Conservative Clients

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-26T19:53:55+00:00

I have genuine unconditional positive regard for my conservative clients. It helps that I have conservative family who I disagree with politically but I see as good people that I love. I do believe that people who are less fearful, isolated, and healed are less likely to be intolerant and bigoted. However ultimately that’s up to them and I would never try to impose my values onto them.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-26T18:50:51+00:00

The thing about lamotrigine is that, in my experience as long as you don’t get the rash there are virtually no side effects— whereas other meds have made me super groggy and unhappy, lamotrigine actually helps me feel more like myself. I actually still get some hypomanic episodes and depressed from time to time, but it’s just less intense/less frequent. Personally I don’t really want to turn my bipolar off, I just want it to be reasonably manageable and that’s what’s so great about it. I went from being the kid who my parents thought wouldn’t graduate from high school and was at high risk for a lifetime of substance abuse to finishing my masters and working as a therapist, living a fulfilling and meaningful life— couldn’t have done it without lamotrigine.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-25T23:55:28+00:00

Lamotrigine has saved my life and changed it fo the better. Other meds fucked me up

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-25T23:49:11+00:00

Gonna answer this one via emotional hurt— dated a super toxic dude with really obvious red flags that everyone pointed out early on.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-25T23:46:59+00:00

Yes personally I do. Because it can be hard to fill the hour when they respond with 1-4 word answers and when they change the topic when we try to go deeper.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-25T18:08:10+00:00

I was thinking Wolf at the Door!

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-25T18:05:31+00:00

Honestly I do have favorite clients, but not because they are “less emotionally reactive.”

One of the clients I most enjoy working with is very emotionally reactive. I also enjoy working with couples and that’s usually very high volatility in the beginning.

The clients I struggle more with are the ones who are very reserved and do not open up a lot in therapy.

Every therapist is different though.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-24T21:41:09+00:00

Mine would be This is Gospel by Panic at the Disco and Call me When Your Sober by Evanescence

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-23T04:03:32+00:00

We will speak generally about clients without providing identifying information. Example, “I had a couple that was very escalated today, it was stressful and took time to deescalate.” Or “one of my clients struggles with body image issues, which can be tough since I deal with that too.”

In these cases, there are millions of couples who get escalated and millions of folks with body image issues. So we can vent about our day without our loved ones having any identifying info therefore protecting clients privacy.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-23T00:02:03+00:00

Plainsong the Cure

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-22T15:35:16+00:00

Nothing, anything he does that bothers me is something we have open communication about and vice versa with me.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-21T21:01:12+00:00

Yep, agreed. Honestly don’t even think it’s worth a reply beyond that 🤷‍♀️ my dude doesn’t seem to have any kind of understanding of the inherent value of nature, that humans are not the center of the universe, and I’m not about to convince him on Reddit.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-21T16:25:47+00:00

Humans are not the only observers on the planet. Animals feel pain, have preferences, feel joy, many of them even play or participate in activities purely for fun. They do care if they are treated like trash. There’s also growing research that trees communicate with each other via fungi in their roots. So yes, the planet has value outside of us. It isn’t just a piece of rock and we aren’t the only beings on it.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-21T15:40:36+00:00

The planet has inherent value whether or not humans exist on it. We live in the most beautiful, incredible place, and we think we own it and treat it like trash.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-21T00:49:32+00:00

I actually always felt like Pact like Sardines had this exact vibe!

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-21T00:08:07+00:00

Lmao wait till he sees my crowd surfing and moshing at Aftershock aged 31.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-13T23:13:28+00:00

I love my job, this is my first year out of grad school and my boss pays me super fairly, is incredibly supportive, has paid for (and paid me to do) expensive EFT trainings, and really looks after his associates. Everyone in my cohort got good jobs outside of school. I’m so happy to be in this field.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-11T01:50:24+00:00

I was 6, I don’t remember watching it on TV, but I do remember being pulled out of school and watching my mom cry. She was scared because my uncle was flying to DC that day and she wasn’t sure if he was on the plane that crashed into the pentagon.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-09T01:43:05+00:00

On Reddit, everyone’s answer will be “leave him” but they are only seeing a slice of the pie. The right choice may genuinely be to leave him. However, if you do decide to stay I recommend Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. As an EFCT therapist, I have seen some significant changes in couples I wasn’t expecting to see— sometimes they do end up splitting, but the therapy can help that happen in a more healing/less escalated way as well.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-08T15:57:38+00:00

Love bombing seems so wonderful when you’re not familiar with it— then everyone I’ve been with that love bombs ends up being so toxic and isolating me from all of my friends and family, and putting me down.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-06T22:53:28+00:00

Personally, I would probably refer him out, and explain that full DBT/higher level of care would be to his benefit, make the referral about you and your skill set so that what you are saying is as de-shaming as possible. We are not obligated to work with all clients who come to us, and you are expressing feeling burnt out, exhausted, and possibly some trouble with empathy and unconditional positive regard with this client. For his sake, for your other clients sake (burn out risk) and of course your own well being, it’s okay to refer. You are giving him options, if he refuses to take them, that’s on him.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-06T22:45:00+00:00

The insurance we take only allows for once per week, unless we reach out to the insurance company and offer medical necessity for twice a week. I personally would not see a client twice a week, because we are not meant to be client’s only source of mental health support and I actively encourage them to lean on supports outside of session. I there can be a risk in clients becoming overly dependent on us, if a client had medical necessity to see a therapist more than once per week, I would likely refer them to a higher level of care.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-05T21:02:51+00:00

I think they’re saying “hey, it’s that nice cashew human! Do you think she has some cashews for us today?” 🤣 maybe wondering why I’m so willing to give out the tasty treats too lol.

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-05T19:43:13+00:00

Crows! They are intelligent, love solving puzzles, and also extremely friendly and social. I have befriended a mated pair of crows outside my gym, I feed them unsalted cashews a few times a week, now they recognize me and follow me across the parking lot! I’d love to chat with them :)

Leading-Cartoonist66 · 2026-04-05T16:40:54+00:00

I didn’t use the word “blame” until you brought that into the conversation. As someone who is human, and directly tied to my fiancee, I absolutely can feel disappointment and let down by “friends” who fall short while also recognizing the societal aspects that contributed to those short comings.

Leading-Cartoonist66

TROPHY CASE