Top-notch Therapy from Dr. Lucy: A Charlie Brown Christmas

If you watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" this year, take a look at Lucy's famous "psychiatrist" scene. It rewinds the clock back to when therapy was therapy. She is top notch! Except for the greed.

Below, I have transcribed this scene, edited for length. Then I've got a commentary below.

LUCY. May I help you?

CHARLIE BROWN. I'm in sad shape.  I feel depressed. I know I should be happy, but I'm not.

LUCY. Well, as they say on TV, the mere fact that you realize you need help indicates that you are not too far gone. I think we'd better pinpoint your fears.

CHARLIE BROWN. Actually, Lucy, my trouble is Christmas. I just don't understand it. Instead of feeling happy, I feel sort of let down.

LUCY. You need involvement. You need to get involved in some real Christmas project. How would you like to be the director of our Christmas play?

CHARLIE BROWN. Me? You want me to be the director of the Christmas play? I don't know anything about directing a Christmas play.

LUCY. Don't worry. I'll be there to help you.

Anyone who comes to a therapist is facing a phobia, 99% of the time. Think about it. I can name some common ones. Depression involves a fear of something--getting out of bed, confronting a lack of meaning. Traumatic grief involves fear--accepting the reality of loss, perhaps accepting responsibility. OCD is obvious, as is PTSD, as these conditions are inherently avoidant. Anxiety is equally obvious as being related to fear. Even ASD or schizophrenia, although these are conditions folks are probably born with, are often debilitating due to fear.

The job of a therapist is not to protect the client from what they fear--yet this is what most therapy consists of: coping skills, mindfulness (research disproves this entirely), rent-a-grandmother, come to therapy and "talk it out," go home and avoid the fear, come back to therapy.

Real clinicians like Dr. Lucy help clients identify their fears, and then help them face them in a doable, encouraging manner. They help the client identify the dragon they need to face and conquer, and then help the client develop the resilience and courage to do so.