Thoughts From a Future Therapist

Come learn with me as I take this journey to learn my craft. I will be posting thoughts about theories, articles, and other things of interest to the field. ~*DISCLAIMER*~ I am NOT a licensed therapist. I am a graduate student in my Masters program. I cannot give you therapeutic advice and this blog is purely for enjoyment and sharing in educational experience.

[treygotguap]

[the-man-called-joseph-deactivat]

She can also swallow my soul

[dankmemeuniversity]

[tht-guy-nando]

Good, didnt want to be tied down to her either

[thoughtsfromafuturetherapist]

*smile that he paid for the abortion

[playingthegameoflife-deactivate]

Catch These Hands! with your hands. we’re holding hands now. this is nice

[firely]

Life After Trauma 2nd Edition

[this-is-psychosis]

Therapists aren’t people who you “pay to pretend to care about you”, therapists are people you pay to teach you how to care for yourself

[sixpenceee]

Stanford Prisoner Experiment Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford prisoner experiment took place in the 1970s. The psychiatrist took 24 undergraduates and assigned them roles as either prisoners or guards, in a mock prison on campus. After just a few days, 1/3 of the guards exhibited sadistic tendencies, two prisoners had to be removed early due to emotional trauma, and the whole experiment only lasted six of the planned 14 days. It showed just how easily normal individuals can become abusive, in situations where it is encouraged. Source: Stanford University & i09

[huffylemon]

Please be nice to moths 

They spend their whole caterpillar lives thinking theyre going to be beautiful butterflies and then they turn out ugly and everyone hates them.

Please be nice to moths

[yummy-tummy-time]

get out of here, moths are freaking gorgeous have you even seen them

what is there to not love about moths

[raesoldblog]

THE LAST ONE IS SO CUTE

[millenianthemums]

​MOTHS HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG IN THEIR LIVES I WILL NOT STAND FOR MOTH HATE

[asa-de-ouro]

Please destroy the idea that all months are those plain grey things that flap around your lights and make summer nights out annoying

[lildreamysoul]

I WANTED TO ADD MY FAV MOTH WHICH IS THE ROSY MAPLE MOTH

[xylo-copa]

@satanatemymagicbeans APPRECIATE MOTHS YOU MOTH FEARING CHILD

[xvynth]

WHO SAID MOTHS ARE UGLY I WILL F I G H T

[blackbearmagic]

Also, within the order Lepidoptera, which includes moths and butterflies…. moth species greatly outnumber butterfly species. 

So, statistically, it’s much more likely that a caterpillar spends its whole caterpillar life thinking it’s going to grow up to be a gorgeous, colorful, ruffed and fluffed moth like all of those above, and instead it emerges from its chrysalis (not a cocoon; that was its first mistake) as

[forkliftcertifiedlesbian]

Of course they aren’t ugly and mystical af but please don’t underestimate that some of them ARE dangerous! They can happily flap around outside but don’t let them get into your homes 😊

[thoughtsfromafuturetherapist]

Wait moths are DANGEROUS!??? Finally my fear is warrented fuck those dudes!!

[blkbruja]

y’all need therapy. not girlfriends

[yaheartchakra]

Or they need a girlfriend that doesn’t mind listening and trying to help them work through their shit and defeat their fucking demons without asking them to pour out their soul to a stranger who is only listening because it’s their job. That’s the kind of shit you do for the people you love.

[taxidermy-tits]

your partner is not your therapist. listening to your partner is one thing, but it is not their responsibility to help you work through your shit. that is on you.

one more time.

your partner is not your therapist.

[batmanisagatewaydrug-deactivate]

also if I may hop onto this, I REALLY hate when people try to spin “therapists only listen because it’s their job” as a BAD thing. can you imagine if we tried to apply that to literally any other profession?

“why take your phone into the store to get it fixed? they don’t care about you, they’re only doing their job.”

“I don’t want to order a pizza. they’re not making it for me out of the goodness of their hearts, they’re only doing it because it’s their job.”

