The beginning and the end

Since I know you're all chomping at the bit, here's the first paragraph of my thesis:

The purpose of this study is to examine how the therapeutic process is depicted in modern films produced for American audiences over the past two decades, with special reference to how the conventions of ethics in therapy are treated, and to discuss the implications of these findings for clinical practice. Since the first fictitious depiction of a therapist graced the Silver Screen in 1906 (Schneider, 1987, p. 996), mental health practitioners have been of great interest to movie-going audiences in the United States. The prolific nature of American cinema, coupled with home-viewing technology, has made these portrayals even more procurable over the past twenty years. Inevitably, individuals are bound to make inferences about the therapeutic process, therapists themselves, and to whom they offer their services based, at least in part, on these ubiquitous representations by the film industry.

And here's the last:

Finally, and most importantly, we can continue to practice ethically, as that is what will counteract these distorted representations most effectively. Indeed, social learning theory clearly states that “to the degree that a given individual has been exposed to behavioral experience that contradicts these stereotypes, the stereotype weakens for that individual” (Hedley, 1994, p. 737). The more we practice ethically, the more we weaken cinematic stereotypes.

 
If you're interested in the rest... let's chat :)