Rules of Engagement

Welcome to On the TV Couch with Dr. Alison!

I am a recently graduated doctor of clinical psychology, and plan to use this blog as a place to explore and generate discussion regarding the representation of mental health professionals in popular media, utilizing a social justice-informed lens.

Yup, that's a mouthful. So what does that mean? Through this blog, I'll be examining, analyzing, and discussing the ways that mental health professionals are depicted in television shows, films, popular books, etc. Moreover, I'll be doing so from a social justice or diversity-informed lens, and also examining and discussing the representation of diversity topics within the popular medium (show, movie, book, etc.) selected.

Social norms in many cultures view both mental health and diversity topics as ones we do not discuss in polite society. Subsequently, many people (myself included prior to grad school!) haven't had the chance to learn and practice the etiquette of discussing these issues. Thus, here are the rules of engagement for this blog:

1. I will moderate comments on this blog to the best of my ability. Subsequently, comments will need to be approved by me before they appear. If your comment doesn’t appear, either a) I haven’t yet read it in order to approve or disapprove it, or b) your comment violated one or more of the rules below, and was deleted. My blog, my rules.
2. No comments will be approved that derogate others based upon their race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sex, sexual orientation, ability/disability, age, class, or religion.
3. No comments will be approved that proclaim a belief in inherent biological, genetic, or cultural supremacy or inferiority of any group of people based upon their race/ethnicity, gender, nationality, sexuality, ability, or any of the identity variables mentioned in Rule 2.
4. No comments will be approved that deny the existence of forms or acts of oppression that have been evidenced by substantive, peer-reviewed historical, sociological, psychological, or other scientific findings. If you want to deny the existence of the Holocaust, racism, sexism, etc.—find another blog. 
5. No comments will be approved that call for oppression against or violence towards anyone for any reason. Law enforcement will be contacted if significant threats of violence are made. 
6. Comments containing abusive language aimed at me, other readers, or anyone else will not be approved. You are absolutely free to disagree with me. You are not free to call me or others expletives or other abusive terms because you disagree. 
7. No comments will be approved that are of a sexually explicit or sexually objectifying nature. Respectful admiration is cool—sexually objectifying or explicit language is not. 
8. Posts or comments lacking substance (e.g., “this is dumb,” “you’re dumb,” etc.) will not be approved. 
9. A TRIGGER WARNING, preferably in bold and caps lock, needs to appear before any comment or post that details sexual violence, gay-bashing, or other highly distressing material.  
10. A SPOILER ALERT, preferably in bold and caps lock, needs to appear before any comment or post that details significant plot content from a TV show, film, book, or other form of media.
11. Commenters who repeatedly violate these rules will be blocked. Period. 

If the premise of this blog hasn't yet piqued your interest, here's a preview of what might be covered in future posts. ;)

Note: Rules of Engagement inspired by and modeled from Tim Wise's Comment Policy.