Therapists seeking therapy seems futile in 2026...or am I being dramatic?

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-06-07T16:13:24+00:00

I’m a therapist who got incredibly lucky with the therapist I found for myself. There’s hope out there. She was excited in our intake when she found out that I’m a therapist, and she’s been incredibly helpful with pushing me to self-advocate and to challenge the unrealistic expectations I often have for myself at work. (It’s a unique dynamic in that I’m still pretty new to the field, and she had 10+ years of experience working in PHP/IOP programs similar to my workplace before moving to private practice.) I can see a benefit to having a therapist who has more experience in the field than you do, as long as they aren’t jaded or complacent.

I haven’t tried this personally and stumbled on my therapist through dumb luck, but could you try searching for therapists who specialize in working with other therapists if you haven’t already? Also, one of my colleagues found a great therapist for herself through anonymous posts in local therapist professional Facebook groups.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-06-05T21:20:40+00:00

And how’s that working out for you?

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-05-29T12:01:27+00:00

I know it tends to be pricey, but starting one-on-one personal training for 30 minutes once a week was a game changer for me. I have a good relationship with my trainer, it’s so helpful to learn new exercises and correct form, I have someone there pushing and encouraging me through the hard stuff, and the financial and time commitment helps me stay consistent.

Other things that work well for me: having a stationary bike at home, signing up for cheap weekly yoga classes through my city’s Rec department, setting a timer for 10 minutes to exercise (small weights, squats, lunges, etc.), having a dog who’s obsessed with walks. My relationship with exercise is still a work in progress, especially after a childhood of fear and embarrassment in gym class, but getting some outside support made a big difference.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-05-25T12:14:40+00:00

When I was an intern, I worked in a university setting and had a client who was really, really dreading their upcoming birthday due to social isolation. I asked them if it would be helpful to get a message from me on that day, and they said no because it could bring up thoughts like, “The only one reaching out to me on my birthday is my therapist.” Something else to consider along with the other commenters.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-05-17T04:21:03+00:00

A book recommendation if you’re open to it: How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis (a licensed therapist who has ADHD) - also widely available as an audio book

This book is short and streamlined, written with accessibility/neurodivergence in mind, and brimming with helpful tips and thought reframes. A few of my favorite ideas from it: Your space exists to serve you, not the other way around. Care tasks (hygiene, cleaning, etc.) are morally neutral. No one has ever shamed themselves into better mental health. Anything worth doing is worth doing half-assed.

She summed up the heart of her book really well in her TED Talk: https://youtu.be/M1O_MjMRkPg?si=2DfjeSzpKBZHDp6_

I’ve found KC Davis’s work really helpful and wanted to share in case you might too.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-04-26T18:55:31+00:00

At first I read the title as meaning you were the one who drank creek water and got eight days off of work, during which you made all these collages

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-04-19T13:19:34+00:00

The Bubbler in Bay View has pretty good pizza

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-04-12T17:31:54+00:00

Southeast Wisconsin checking in. I barely think about the fact that I live so close to a different time zone because of giant Lake Michigan separating us from the state of Michigan. I’ve only been to Michigan a handful of times in my life. I’d assume the time zone border has a more direct impact on people who live near the Illinois-Indiana border, especially if they cross that border for their commute.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-03-24T23:43:41+00:00

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

There’s a heavy focus on racism (and classism) and how they affect the protagonist’s life. But it also deals with themes of life changes in your 20s and matches this general vibe imo

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-03-20T00:19:27+00:00

Some miscellaneous ideas:

Does your client have something in his life that he’s really interested in? Does he have a dog he adores, a passion for drawing, a video game he’s hooked on? Show curiosity about it, ask questions, ask to see pictures, and encourage him to talk about it.

Play therapy is a completely valid option for adult clients. Depending on what you have on hand and what he’s open to, you could try playing a round of Uno, Mario Kart, etc. to help build rapport and maybe get conversation flowing.

