Psychological Consultation for Scripts, Music, and other creative works

Did you know that you can hire Psychologists to consult on your scripts for all kinds of creative work? Read on to find out why you might want to do this, and how to reach out to one if you’re interested.

Why would a creative project need a Psychologist?

Psychologists aren’t only able to be therapists, lecturers, or lab researchers, we also hold powerful tools for storytelling.

The arts are indisputably some of the most profound influences on peoples’ lives and perspectives across the whole world. Whether it’s relating to individual characters and their struggles, reflecting on crucial decisions made in conflicts, or deconstructions of the circumstances around someone that may drive them to behave in a certain way, the way we engage with the arts is inherently and deeply based in psychology. This is the reason I love consulting on scripts and supporting creatives and performing artists of all kinds.

What can a Psychologist help with?

Psychologists can:

      • Ensure realistic character development, helping creators to craft believable, multidimensional characters by understanding aspects of human behaviour like trauma responses, personality dynamics, and many more.

        • Ensure accurate portrayal of mental health conditions. Misrepresenting mental illness (e.g., romanticising suicide, oversimplifying depression or trauma, depicting schizophrenia as ‘being crazy’), can be exceptionally harmful to those suffering from them. A psychologist’s portrayal is much more likely to be authentic and responsible.

          • Enhancing emotional impact through the use of principles like attachment theory or group dynamics can make stories feel that much more compelling.

            • Improving audience engagement. A psychologist’s understanding of principles like suspense, catharsis, or mirror neurons can help to shape scenes to maximise emotional resonance.

              • Support performers’ wellbeing. Be it providing resources for support systems like counselling or therapy, strategies for coping with stress or difficult subject matter, or even just providing a safe space for these performers to work through their challenging emotions regarding intense roles, a psychologist’s support could be invaluable.

            How does this kind of consultation work? What does it look like?

            Considering the diverse range of supporting roles a psychologist can play that I’ve outlined above, it’s no surprise that this consultation process can take many forms. That said, here are a few common examples:

                • Script analysis, reviewing scripts to assess character motivations, dialogue authenticity, and psychological realism.

                  • Character workshops with actors to help them get into the heads of characters with complex psyches (e.g., how would a veteran with PTSD react in this scene).

                    • Trauma and sensitivity advice, ensuring depictions of subjects like abuse, addiction, or mental health crises are handled with care.

                      • Audience psychology insights to provide an understanding of how certain themes or endings might affect viewers emotionally.

                      • Risk assessment and casting. The details of this kind of consulting could be an article by itself, and involves assessing psychological risk for casting individuals with potential mental health vulnerabilities and offering support to those individuals before, during, and post production.
                       

                      Famous examples of Psychologist-informed storytelling

                      “A Beautiful Mind” (2001) – Psychologists were consulted to accurately depict John Nash’s schizophrenia.

                      “Inside Out) (2015) – Pixar worked with Psychologists to personify the 5 emotions in a scientifically informed way.

                      “Black Swan” (2010) – Experts weighed in on Nina’s psychological unravelling to balance horror with realism.

                      Does your project need a Psychological consultant?

                      If your creative work involves:

                          • Complex character arcs

                            • Themes of mental health struggles

                              • High-stakes emotional scenes

                              • Challenging topics for performers to tackle

                                • The need for historical/biographical accuracy

                              … then a Psychologist might be an invaluable member of your creative team.

                              Final Thoughts, and how to reach out

                              Psychology doesn’t just belong in clinics, it’s also a storytelling superpower. Whether you’re writing a play, directing a film, or composing a musical or a concept album, Psychological insight can elevate your work from being excellent to being unforgettable.

                              My recent adventure with script consultation included a new British original musical titled Unfolding, written by the incredible talent of Emma Vieceli. I was asked to look at the themes of suicide and trauma within the script, and answer some of her specific questions to ensure these themes were represented authentically and sensitively. Here’s a link to the socials of that project:  https://www.instagram.com/unfolding_the_musical/ 

                              If you would like to get in touch with me about a psychological consultation of your work, you can reach me at my email address: drmajajankowska@gmail.com

                              Have you ever noticed a Psychologist’s hand at play in one of your favourite pieces of art? I would love to hear you share those storie

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