The Top 10 Best Movie Therapists

5. Dr. Malcolm Crowe- The Sixth Sense

I’m just going to go ahead and get this part over with: Dr. Crowe is dead (it’s been 21 years since the movie came out, people). He’s a ghost. The poor guy was actually killed by a former patient who blamed Dr. Crowe for not being able to help him. However, he also happens to be a child psychiatrist that showed up just in time to help a young boy named Cole who sees ghosts. Needless to say, Cole isn’t handling his “gift” too well and it’s causing him a lot of issues (especially since many of the ghosts are walking around with the injuries that killed them). Unable to shut them out and on the verge of a breakdown, Dr. Crowe appeared to give Cole someone to talk to and work through his issues. The therapy seems to work because Cole is able to accept his abilities and Dr. Crowe is able to find peace and move on into the afterlife. I guess deceased movie therapists are just as good as the living ones.

4. Dr. Mark Powell- K-Pax

None of the other movie therapists on this list have had a patient quite like prot. Committed to the Psychiatric Institute of Manhattan, prot quickly proves to be a special case for Dr. Powell, who isn’t sure what to make of the guy. You see, prot claims to be an alien from another planet. Assuming that he’s simply delusional, Dr. Powell doesn’t take his claims too seriously. However, prot starts to make a convincing case after he reveals potentially impossible, yet verifiable, astronomical information, is able to see ultraviolet light, and displays resistance to Thorazine. Realizing that traditional psychotherapies won’t work on prot, Dr. Powell changes his approach in order to discover the trauma that caused prot’s mind to break with reality. Dr. Powell refuses to give up on his patient and shows nothing but compassion for him throughout the film, making him a personal favorite.

3. Dr. Hannibal Lecter- Silence of the Lambs

So, not all the movie therapists on this list are “good guys.” In fact, one of them might actually be a notorious serial killer and cannibal… That little detail aside, Dr. Lecter is an incredible psychiatrist. So much so that the FBI initially worked with him to help track serial killers before they discovered that Dr. Lecter was the same kind of monster they were hunting. Even after locking him up, they still come to him for help getting into the minds of notorious killers. Devilishly observant and insightful, Dr. Lecter proves himself to be a master manipulator as well when he talks a fellow inmate into killing himself after he offends Lecter. As if being a master of the human mind wasn’t enough, Dr. Lecter was a gifted surgeon before becoming a psychiatrist. This guy knows how to take apart both your mind and body, which makes him the most terrifying psychiatrist of all time.

2. Dr. Tyrone C. Berger- Ordinary People

Dr. Berger is one of the few movie therapists that doesn’t find himself in some fantastical situation. He isn’t a ghost, nor serial killer, and he isn’t treating a mobster. No, he’s faced with a heartbreakingly real situation as he tries to help Conrad Jarrett. After the accidental death of his brother during a sailing trip that Conrad was on as well, the teen is left with survivor’s guilt and PTSD. As if dealing with the past wasn’t enough, he’s also got one of the worst movie moms of all time waiting at home for him every day. It was enough to drive Conrad to attempt suicide, but luckily he didn’t succeed. Dr. Berger offers Conrad a safe place to learn how to deal with his emotions rather than trying to control them. Through extensive therapy and compassion, he helps save this young man’s life in spite of his mother’s vile efforts. 

1. Dr. Sean Maguire- Good Will Hunting

If you haven’t heard of Dr. Sean Maguire, don’t worry. It’s not your fault…

Dr. Maguire is given a tough nut to crack with Will Hunting. The young man is quite literally a self-taught genius smart enough to catch the eye of a professor of mathematics at MIT. The thing is that Will also has a lot of emotional baggage that’s turned him into one hell of an angry young man. This combined with his intelligence and defensive nature means that he’s eaten every other therapist he’s been sent to alive. Enter Dr. Maguire who sizes up Will in an instant and realizes that he has to prove to Will he’s someone who really understands where he’s coming from before the young man will open up. He challenges Will and meets him as an equal, throwing him off balance and causing him to make some real progress. Dr. Maguire isn’t afraid to go against conventions if it’s what is best for his patient and that makes him a damn good talk doctor in my book. 

Honorable Mention: Dr. Oatman- Grosse Pointe Blank

Some guys just won’t take no for an answer. Dr. Oatman has to learn that the hard way when his patient, Martin Blank, reveals that he’s actually a contract killer. The second he does, he tries to end their relationship, but Martin simply doesn’t want to. No matter how much Dr. Oatman insists he isn’t Martin’s therapist anymore (and that Martin should stop killing people), Martin refuses to listen. That’s probably the big reason why their sessions never really went anywhere. It’s not Dr. Oatman’s fault though. Even when he’s put in awkward positions, he still tries to help Martin and give him at least a little good advice. Martin is just beyond therapy. 

Shout-Out: Professor Plum- Clue

So, Professor Plum is technically licensed to be a therapist anymore after having an affair with one of his patients (which is also seriously messed up). However, Clue is a totally underrated gem and probably the best board game film-adaptations ever made (which is a huge accomplishment). Christopher Lloyd is hilarious as a bumbling murder suspect. I doubt he would be much help as a therapist, but Professor Plum is just too good of a character not to give a shout-out to. 

Those are my personal picks for the best movie therapists of all time. It’s quite a collection of psychiatrists, but there are also a lot more out there that didn’t earn a spot. Let me know who your favorite on this list is above or if I missed one of your favorites in the comments below. As always, I’ll be updating this list as new movie therapists open practices on the big screen. In the meantime, you can always check back to see how the rankings might change.