‘Couples Therapy’ Psychologist Orna Guralnik on Shifting to a ‘Political Agenda’ in the New Season

At the core of Showtimes docuseries Couples Therapy is a mission to pull back the curtain on the work that goes into bettering interpersonal relationships. At Variety and Rolling Stones Truth Seekers Summit presented by Showtime, clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik disclosed that truth is the essence of the show.

My job is to figure out what each persons truth is, said Guralnik of her role on the show and then adding that the next step is finding, how can I help them tolerate each others truth.

With three seasons under her belt, Guralnik discussed the varying definitions of truth she has found individuals hold on the show. Theres what we all imagine is the truth, said Guralnik. We cannot function with complete and direct contact with truth all the time, so we [tend] to sift and choose and defend what to tolerate.

Theres truth and theres conscious reality what we choose to pay attention to and what we dont want to know, she continued. Then theres all these defensive operations that we all have to use to be able to manage our life.

Guralniks key focus with Couples Therapy, though, is attributed to the couples that are cast on the show, but also the audience in a way. The show has undoubtedly shone a light on therapy, one of her initial hopes was that the series would be able to have people understand whats actually involved in serious therapy.

Theres a lot of transference through therapists generally, Guarlnik explained, reiterating that her hope was to prove her profession is serious and about providing real care to patients in need of such.

Guarlnik, too, revealed that the objective of the series has shifted across its three seasons. Our ambitions turned more towards whats happening in this country and having people develop a capacity to have multiple perspectives, stating the evolution of the show has became more of an ethical/political agenda.Guarlnik hopes that when working with her patients, theyll be able to entertain multiple perspectives of truth, which I wish this country could do.

Watch the full conversation above.