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Transcript

Why psychotherapy Fails, how it can be cringe, and what we can do to fix it

an ongoing conversation about the failure of modern therapy

I like to think my articles and video are not boring. If you agree, please hit that subscribe button like you’re hitting a negative thought.

Psychotherapy is a great asset to mental health recovery and the formation of reslience, but it doesn’t land, it is often worse than NO counseling. Let’s dive into why this is, and how we can combat cringe culture of counseling.

Check out show notes, the authors of the reserach that I quote, and other resources below, for further reading.

summary

In this conversation, Jeremy discusses the various reasons why psychotherapy can fail, including mismatches between therapy models and client needs, gender dynamics in therapy, the problem of over-pathologizing normal human emotions, and the importance of action-oriented approaches. He emphasizes the need for therapists to engage actively with clients, the impact of social media on therapy culture, and the potential pitfalls of therapy becoming an identity. Ultimately, he advocates for a more personalized and effective approach to therapy that prioritizes the therapeutic alliance and actionable insights.

takeaways

  • Psychotherapy often has blind spots and overcorrections.

  • The mismatch between therapy models and client needs can lead to failure.

  • Men may benefit less from traditional therapy due to socialization.

  • Over-pathologizing normal emotions can undermine resilience.

  • Understanding a problem does not guarantee change in behavior.

  • Therapist burnout can negatively impact therapy effectiveness.

  • Therapy language can alienate clients and feel disconnected.

  • Social media can distort the message of therapy.

  • Therapy should not become a performative identity.

  • Effective therapy requires a match between method and therapist personality.

titles

  • Why Psychotherapy Fails: A Deep Dive

  • The Cringe Factor in Therapy

Sound Bites

  • "Not everything's trauma"

  • "The therapeutic alliance is the treatment"

  • "Bad therapy is often worse than no therapy"

Chapters

00:00Introduction to Psychotherapy Challenges

01:48Understanding Why Psychotherapy Fails

04:26The Gender Gap in Therapy

07:36Over-Pathologizing Normal Human Pain

10:10The Need for Action in Therapy

12:52Therapist Engagement and Burnout

15:30The Cringe Factor in Therapy

17:54Influencer Culture and Therapy

20:24Therapy as Identity

22:55When Therapy Works

25:49Conclusion and Call to Action

keywords

psychotherapy, therapy failures, gender dynamics, over-pathologizing, action-oriented therapy, therapist burnout, therapy language, social media therapy, therapy identity, influencer therapists

References

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Barry, J. A. (2020). Strengths-based therapy with men: A positive psychology approach to treating male clients. Routledge.

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