“why didn’t you just have your girlfriend do that surgery instead of going to a stranger who only saved your life because it’s their job?”

it’s their job because they are better equipped to do it than the other people in your life. jesus christ. 

[star-anise]

I’m a therapist. But I am not my girlfriend’s therapist.

With my girlfriend, I am free to be as partial, as irrational, as loving, as informal, and as irreverent as she and I like. And when we encounter an area of truly deep turmoil, I say–”I wish you’d talk to a professional about that.”

Because when I see clients as a therapist, the entire relationship is structured for them not to care about my wants or needs as a person, except for some very basic things: Meet a the time arranged, call if you can’t come, pay me, don’t physically assault me, don’t assume we’re friends outside of therapy. That isn’t because I don’t love my clients immensely; it’s like ensuring the sterility of an operating room. It’s a necessary basis for some of the work I do.

The self-contained nature of the therapy relationship gives them an environment that can handle the most radioactive of feelings. Inside my office, they can tell me about their rage and frustration with the people they love, and we can discuss whether that feeling is a rational, proportionate response; whether any good would come from sharing that feeling with the loved one in question; what the best way to strengthen that relationship is.  And so a child enjoys life sheltered from the knowledge that their existence might cause their parent bitterness or pain; so a spouse supports my client in their healing from an abusive childhood, without having to talk them down from crisis every time they look a little too much physically like my client’s abusive parent.

I screw up in my friendships and romantic relationships when I am too much of a therapist. When I pursue areas of pain and hurt instead of letting someone feel happy and secure in my presence, when I don’t let anyone see my own needs and feelings and am therefore unreachable, when I respond to my loved ones’ concerns with logical analysis instead of acceptance and sympathy.

My therapy clients do not pay me to care, or to pretend to care. I’m a therapist because I already care. They just pay me so that I can feed and clothe myself while I devote my time to caring about them.

[beepbeepbeepbeep-deactivated202]

Another new comic from my book! It’s out NOW and you can get a copy at superchillbook.com or your nearest bookstore!

[survivorsau]

And if all you did today was wake up and get up out of bed and made it to the couch and watched TV all day….. Good for you!!!! That’s still a step forward.

[burgrs1994-deactivated20151224]

do u ever sing under ur breath and its rly good so u try singing with ur normal voice and 

[thistherapylife]

If you tell me that maintaining confidentiality with teenagers is secret keeping and a “red herring,” I gotta say I’m going ignore a lot of what else you have to say cause I’m going to you know behave in an ethical way that allows me to keep my license

[animalbody]

depressed kids in the media: I don’t wanna go to therapy! I don’t need help! I’m not some specimen for you to dissect!

me, rollin up to my therapist’s office and collapsing in relief: what is UP my homeboy I fuckin missed you,, hope ur ready to hear some Bull Shit that fuckin happened to me this week

[gay-jesus-probably]

families of depressed kids in media: okay sweetie we’ve researched depression for ten hours straight and signed you up for therapy and re-arranged your school schedule to be less stressful

actual parents of depressed kids: look i get you’re sad but someones gotta do the goddamn dishes stop being lazy get up. why didn’t you go to school today, what’s wrong with you, you’re such a burden on this family.

[kremeroyale]

Therapists in the media: *understanding head tilt*

My real live therapist whom I adore: Natalie, that is the DUMBEST thing I’ve ever heard.

[nullannddvooiid]

Therapists in Media: Lets do some art therapy and be really quiet while we talk about your feelings :)))))) also I’m prescribing you 500 different medicines

My therapist Brian who I love to death: Jack, I think your first problem is you stay up too late looking at memes, so let’s try taking a nap

[exjwthings]

My real life therapist: Okay, before we start, I found this hilarious video I know you’d love.

