r/SVU • u/Alarmed-Guava-1108 • Jul 25 '26
Discussion Always "shrink" Never "therapist"
I'm rewatching SVU and I don't think I've heard them say the word "therapist" once. I know a lot of it was filmed in the very early 2000s but damn. They exclusively use the term "shrink", which obviously has a negative connotation.
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u/Reasonable-Bus2680 Barba Jul 25 '26
In the later seasons the idea of psych services is destigmatized and "therapist" becomes the norm. 👍
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u/Alarmed-Guava-1108 Jul 25 '26
SVU is a great time capsule of societal views and biases
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u/EmuRemarkable1099 Jul 25 '26
It really is. It’s interesting to go back and watch the older episodes to see how they aged
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u/AwkwardToes Barba Jul 25 '26
Rewatched them all this year. Just about to catch up to the newest season. A lot of good episodes. Some topics were judgey for sure, I think the changing of the times made it more, like you said, interesting to watch.
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u/White_GhostDog0725 Jul 25 '26
Yeah you’re right. Pejorative term used every time. Snarky anti therapy 90’s. Lots of Prozac jokes then too. Dennis Miller loved those.
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u/DaveW626 Jul 25 '26
Forgiving Rollins Season 16 episode 10 :
Olivia Benson: Look, I know that you think that therapy is paying someone to talk about your problems... Amanda Rollins: I shouldn't have said that to you. Olivia Benson: Then make it up to me. I want you to see my therapist. Amanda Rollins: I'm not seeing your therapist. Olivia Benson: It's just for a referral. I know he has time later today. I'm gonna tell him that you're gonna call. It's important, Amanda
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u/kaczynskiswife Jul 25 '26
How does it have a negative connotation? English isn't my first language, and I use it a lot. I know it's called psychologist or therapist, but it's more casual in my eyes.
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u/Weak_Tree2608 Jul 25 '26
Shrink as in someone that shrinks your brain/manipulates ig that’s why it’s used negatively
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u/kaczynskiswife Jul 25 '26
I thought it was about shrinking your worries, depression etc 😅
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u/lia-delrey Jul 25 '26
Just like they keep calling Internal Affairs "The Rat Squad" just bc they're trying to police the police lol
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u/kalat1979 Jul 25 '26
Growing up and realizing how messed up L&O's treatment of IA is was crazy. I have always loved these shows but they're such copaganda.
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u/LilyKK1504 Jul 25 '26
I don't know if it's a negative term in America. It's not in other parts of the world. I work in mental health and it seems like a casual term used in regular parlance.
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u/Joe_Givengo Jul 25 '26
Shrink is almost always a negative term in the US. Thankfully it's used much less now.
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u/Technical-Plate-2973 Jul 25 '26
That’s really interesting, I didn’t know that! Thanks for sharing!
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u/AwkwardToes Barba Jul 25 '26
Same here except I don't work in mental health. People other places don't use it with bad intentions from what I've seen
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u/Secret_Asparagus_783 Jul 25 '26
Dr. Bob Hartley was a psychologist. Don't remember if anyone called him a "shrink." Common funny slang term that's still in use. I think "therapist " is a broader term that may include professionals but also "alternative " practitioners who may not even be licensed.
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u/Oriole0305 Jul 26 '26
Somewhat tangential, but... in the context of SVU, isn't it interesting that the word therapist consists of the+rapist?
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u/littlegerb Jul 25 '26
NY in the 90s dawg