AP Photo/Mary AltafferHere's a brilliant analysis: Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook need therapy.
Such was the learned opinion of a Manhattan psychiatrist appointed to evaluate the couple in the run-up to their tabloid-friendly divorce trial, and who made his findings known in a Long Island courtroom today.
Dr. Stephen Herman said he believed Brinkley was more deserving of having primary custody of the couple's two children, Jack, 13, and Sailor, 10.
He also gave a dim appraisal of Cook, labeling him "narcissistic" and "self-destructive" for behavior that included a $3,000-a-month online porn habit, an affair with a teenage staffer and his attempts to cover up those indiscretions.
"[Cook] needs constant reassurance that he is a terrific guy," said Herman, who interviewed the estranged couple and their kids 11 times.
Under questioning by Theresa Mari, an attorney representing the kids, Herman said he believed the 54-year-old Uptown Girl should retain primary custody, noting that shared custody was "not at all a viable option." However, he didn't necessarily believe the 49-year-old architect was a bad dad, even if he's a little depraved.
Herman said Cook should definitely be included in the lives of the children, and even suggested that he take the kids when their mother is out of town for work. As for the Internet porn, he didn't think it was a problem as long as Cook viewed it in private.
While he feels Brinkley is more fit to be a full-time mom, Herman said the erstwhile Sports Illustrated cover girl should "start working on deeper issues...[as] an outlet for her anger and feeling of betrayal" stemming from Cook's philandering.
Another thing she needs to work on, according to Herman: "Her choice of male figures."
Taking the stand later, Brinkley said, "I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of psychotherapy. I believe there are other ways to deal with this." But she quickly added, "I would do whatever it takes" to get custody of the kids, even going to therapy.