Lauren Schwartzbard

I am drawn to telling personal and painful stories. After projects about eating disorders and abusive relationships, it seemed fitting to tell a story about therapy. I myself have been in therapy for several years now and have seen at five different therapists during that time. At the end of my freshman year of college, I had to say good-bye to my therapist, and it was very hard for me. I had no real way to deal with my emotions because people don’t typically talk about their experiences with therapy. Writing this script has allowed me to understand myself better.

A young woman ponders over how her relationship fell apart.

A short script about about a firefighter's first fire in 1962. Inspired by the life of the writer's grandfather.

As someone who has been in therapy since high school and tried a plethora of medications, it is important to me to share stories that increase representation of mental illnesses in a non-romanticized way. This film explores the stark contrast of a depressive episode versus a manic one. From my own experiences, there is a degree to which depression is normalized and accepted in modern society. However, mania and hypomania do not receive the same treatment. This project offers a new perspective on the heartbreak of being harshly treated or misunderstood for feelings and expressions out of human control.