For me I think after watching all 3 seasons when I went back and started to watch season 1 again, I had a whole other perspective on how poor Gina's reactions and comments were during this supposed 'therapy'. She so often seemed to fall back on judgements of him using the knowledge she had of him from the many other dimensions of their relationship. Sorry to post 3 times but I really love the show and love chatting about it :-)
I think things are complicated even further by Paul's admitance that he came to Gina for the very reason of knowing what she would think about the situation with Laura and that he had to test himself to withstandGina's critisism before he could realistically contemplate something more developing between him and Laura.
Very interesting to read your comments about this episode and about Gina. I totally agree with how Gina was constantly critisising Paul. Not only in reference to how he felt about Laura but then also regularly implying that he was 'just like his father'. That his father left his mother and ran off woth a patient and compared that to Paul's situation.
Wow! How did I miss all the negative judging you claim that Gina did? I sure caught Paul's accusations thereof. But I thought he was seeing/hearing things that weren't there. Can you give us some examples?
@BigSisterNY Gina's criticisms mostly come into play with respect to Paul's handling of Laura. I'm not saying that the criticisms weren't warranted. My problem with her actions is that leveling big guns of criticism at a patient is not therapy, particularly when the patient was constantly belittled by his mother. "One of the best therapists on the East Coast" should have taken a better recourse. In truth, Gina never acted as Paul's therapist; she remained his supervisor to the end.
@ControlMastery Thanks for your reply, CoMast. I guess I have a blind spot. I've gone back to some of the Gina sessions and see her assessing, evaluating, and drawing parallels but I have not seen a whole lot of judging. Hence I see more of Gina's role as therapist than you do, who see her exclusively as a supervisor to Paul. You and I agree that criticism of a patient is not therapy. How about judging? And are you judging Gina? Now I can't tell. Ha! Thanks to HBO for this "mind food."
It is amazing and a little scary to me that an analyst can be so clueless about his own life. I hope that's not me in twenty years. (Not that I'm a therapist :) I just want to have more insight in my middle age than Paul seems to have.
PS: I love your written commentary in the description, but miss your edited videos with voiceover!
@starrfist You must merely miss the opportunity to chuckle at me stumbling through my commentaries. We all have blind spots, even therapists. A therapist can help a person with a particular issue even when troubled by the issue in his own life by sensing what is going on and encouraging the patient to take life steps the therapist is reluctant to take. An unresolved issue might cause a therapist to act negatively too when it induces to therapist to urge being ruled by unresolved fears.
Adele is absolutely beautiful.
daisymay1020001 3 months ago
For me I think after watching all 3 seasons when I went back and started to watch season 1 again, I had a whole other perspective on how poor Gina's reactions and comments were during this supposed 'therapy'. She so often seemed to fall back on judgements of him using the knowledge she had of him from the many other dimensions of their relationship. Sorry to post 3 times but I really love the show and love chatting about it :-)
orange17475 1 year ago
@orange17475 I did the same thing. At first I was high on Gina, but my opinion of her diminished over time.
ControlMastery 11 months ago
I think things are complicated even further by Paul's admitance that he came to Gina for the very reason of knowing what she would think about the situation with Laura and that he had to test himself to withstandGina's critisism before he could realistically contemplate something more developing between him and Laura.
orange17475 1 year ago
Very interesting to read your comments about this episode and about Gina. I totally agree with how Gina was constantly critisising Paul. Not only in reference to how he felt about Laura but then also regularly implying that he was 'just like his father'. That his father left his mother and ran off woth a patient and compared that to Paul's situation.
orange17475 1 year ago
Wow! How did I miss all the negative judging you claim that Gina did? I sure caught Paul's accusations thereof. But I thought he was seeing/hearing things that weren't there. Can you give us some examples?
BigSisterNY 1 year ago
@BigSisterNY Gina's criticisms mostly come into play with respect to Paul's handling of Laura. I'm not saying that the criticisms weren't warranted. My problem with her actions is that leveling big guns of criticism at a patient is not therapy, particularly when the patient was constantly belittled by his mother. "One of the best therapists on the East Coast" should have taken a better recourse. In truth, Gina never acted as Paul's therapist; she remained his supervisor to the end.
ControlMastery 1 year ago
@ControlMastery Thanks for your reply, CoMast. I guess I have a blind spot. I've gone back to some of the Gina sessions and see her assessing, evaluating, and drawing parallels but I have not seen a whole lot of judging. Hence I see more of Gina's role as therapist than you do, who see her exclusively as a supervisor to Paul. You and I agree that criticism of a patient is not therapy. How about judging? And are you judging Gina? Now I can't tell. Ha! Thanks to HBO for this "mind food."
BigSisterNY 1 year ago
@BigSisterNY I accept your judgment. I recall that I was a fan of Gina's at first and only turned against her near the end.
ControlMastery 1 year ago
It is amazing and a little scary to me that an analyst can be so clueless about his own life. I hope that's not me in twenty years. (Not that I'm a therapist :) I just want to have more insight in my middle age than Paul seems to have.
PS: I love your written commentary in the description, but miss your edited videos with voiceover!
starrfist 1 year ago
@starrfist You must merely miss the opportunity to chuckle at me stumbling through my commentaries. We all have blind spots, even therapists. A therapist can help a person with a particular issue even when troubled by the issue in his own life by sensing what is going on and encouraging the patient to take life steps the therapist is reluctant to take. An unresolved issue might cause a therapist to act negatively too when it induces to therapist to urge being ruled by unresolved fears.
ControlMastery 1 year ago