The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy

Has Therapy Become the New Religion?

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Has Therapy Become the New Religion?

Curt and Katie chat about op ed pieces from the New York Times, where there are a lot of opinions on what therapy is and should be. We explore comparisons of therapy to religion, the notion that going to therapy makes one good, safe and dateable, and how therapy seems to have invaded our lives.   

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode we talk about the opinion that therapy has become morally good

Katie likes reading New York Times Op Ed pieces on what therapy is now. We decided to explore some of the questions these articles raise.

What does the New York Times have to say about therapy and therapists?
  • Going to therapy makes you a good person
  • Putting that you’re going to therapy on your dating app is a cheat code – meaning that you are safe to date
  • We have reached a point where we’re more focused on “mental health” than on mental illness
  • Therapy-speak has invaded everything
  • It is toxic to tell everyone to go to therapy
    • What is leading to comparisons of therapy to religion?
    • Decreased membership in organized religion
    • Finding your own morals and values outside of organized religion
    • Finding meaning and purpose through the work you do in therapy
    • A fear of the degradation of social contracts and a rise of moral relativism
      • How are people framing the role of the therapist?
      • Potential for individual exploration of how to live one’s life that is individualized and less tied to specific doctrine
      • Another potential to be seen as giving direction on how to live life
      • The role of community care versus individualized healing
      • Relationship versus individual focus
      • The nuance of what therapy is versus the fears of what is being done
        • What is the fear about therapy being so central in our lives?
        • The worry that people are too self-focused and not sufficiently other focused
        • Pushing back on the status quo and established systems
        • The notion that “therapy is good” and “all people need therapy”
        • Therapy as a status symbol or a designation that I’m a good person
        • Lack of access for folks with mental illness due to “worried well” and “personal growth” clients taking all of the spots


          • Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:

          We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!

          New York Times’ Articles:

          Why Do People Think Going to Therapy Makes You A Good Person? By Mychal Denzel Smith

          We Have Reached Peak ‘Mental Health’ by Huw Green

          Is it Toxic to Tell Everyone to Get Therapy? By Zachary Siegel

          How the Language of Therapy Took Over Dating by Dani Blum

          The Problem with Letting Therapy-Speak Invade Everything by Tara Isabella Burton


          Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined


          Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:

          Is Therapy an Opiate of the Masses?

          Navigating the Social Media Self-Diagnosis Trend


          Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

          Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

          Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

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          The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie VernoyBy Curt Widhalm, LMFT and Katie Vernoy, LMFT
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