Fire Your Doc And Hire These 7 TV And Movie Therapists Instead

TV and movie therapists often get reduced to one-note roles: the quiet listener, the over-sharer, the comic relief.

But when done right, fictional therapists offer something far more meaningful, whether to the main character or story itself. The best ones model vulnerability, trust, and the complicated work of helping others confront trauma. They feel like real people you could open up to, not just sounding boards for the main character’s growth. Whether they operate with tough love, dry wit, or gentle encouragement, these characters reflect the kinds of therapists many viewers wish they had in real life. 

1. Dr. Jennifer Melfi – The Sopranos

As Tony Soprano’s long-suffering psychiatrist, Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) is a foil to the violence and toxic masculinity throughout The Sopranos. With nuance and restraint, she balances clinical ethics with personal safety as Tony confides in her about everything from panic attacks and violent impulses to his mother and ducks in his pool. One of the most compelling arcs is her struggle after being assaulted and choosing not to tell Tony, knowing he’d retaliate. It showed her commitment to boundaries even in the face of personal risk. Melfi represents the challenge of real therapy: listening without enabling, guiding without instructing. 

2. Dr. Sean Maguire – Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting doesn’t get made without Robin Williams, and the Ben Affleck-Matt Damon movie doesn’t carry the same emotional weight without Williams’ Oscar-winning performance as Dr. Sean Maguire. It offers one of cinema’s most emotionally resonant depictions of therapy. A widowed psychologist and Vietnam vet, Sean is brought in to counsel Will Hunting, a mathematical genius with a history of abuse and a fear of vulnerability. Their dynamic unfolds slowly, with Sean refusing to be intimidated by Will’s intellect or deterred by the walls he puts up. The “It’s not your fault” scene remains iconic for a reason, capturing the moment a therapist gets through by simply showing love and patience. 

3. Dr. Jean Milburn – Sex Education

There really isn’t a role Gillian Anderson can’t bring to life on screen. Dr. Jean Milburn is a sex therapist who doesn’t just normalize intimacy, she forces people to talk about it. On Sex Education, she’s both an accomplished professional and a wildly embarrassing mother to her teenage son. It may led Milburn to blur the line between her work and personal life, but she brings a progressive, science-based approach to sexuality, desire, and even shame. From her sessions with patients to her later pregnancy storyline, she evolves into a figure who knows growth, not perfection, is the endgame. 

4. Dr. Sidney Freedman – M*A*S*H*

Psychology Today once named Sidney Freedman the best portrayal of a psychiatrist on television. And few characters have had to deal with the same challenges as the Korean War pscyhiatrist. In a show known for its irreverence and heartbreak, Dr. Freedman (Allan Arbus) appears occasionally but memorably. Freedman offers mental health support to overworked surgeons dealing with death, guilt, and trauma. He’s caring and professional, but willing to throw in a dry joke before moving on. One standout episode is “Dear Sigmund,” in which he narrates a letter to Freud while helping the camp cope with a colleague’s suicide and working through his own form of self-therapy. Freedman offers a moral compass, reminding everyone of their humanity despite their circumstances. 

5. Dr. Sharon Fieldstone – Ted Lasso

Introduced in Ted Lasso season 2, Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles) is brought in to help AFC Richmond players with mental health challenges. Although initially distant, she gradually opens up, especially after a near-fatal bike accident. Her sessions with Ted reveal a deep understanding of trauma and avoidance, and she pushes him to finally confront his father’s suicide. Sharon is firm, respectful, methodical, and perhaps the only person in Richmond who doesn’t fall for Ted’s charm or jokes. If you like a no-nonsense therapist who can keep a kind touch, Dr. Fieldstone is the one for you. 

6. Dr. Malcolm Crowe – The Sixth Sense

Bruce Willis plays Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist working with Cole Sear, a boy who claims to see dead people. Initially skeptical, Malcolm patiently earns Cole’s trust, helping him interpret his ability not as a curse, but as a form of communication. The final twist casts his sessions in a new light, but his impact remains real. His gentle approach, keen observations, and belief in his patient make him a standout fictional therapist, even if the supernatural twist redefines his role. 

7. Dr. Gaby Evans – Shrinking

In Shrinking, Jessica Williams plays Gaby, a therapist in a private practice reeling from the sudden loss of her best friend. She’s upbeat and irreverent, but underneath the jokes is a skilled clinician who knows how to connect with patients and coworkers alike. Her vulnerability surfaces in key episodes, like when she reveals how exhausting it is to take care of others while neglecting herself or how she delicately tries to navigate feelings for Jimmy. Gaby brings emotional intelligence and style to therapy, showing that healing doesn’t have to be humorless.