PSCSW’s Film Discussion Group Presents “In the Dark”

Clinical Title: A Clinical Understanding of How Young Women with Differences Such as not Having Sight Make the Transition from Childhood to Adulthood
Film: "In the Dark"
Presenter: Marcia Polansky ScD MSW LCSW
Date: December 13th, 2020
Time: 1:30-5:00pm  2 CEs
Where: Zoom Link to be Provided

‘In the Dark’, a series created by Corinne Kingsbury is about a young woman whose best friend was murdered and whose killer she is determined to find. This puts her in the middle of the dangerous world of drug dealing and the police.  Murphy is unsighted and lives with a friend in an apartment, and works in her parent’s non-profit business, that provides seeing eye dogs.  The pilot and first episode   focus on her relationships with her parents, roommate and her friend.  Circumstances of her friend’s life and death begin to be revealed.  During   the course of the series, Murphy works at becoming independent which is complicated by   her not having sight. She is a heavy user of alcohol and sex, using these as coping skills for life which creates further issues for her.   She also starts a   dating relationship.   The series is suspenseful.   Murphy becomes someone  we become attached to as she overcomes difficulties developing herself.

We selected ‘In the dark’ because it explored what life was like for this fictional unsighted young woman and how she became her own person.  ‘In the Dark’ also provides an opportunity to think about Mahler’s ideas about separation and individuation and Selma Fraiberg’s ideas about development for those with differences.

Theoretical orientations: attachment theory, psychodynamic and client centered (Carl Rogers)

Key concepts: separation and individuation, a client centered stance

Objectives

• Understand the effect of parenting style on an adolescent’s transition to adulthood
• Understand the effect of a ‘difference’ such as being ‘unsighted’ affects adolescent and young adulthood psychological and social development
• Understand adaptations used by ‘unsighted’ young adults to live independently and fully participate in their community.
• Understand psychological and social factors contributing to high risk behaviors in late adolescence and young adulthood

About the presenter:

Marcia Polansky has a general private practice in center city. She also has a background in public health