filled with supervillains ''had'' to be Arkham in all but name -- the ''Ruins of Ravencroft'' miniseries in particular given it a horrific history that more than rivals Armadeus Arkham's story, though it has since been reformed, and Kafka remains a skilled and concerned therapist.

* Doc Samson in the MarvelUniverse. His good intentions often lead to poor results:

* Major Sidney Freedman, a recurring character on ''Series/{{MASH}}''. The "[[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/grand-rounds/201109/best-tv-shrink-ever-heres-dr-sidney-freedman best TV shrink ever]]", according to ''Psychology Today''.

* Major Sidney Freedman, a recurring guest character on ''Series/{{MASH}}''. The "[[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/grand-rounds/201109/best-tv-shrink-ever-heres-dr-sidney-freedman best TV shrink ever]]", according to ''Psychology Today''.

* Sidney Freedman, a recurring guest character on ''Series/{{MASH}}''. The "[[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/grand-rounds/201109/best-tv-shrink-ever-heres-dr-sidney-freedman best TV shrink ever]]", according to ''Psychology Today''.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' universe, Harley Quinn was a psychiatrist named Dr. Harleen Quinzel at Arkham Asylum before the Joker lured her to a life of crime. She was the well-meaning, dopey type.
** On that note, Dr. Bartholomew of Arkham Asylum genuinely wants to help, as demonstrated in the episode ''Dreams in Darkness''. But he's naive at best…

* The eponymous ''WesternAnimation/DrKatzProfessionalTherapist'' is mostly of the second variety, albeit with occasional flashes of competence.

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

* Dr. Hartley in ''Series/{{The Bob Newhart Show}}''. No matter how many breakthroughs they have, none of his patients get any better.

[[folder:Well-Meaning, But Dopey And Ineffective]]

* ''WesternAnimation/DrKatzProfessionalTherapist'' was about a psychologist. He was more of the second variety, with occasional flashes of competence.