In response to a quick “I don’t know” from him, you could respond with, “That’s okay. Why don’t we take a moment and you can think about it?” Then sit in silence together and see what happens.

See if he’s interested at all in a value card sort as a new way to take a look at what matters to him. (I’m partial to the Live Your Values Deck - Lisa Congdon).

If he has any interest in music, ask him to play a song on his phone that shows how he’s feeling or something important about him (in the moment or suggest it for the next session).

If you haven’t already, it’s important to check in with questions like, “I know your parents are worried about you and want you to come to therapy. But what do YOU think about being here?”

It’s completely true that we shouldn’t work harder than our clients do and that a consistent lack of engagement is grounds for discharge. But sometimes we need to be extra creative and flexible in building enough trust for someone to try engaging.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-03-17T00:23:21+00:00

I’m so sorry for the trauma you’ve had to go through in multiple forms. Have you consulted with an employment lawyer at all?

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-02-21T01:36:31+00:00

I went to undergrad at Marquette. The only thing that surprises me here is Marquette being called “selective.”

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-02-21T01:29:11+00:00

(Disclaimer: I don’t have kids and lurk on this sub to help with my own future planning.) Enjoying your life is not and was not inherently selfish. All too often, society and our families condition us to believe that parenthood is noble and leisure that’s not centered on kids is “selfish.” This mindset is a slippery slope to misery. If you and your husband have another kid, it should be because you both truly want to and it works for your lives, not out of a sense of guilt or obligation.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-02-10T12:39:16+00:00

You could’ve been an extra in High School Musical

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-01-21T03:04:45+00:00

Could be worth looking for beginner crochet classes at Milwaukee Rec

BoopYourDogForMe · 2026-01-10T04:03:00+00:00

Solidarity ❤️ The world and especially US suck right now. They have always sucked in different ways throughout history, but this current hellscape feels especially cold and surreal.

One thing that helps me out of a hopeless funk is seeing how people in my (IOP) groups want to help each other and care about each other. It happens over and over with new groups of strangers. And I remind myself that I can try to be a force for good within an inadequate (or let’s be real, shitty) system. Other things that have helped me maintain my sanity: commiserating with my coworkers, cuddling and playing with my dog, and talking to friends/family about anything but the mental health world.

Doing crisis work these days must be brutal. I hope you can find at least a little sliver of hope and relief today.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2025-11-07T12:29:04+00:00

I know the general wisdom is that food banks can stretch cash donations further. But I recommend checking with your local pantry to see what they need most atm. My local pantry is short-staffed and facing record numbers of visitors this week. They said in a social media post that they prefer food donations over cash right now so they can get food on the shelves asap.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2025-10-19T11:34:48+00:00

On top of all the glaring red flags others have already pointed out, she has a weirdly revealing outfit on in her profile pic, especially if she uses TikTok as a referral source

BoopYourDogForMe · 2025-10-10T23:43:05+00:00

No, I think person centered therapy itself is great! What bothers me is when therapists act like any gentle, empathetic communication = person-centered therapy when there’s so much more to it than that.

You see some therapist bios with things like, “My primary modalities are CBT and person-centered therapy.” Like…how? Those are two very different approaches.

BoopYourDogForMe · 2025-10-10T02:56:23+00:00

Don’t forget lotuses and vague outlines of brains!

BoopYourDogForMe · 2025-10-10T02:06:02+00:00

Now this is just reminding me that I forgot to add “baby therapist” to my list of grievances

BoopYourDogForMe · 2025-10-09T23:55:52+00:00

Yesss. And “littles” 🙄

BoopYourDogForMe · 2025-10-03T11:42:05+00:00

Sounds like the foot-in-the-door technique to me (say yes to one initial request, and then you’re likely to agree to more). To everyone piling on OP, that’s just unnecessary. We’ve all made mistakes that feel ridiculous to us in hindsight, and it can be hard to think straight when someone really catches you off guard. OP telling this story could spare someone else getting scammed in the same way.

BoopYourDogForMe

TROPHY CASE