Film and Book Reviews

How do Eastern religions, spirituality, and cultural psychiatry shape our understanding of mental health?

“Poets don’t have biographies. The work is their biography.”

Jessi Gold, MD, MS, writes about the emotional challenges of healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through patient stories and her own reflections, she uncovers what happens when clinicians are asked to "feel."

What does Han Kang’s 2007 book reveal about psychiatric diagnoses and societal pressure?

Looking to buy books as gifts this year? We've got you covered.

How should psychotherapy supervisors go about their supervision? Sharon Packer, MD, reviews Supervising Individual Psychotherapy (The Guide to “Good Enough”) and offers her insight into how the book can guide the future of psychotherapy supervision.

Can "healing" life trauma help improve bipolar disorder symptoms?

Awais Aftab, MD, shares more on his upcoming book.

Is love blind? A psychiatrist analyzes the viral reality tv experiment.

A review of Marty Makary’s Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong and What It Means for Our Health (Bloomsbury, 2024).

For psychiatrists, can a poorly made film contain themes worthy of analysis?

This book seeks to reduce the stigma surrounding teen pregnancy.

Are there parts of the movie “It Ends With Us” that could have suicide protective effects for viewers?

A book for all psychiatrists with woman patients and for all parents.

This book can help readers looking to navigate the confusing landscape of mental health advice, and assist them in protecting themselves and their loved ones from exploitative tactics.

Need summer reading recommendations? We've got you covered.

The movie “Inside Out 2”: good for mental health explorations for individuals of all ages.

In this 2-part series, a psychiatrist explores the connections between hostage films and psychiatry.

Check out this review of Ronald W. Pies’ latest book!

Using Dune as an indicator of the future of psychiatry…

As we enter the second coming of psychedelics popularity, H. Steven Moffic, MD, looks ahead to their third coming. Will it be similar to that of Dune?

Science fiction or reality? Women’s rights take the center stage in today’s discussion, and in the new movie “Dune: Part Two.”

H. Steven Moffic, MD, views the Dune book and movies through a psychiatric lens.

Over the last century and even longer, we have taken a useful fossil fuel energy road that has also led to the problematic adverse effects of acute and long-term disasters. Is this reflected in current popular films like “Dune: Part Two”?

“Dune: Part Two” releases today. What social psychiatric implications might it have for our current society?

“This book is an original piece of psychiatric treatment didactics that has very useful characteristics for the benefit of well-motivated patients and conscientious mental health professionals.”

This book offers positivity via a unique form of poetry.

Discover how this thought-provoking novelette by a psychiatrist weaves rich characters, a suspenseful plot, and profound insights, leaving readers pondering the complex questions it raises about God, violence, and human compassion—and feeling moved.

In this insightful interview, experts discuss the journey toward a more humanistic approach in psychiatry, the challenges of integrating biological and psychosocial aspects, and the need for comprehensive training for future psychiatrists.

The series explores the origins of the first opioid crisis in the United States.