A therapist’s job is to help empower their patient to manage their problems. To do this, a therapist observes and analyzes their patient, but they usually don’t just come right out and say what they think of them. That’s not really the point. A therapist is supposed to help you reach conclusions on your own, not just spoon feed them to you.
Still, that doesn’t mean therapists don’t make judgments about their patients. Therapists are human beings and being judgmental is human nature! The trick is to not let your biases and opinions affect the treatment.
And that’s why the format of anonymous public confession is so handy. A therapist might not be able to tell a patient she thinks he’s a jerk, but she can tell the entire Internet, consequence-free. In a recent Reddit thread, Redditor u/Sandb4gger69 asked psychologists to share something they’d like to say to their patients but never could. And Reddit’s psychologists had a lot to say, posting over 3,000 replies.
Many of their replies were clearly written to vent about a difficult patient. But in some cases, you can tell a therapist feels like a patient’s problem is beyond the scope of therapy. Therapy is good for everyone, but it has its limitations just like everything else.
1. My official diagnosis? You are a manchild.
Photo Credit: Theduckisback
2. Sometimes, the patient isn’t the problem.
Photo Credit: isnt_existence_crazy
3. Other times, the problem isn’t the problem–the patient is.
Photo Credit: isnt_existence_crazy
4. This should be embroidered on a throw pillow.
Photo Credit: twincityraider
5. Therapists have their own problems, too.
Photo Credit: obvious_freud
6. Credit where credit is due.
Photo Credit: forteruss
7. My official diagnosis? You’re an a*hole.
Photo Credit: alexdrac
8. Your therapist isn’t your friend…but she may want to be.
Photo Credit: orchidred
9. That therapist-client confidentiality thing can be a real drag.
Photo Credit: gabrielaalsr
10. Some people are just really difficult to help.
Photo Credit: Franz_McN
11. This therapist should probably try stand-up.
Photo Credit: Lorenzo7891
12. Sometimes the best advice is “Break up!” But you’re not allowed to say that.
Photo Credit: queerpsych
13. LustfulGumby is so done.
Photo Credit: LustfulGumby
14. My diagnosis? You need more Vitamin D.
Photo Credit: alexdrac
15. And then, sometimes you come face-to-face with evil.
Photo Credit: excel958
h/t: Someecards