Thankfully, plenty of feel-good articles also get passed to me. Lilit Marcus send this article--about actress Claire Danes and her 22 years of therapy to overcome a neurosis that began when she was six. Here's the Associated Press/ABC Action News article. I was glad to see such a beautiful face talking about therapy and mental illness in a poised way.
STARDUST actress Claire Danes has undergone therapy for the past 22 years, in a bid to overcome her neurosis.The 28-year-old first began therapy at the tender age of six when her parents discovered she was afraid of her imaginary friends.
She says, "I was getting to be a bit of a neurotic mess, so my parents thought therapy might do me good. But ultimately I became more scared of my therapists than I was of these imaginary creatures."
Danes, who studied psychology at Yale University, eventually overcame her fear and now attends weekly therapy sessions insisting the process has helped her acting career.
She adds, "I've benefited enormously from therapy. It's made me more self-aware and safer. It's given me a chance to reflect on my experiences and my feelings. To name them, identify them and organise them.
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SORRY TO ALL! I didn't know that part of Claire Dane's story! I agree with all of you. Therese
Having written the aforementioned comment, I soon after felt regret for posting it. While I am remain aghast at the behavior to which Ms. Danes was a party, my emotional reaction may have been offpoint. Yeah, that was ... what is was. But I don't want it to seem like I've written her off as a human being. We have, many of us, done things that were awful, that caused ourselves or others deep pain, that created chaos for others. I don't want to be so fast to lose compassion.
Danes benefitted from psychotherapy, overcoming a longstanding and what must have been a terrifying neorosis. It *CAN* be done and, in that limited way at least, her experience can bouy us. And I think that THAT was the point Therese was fundamentally making here.
Lisa: Not "many of us, ALL of us! I, too believe that ANY success story which comes out of therapy deserves celebration. So, no apology necessary, T. If Ms Danes wasn't so successful and in the public eye, we wouldn't even be AWARE of her indiscretion, and I THANK GOD that MY mistakes aren't out there for the entire world to judge me by! (There's something to be said for not gaining celebrity)
Sheesh, people. When Claire Danes said that therapy has made her more self-aware and helped her to reflect upon her experiences and feelings who's to say that doesn't include the "sordid" affair she had? Who's to say she hasn't repented for that indiscretion? That relationship ended a year ago reportedly when she started talking marriage (http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/danes%20crudup%20split_1018011). People make stupid decisions when it comes to matters of the heart, especially when they are 25 years old as Claire was at the time, but Claire wasn't the one who left the pregnant Mary-Louise Parker. Save some of your "righteous" indignation for Crudup - a guy whose now left two women rather than commit to them.
Personally, even if Claire Danes had mounted a horse in the buff and pranced about Venice Beach I believe Therese's article was still relevant. Here is a girl who had mental issues as a child who has found success through therapy. She spoke about it with dignity and that is a good thing for all of us. Too often people think about movies like "What about Bob?" or "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" when they think of mental illness and therapy. A good therapist is a wonderful asset in one's life. I'm glad Miss Danes found the help she needed.
Nice article, Therese. Hope you didn't mind me spouting off.
~Douglas
☆ The Splintered Mind - Overcoming Neurological Disabilities With Lots Of Humor And Attitude
Glad psychotherapy helped her, don't get me wrong. But you gotta admit, while none of us are perfect, that was one helluva "mistake" ...
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