Debbie Jellinsky is the gold-digging, murderous, glamorous, Black Widow in Addams Family Values who when Fester says gimme a kiss, she says gimme a 20. Today, we honour her legacy.

In this episode, I explore Addams Family Values (1993) and its portrayal of achieving one’s identity through consumption. 

I talk about:

• Debbie Jellinsky’s origin story
• How Debbie never felt understood by her parents and sought to fill this void through consumer items
• What the consumption habits of adolescents reveal about their values and aspirations
• How companies cash in on our emotions 
• How increased emotional awareness can reduce emotional spending
• How the devil tarot card shows the trap of attempting to find fulfillment through possessions 

Mental Health is Horrifying is hosted by Candis Green, Registered Psychotherapist and owner of Many Moons Therapy, and is proudly produced in partnership with iHeartRadio Canada. 

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Show Notes:

My debut book, HOW TO BE A FINAL GIRL; A Mental Health Survival Guide According to the Horror Genre will be horrifying bookshelves fall 2027. (https://www.manymoonstherapy.com/book)

Tarot for Creative Therapists — Join this course designed for mental health professions who want to learn how to confidently and ethically incorporate tarot into clinical work. (https://candisgreen.podia.com/tarot-for-creative-therapists)

Podcast artwork by Chloe Hurst at Contempo Mint

Theme music is by Sound Gallery by Dmitry Taras via pixabay 

All sound effects and music via pixabay 

Aspiring, Consuming, Becoming: Youth Identity in a Culture of Consumption

The prevalence of compulsive buying: a meta‐analysis