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It seems like itās become such a cultural norm at this point, especially amongst my generation, to tout the benefits of therapy. āThey need to go to therapyā
āIām going to therapyā
āGo to therapyā
While Iām a strong proponent of destigmatizing mental illness and getting the help we need, thereās been questions on this topic Iāve been mulling over the past couple weeks:
How do therapists know when a client is just telling their skewed side of the story? What if they have a client who is manipulative and always paints themselves as the victim? How does a therapist see through that? And if they donāt, then wouldnāt that be enabling unhealthy behavioral patterns?
Iām reminded of a story from my childhood, when my brother went to therapy and my mom had to be there with him for some reason, and she would end up dominating the conversation with the therapist and painting herself as the victim and he would leave the session defeated. Every time he would recount these stories to me, I would think to myself, why did the therapist not facilitate this better?
I guess we all talk about going to therapy, but no one talks about what makes a good therapist, about how to find a competent therapist that fits your needs, and about being radically honest with yourself about the kind of help you really need.
Anyway - if anyone reading this is a therapist or mental health professional who can answer my questions above, I would greatly appreciate itš
While Iām a strong proponent of destigmatizing mental illness and getting the help we need, thereās been questions on this topic Iāve been mulling over the past couple weeks:
How do therapists know when a client is just telling their skewed side of the story? What if they have a client who is manipulative and always paints themselves as the victim? How does a therapist see through that? And if they donāt, then wouldnāt that be enabling unhealthy behavioral patterns?
Iām reminded of a story from my childhood, when my brother went to therapy and my mom had to be there with him for some reason, and she would end up dominating the conversation with the therapist and painting herself as the victim and he would leave the session defeated. Every time he would recount these stories to me, I would think to myself, why did the therapist not facilitate this better?
I guess we all talk about going to therapy, but no one talks about what makes a good therapist, about how to find a competent therapist that fits your needs, and about being radically honest with yourself about the kind of help you really need.
Anyway - if anyone reading this is a therapist or mental health professional who can answer my questions above, I would greatly appreciate itš
Feb 14, 2024
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šCan we talk about how great therapy is? The things I tell that woman broā¦ and like she will laugh with me when I tell her all the dumb shit Iāve done. And honestly shes low key in my head and always knows what Iām thinking and validates my experiences, itās great !! 10/10 would recommendā¦ especially if itās provided by your school!
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It's not enough to scroll through hundreds of Tweets about current pop culture events ā I need a licensed professional's full psychoanalysis.
Jan 19, 2024
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š®Like the psychiatry industrial complex is real and im not sure me having therapy ever truly escapes this but she is great and also South African and is ready to place everything in a societal contexts and really unpack the origins of different notions of the uses and non uses of diagnosis with me. and like wow she is just great.
Feb 14, 2025
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šLately, Iāve been trying to reconcile my love for fashion and my cynicism around overconsumption culture & its negative implications and detriments to our plant.
I made a commitment to myself to drastically decrease how much I buy, and I ask myself these questions whenever I feel the urge to buy purchase items that are not considered needs: What void am I trying to fill? Is it a lack of purpose, a weak sense of identity? What about this item do I like and is there longevity in its qualities or is it fleeting? Is this just a short term dopamine hit? How can I be creative with what I currently have? Will I love this a year from now? How is this trend connected to our culture at large and am I just a victim to a broader marketing campaign?!
Another thing I have found helpful is to gather my favorite pieces that I currently have, and think of what specifically I like about them and why I wear certain pieces so often: Comfortable to the touch, practicality, versatility with my everyday lifestyle, unique silhouettes and texture, and neutral colors
Keeping these things in mind really help me to make more informed purchasing decisions. Some books Iām currently reading that relates to this topic are: Deluxe by Dana Thomas The Day the World Stops Shopping by J.B MacKinnon
I made a commitment to myself to drastically decrease how much I buy, and I ask myself these questions whenever I feel the urge to buy purchase items that are not considered needs: What void am I trying to fill? Is it a lack of purpose, a weak sense of identity? What about this item do I like and is there longevity in its qualities or is it fleeting? Is this just a short term dopamine hit? How can I be creative with what I currently have? Will I love this a year from now? How is this trend connected to our culture at large and am I just a victim to a broader marketing campaign?!
Another thing I have found helpful is to gather my favorite pieces that I currently have, and think of what specifically I like about them and why I wear certain pieces so often: Comfortable to the touch, practicality, versatility with my everyday lifestyle, unique silhouettes and texture, and neutral colors
Keeping these things in mind really help me to make more informed purchasing decisions. Some books Iām currently reading that relates to this topic are: Deluxe by Dana Thomas The Day the World Stops Shopping by J.B MacKinnon