[atheistjw]

Therapist in media: serious face the whole time

My therapist: *laughs awkwardly*

[skirris]

therapists in media: refined, cultured, poised, “I’m afraid I haven’t [heard of the nerdy thing their patient just referenced]”

my old therapist derek, from across the reception area, seeing me for the first time after the summer of 2015: HEY DID YOU SEE AGE OF ULTRON?? IT SUCKED, RIGHT???

my current therapist ian, in our very first appointment: do you like star wars? anxiety is like the force, it can consume you, or you can learn to keep it in balance… you’re my padawan now

[mmmm-gross]

Actual things my therapist has told me:

“You’re bassicly a glorified sad lizard.” (It makes sense with context)

“Damn girl you need to get your shit together.”

“Go home and cry. Stop drinking in bathtubs. Eat something that isn’t bleach or memes.”

I’ll add more tomorrow after I see her again.

[sixpenceee]

Stanford Prisoner Experiment Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford prisoner experiment took place in the 1970s. The psychiatrist took 24 undergraduates and assigned them roles as either prisoners or guards, in a mock prison on campus. After just a few days, 1/3 of the guards exhibited sadistic tendencies, two prisoners had to be removed early due to emotional trauma, and the whole experiment only lasted six of the planned 14 days. It showed just how easily normal individuals can become abusive, in situations where it is encouraged. Source: Stanford University & i09

[tobeagenius]

valentines day for nerds

[sixpenceee]

Mental illnesses or disorders sketched by Shawn Coss for Inktober. 

[this-is-psychosis]

Therapists aren’t people who you “pay to pretend to care about you”, therapists are people you pay to teach you how to care for yourself

[voce-morti]

Me: I am violently depressed.

Therapist: Oh! Sounds like you need to do YOGA! That will help!

Me: *signs up for yoga*

Me: *is violently depressed in Downward Dog*

[mx-mythical-deactivated20260319]

Me: I hate myself and only see my flaws

Therapist: ok lets refocus on things you like about yourself. This week i want you to try and journal about good things you’ve for yourself and others.

Me: *does the homework* yeah but i still hate myself but feel bad cause i shouldn’t

Therapist: feeling like you shouldn’t hate yourself is a step in the right direction. Mental health is complex and isn’t something that will ~magically~ improve. We have a lot of hard work head of us but I’ll be here to help you.

TL;DR stop perpetuating the idea that therapy is unhelpful because the results are not instantaneous.

[kcsplace]

FUCKING THIS.

As a psychologist the amount of bullshit on this site, the amount of fucking dangerous bullshit on this site about how therapy is neurotypical bullshit and isn’t worth it and how exercise is pointless and good diet is pointless and that therapy homework is pointless DRIVES ME UP THE FUCKING WALL

Exercise is fucking important. good diet is fucking important therapy is fucking important. WHY???

because pills alone don’t help. they improve the hormonal imbalance (as does exercise and good diet which ALSO are a form of very real self care as your physical being is sorta connected to your mental one but go fucking figure right?), but guess what? the suicidal thoughts, the thoughts of harm, the thoughts of hating yourself, they’re still there.  suicides actually increase when medicated.  why? because suddenly you have the energy to fulfill thoughts of harming yourself.  which is why you NEED therapy alongside pills.

it has taken you years, or decades to create your maladaptive thought processes and behaviours.  that shit doesn’t disappear overnight. core beliefs don’t change overnight. these are the very fucking core of your personhood, your being and personality. THAT TAKES TIME TO CHANGE

STOP ACTING LIKE THERAPY IS SHIT IF IT DOESNT WORK IN TWO SESSIONS

[potrix-the-queerschlaeger]

^This!!!!!

[anightlybarmitzvahinthemix]

I’ve been in therapy for a while and it wasn’t until the last session that my therapist suggested working more into my trauma by starting a different therapy method. I have done so many things that I thought were ridiculous but I did them religiously and guess what? They worked! They have helped me get to the point where I am. I still have much further to go but you bet I’ll fucking write a daily affirmation list if it helps me feel a little less depressed or a little less anxious.