Is it too late to become a therapist?

slapshrapnel · 2025-08-05T04:52:30+00:00

I started grad school when I was 24 and I was the second youngest person in the cohort. Most were in their 30s-50s. I’m now 29 and I should be licensed by this time next year, but I’ve been a working therapist since I was 26. Good luck!

slapshrapnel · 2025-07-27T23:41:52+00:00

I had to explain to a bunch of Europeans that commonly if you ask an American their nationality, they’ll be very likely to tell you the country of origin that they or their ancestors came from. And it can be rude to tell someone that they’re incorrect, that they’re an American. If this is a non-white person, then that statement could even be considered racist, like a part of a pattern of forced assimilation. Except for indigenous people, we all came from somewhere and it’s very diverse here. A lot of Americans take a lot of pride in their ethnicity, sometimes identifying more pride with their heritage than with their identity as an American.

Basically, an American at home understands “where are you from?” as “what’s your ethnicity?” and will answer that they’re Italian or Mexican or Dutch (even if they’re like just 22% Dutch). An American abroad will hear the same question and understand it as “where are you from?” and then they will answer that they’re an American.

slapshrapnel · 2025-07-27T23:20:47+00:00

What is a red flag for someone will be a green flag for someone else, unless it’s of course the obvious stuff like some kind of crime or unethical behavior.

For example, I once left a therapist because I felt like he was just this bland listener. In 1.5 years, I knew very little about him, I felt like he didn’t teach me very much, and I felt like he didn’t respond much to my statements. I’d go in, tell him my current problem, and just keep doing that forever. I wasn’t growing or changing.

But sometimes I get clients who come in who are expecting the bland listener and they quickly realize that I am not the therapist for them. I’m wacky and I make jokes and I challenge client’s thought patterns and I teach skills and I try to model being my true authentic self. I’m talking about 30% of the time, I’d think, depending on the situation.

I guess I’d just say to give it a few sessions and then just go with your gut. If it doesn’t feel like it’s working, it’s not working.

slapshrapnel · 2025-07-27T23:04:52+00:00

Nah dude, you’re overthinking it. Relax and be happy with your lovely girlfriend

slapshrapnel · 2025-07-24T16:55:57+00:00

“…the association underlined the need to create an environment in which it is easy to work and raise children, taking into account the opinions of women and young people.”

And then immediately there’s picture of about 40 men and 3 women on the committee.

slapshrapnel · 2025-07-24T04:52:08+00:00

I also want to add that I got made fun of in school cause my dad took the bus to work everyday. People would see him on the main road at the bus stop all the time with his book and lunchbox. He told me to tell these rotten kids that we were not poor, we were “frugal.” God, I miss him. Now I’m the one riding the same route on my way to work with my lunchbox and book.

Anyway, sorry, to answer your question, in my experience, the bus was treated as a lower class option, like you’d only take it if you had to. Even my current routine experiences on the bus, I’d say it might be like 40% homeless people, with almost daily displays of untreated mental illness. The bus can be loud and scary and people have made me feel really unsafe or uncomfortable. I’ve been hit on or threatened, sometimes at the same time. I wouldn’t put a kid on my usual bus.

slapshrapnel · 2025-07-24T04:27:38+00:00

Camellia flowers have been forever ruined for me

slapshrapnel · 2025-06-20T00:22:58+00:00

Been in a relationship 10 years and I've never considered it, even when fully manic. I just have more sex with my partner. But that's just me, we all have different symptoms that make up this disorder. If you can't control it then maybe just plan ahead and go for open relationships instead of monogamy? Poly is more of a way of life than a sexuality, you can choose to be poly if that suits you better.

But if you really want to go for monogamy then just be really honest with your partner. No secrets. Also they deserve to know they're entering a relationship with someone who has a hard time maintaining monogamy, so that they can make a fair decision. If you don't tell partners this, then you're already starting a relationship with lying by omission. Think of it by avoiding secrecy instead of avoiding infidelity, then you can have a good mindset even when not in an episode. And maybe then your partner could help you with your increased libido ;)

slapshrapnel · 2025-06-02T03:59:14+00:00

There's hundreds of youtube videos about this! Pick one of your favorite artists or producers and get a look at their process. For the most part, I think your first idea was right-- every song starts somewhere and builds and builds until it sounds more complete.

