Hello MindSite News Reader! Last week was a busy one for mental health news – the Surgeon General issued a sobering report about youth mental health – as well as mental health research. Find out more about why exercise appears to relieve mild or even moderate depression, why many people were really calling helplines during the first part of the pandemic, and more in our Research Roundup. Also, “Ted Lasso,” an Apple TV+ show that MindSite News profiled for elevating mental health in sports, won more awards from the American Film Institute and Peoples’ Choice Awards. For those of you who missed it, we’re featuring it in this issue.
On the Couch with TV’s Ted Lasso: Hit Soccer Show Champions Therapy
“Ted Lasso,” the winsome Emmy-winning comedy series on Apple+ TV, is a tonic for troubled times – in large part because its lead character’s refreshing sincerity, friendliness, and lack of cynicism are as hard to resist as his signature shortbread.
But “Lasso” has done more than just comfort viewers reeling from the pandemic. In what one writer called “one of the most feel-good shows in one of the most feel-bad years in memory,” the second season saw the sports dramedy shift gears, exploring mental ill health among athletes and their long-suffering coach. The show received praise from therapists for its depiction of a skeptical coach who finally found some solace – and clues to his psychological triggers – in a series of sessions.
“It’s a case of art – or at least popular culture – mirroring real life,” says writer Sarah Henry, who wrote “On the Couch With Ted Lasso” for MindSite News. “We live in anxious times: a global pandemic, racial reckoning, economic uncertainty, political volatility, climate crisis. Mental health matters are front and center right now, even for elite athletes.”
As “Lasso” continues to rack up awards – from Emmys and the American Film Institute to Peoples’ Choice Awards – posts on Reddit and other social media suggest that some men watching the show are considering therapy for the first time. “I’ve been struggling a lot with depression, anxiety, and PTSD,” writes a Reddit contributor. “But last week, when I saw Ted Lasso, a fictional hero of mine, say he didn’t need to see a therapist, I kept thinking how dumb he was not to want to address his issues. It then occurred to me that I’m not addressing my own issues… I decided I should make my own call to see a counselor.”
His first session, he noted, was extremely helpful.
Read our piece on “Ted Lasso” and mental health here.
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Thanks for reading and see you next time,
The MindSite News Team
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