What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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T10 WHATS UP! December 13 - 19, 2020 on "Weiner" (2016), decided to recruit her to be the central fig- ure in the show rather than just advise. Over 1,000 couples applied to be a part of the upcoming spe- cial — a telling number with re- gard to the stress that 2020 has brought upon us all — and, while the couples that were cho- sen were obviously aware they were to be filmed, a great deal of effort was made to keep the pro- duction staff and film crew out of view from the couples as much as possible during their sessions. The hope was that these measures would make the couples feel more comfortable and give them an experience that was as close as possible to a typical therapy session. "Couples Therapy" goes be- yond the normal "reality TV" charade to examine the true na- ture of human reactions and emotions, offering insights and glimpses into the challenges faced by many partners. By showing a side of their lives that's almost never seen by an audience, you can tell that many couples are not as honest with each other as they should be. Guralnik even says at one point in the show, "people do better with the truth than without it." It's a straightforward theory, but for many couples complete hon- esty is not always that simple. When thinking of therapy, most people only look at it from the patient's perspective; this show is challenging that para- digm too. Guralnik's consultant, Virginia Goldner, PhD, also takes part in the series, and to- gether they discuss both what the couples are experiencing, as well as Guralnik's methods of in- tervention. Any good therapy session is an exercise in vulnerability, so it isn't entirely possible to have a successful therapy experience without allowing yourself to be open. "Couples Therapy" has also shown that it's possible to incorporate that sense of vulner- ability into your marriage (espe- cially now that we all know peo- ple like Guralnik really do exist). A qualified therapist can do wonders for a couple across even the deepest chasms of their relationship. If nothing else, this show is proving to its viewers that, even on television — and outside the confidentiality of real-life — therapy can help a struggling couple to rekindle their lost love. Let's hope it also helps to chip away at the stigma that so often overshadows the effectiveness of counseling. Another perk of the series is that it has helped viewers to see therapists in a new light as well (as they, after all, are human, too). They struggle with the re- alities of everyday life just like the rest of us and, in the new COVID-19 special's trailer, Gu- ralnik talks about the frustration that comes from not having her daily ritual of going to the office and sitting down to work with her clients in the way she always has — a change, to which many of us can relate, that has proven to be more difficult than expect- ed. So, grab your spot on the couch and don't miss the thera- pist's wise words to couples cop- ing and connecting during the pandemic. You can catch "Cou- ples Therapy: The COVID Spe- cial" Sunday, Dec. 13, on Show- time. Dr. Orna Guralnik in "Couples Therapy: The COVID Special" continued from page T2 Pandemic partnership: COVID special of 'Couples Therapy' airs on Showtime TV FEATURE Celebrations 5 x 5