Dr. Orna Guralnik, the psychoanalyst featured on Showtime’s “Couples Therapy,” believes the critically acclaimed series has resonated with audiences because it promotes psychological thinking rather than just therapy, encouraging deeper self-reflection and understanding of others. The show, currently shooting its fifth season, depicts four couples receiving free therapy with Guralnik.
Guralnik expressed strong awareness of the ethical ramifications of her work, noting that what TV viewers see contains many elements of actual therapy sessions but is not quite the real thing because cameras change the dynamic in the room and compromise confidentiality. She described initial reluctance to participate, as psychoanalysts are typically very private people, but the show’s creators convinced her to approach it as an experiment to see if therapy could be recreated on camera.
The psychoanalyst felt compelled to represent the profession well, believing the world needs more psychological and psychoanalytic thinking. She discussed how the series stakes its reputation on sincere inquiry, especially regarding something as sensitive and complicated as marriage. Despite the show’s critical acclaim and substantial viewership, Guralnik acknowledged uncertainty about the therapeutic value of conducting treatment on camera, where the presence of cameras and crew fundamentally alters the therapeutic relationship.
Looking toward the future, Guralnik mused about whether the show could eventually continue without her but with a different therapist on the couch, suggesting the format itself may be more important than any individual clinician’s presence for the program’s success in promoting psychological thinking to a broad audience.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/orna-guralnik-couples-therapy-showtime-ethics-psychology-1236488756/