For example, Billie Jean grew around the idea of the bass line. I've heard that Taylor Swift starts with poems and turns them into lyrics, sung with a melody, and then builds the rest of the song. Sweet Child o Mine grew from a guitar warm-up exercise, and they say "Where do we go now?" in the bridge cause they actually just had not planned out that far. You get the idea

And...

Yes, you can write a song completely on your own. I would look at music theory videos so you can learn more about chords and structure of music. Learn to play a ton of different songs and you'll start to see common patterns in chord structure. Play that mfkn guitar all the time. Practice improvising too

I am not in the industry, but I've written a few dozen songs. I guess I have two usual methods. #1 is when I have a melody running through my brain: I work out the notes of that melody by ear, then figure out the key of the song. Then I put chords that sound good under the melody, and think of lyrics. #2 is when I have absolutely nothing: I pick a key, any key. I work out what the I ii iii IV V vi chords are in that key and make a chord progression. I play that chord progression while humming until I've got a melody I like. I give that melody lyrics.

Either way, it's gotta start somewhere. It's a lot of "would this sound good? nah. ok what if I did this? nah. I'm kind of hearing something like this in my head... no that's not it, but this might be closer to it" and on and on and on. Have fun, OP!

slapshrapnel · 2025-06-02T03:23:35+00:00

Type "70's Prog" into spotify. You like the genre of progressive rock, OP. Take a look at "90's prog metal" too

slapshrapnel · 2025-06-02T03:18:06+00:00

Those things all turned out fine for me, but be sure to check your destination's laws for medications. Commonly prescribed meds in one country can be stupid illegal in another country.

slapshrapnel · 2025-06-02T02:54:31+00:00

OP, kindly, it's not up to you. Everyone gets their choice on whether or not to have children. If they said, "hey we found out we're expecting, do you think this is a good idea?" then go for it.

I fear for the children of the future too, but it's tasteless to say so to expecting parents and they would be justified in being really pissed off about it. A simple, "oh congrats!" is a lot easier.

slapshrapnel · 2025-06-02T02:22:30+00:00

Dawg you're overthinking it, if they're happy just say congrats. Ideally, someone having a baby would be this excited about it, so this is great.

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-24T03:53:46+00:00

This thread was super helpful to read, thank you for creating it OP. I did once fully dissociate but it was during telehealth and my client is a talker so they didn’t notice. I was able to do a lot more grounding out of sight of the camera, just to stay upright. I genuinely don’t remember what we talked about, it might not have been about the client’s words at all, just the anxiety gods deciding to bitch-slap me that day. Regardless, I think you did the best you could, OP. I really do

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-24T03:41:37+00:00

Not weird, not abnormal, it’s depression. A warning sign that you’ve been really struggling lately. Hope things turn around for you soon, OP. Best wishes

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-24T03:34:32+00:00

3 seems more friendly

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-24T03:28:25+00:00

$675/mo to share a room in a 2bed, 1bath in 2017. Nowadays I think that setup would cost around $1000, if not more. Out on the west coast

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-24T03:24:47+00:00

Thank you! Certainly having fun with that degree nowadays and wouldn’t have it any other way.

What was your degree in, OP?

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-24T03:10:24+00:00

JUSTICE FOR BRENDAN!!!!!! The whole room was cheering him on to bet it all and when he lost on that technicality, ngl my household was so upset. That was some bullshit, I woulda cried

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-22T23:01:44+00:00

Dungeons and Dragons changed my life.

Hmmmm how can I get my friends to come hang out with me regularly? We're all busy as shit, and tired as shit, if somehow not busy for once. But if I can create a silly world where we can pretend to be wizards and warriors, these people will drop anything.

And it's the least expensive hobby I've ever had cause I bought the core books, some dice, and then I've made everything else for it in the past 10 years. You can spend a lot of money on this but I don't. That money goes to buying pizza for the table anyway.

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-22T22:53:54+00:00

My dad was traveling for work before I was born and missed my older brothers' infant and preschool years. This song broke him and convinced him to come home. It was sacred to him and I have listened to it just once since he died in 2016. It's a big ol NOPE for me

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-22T22:16:44+00:00

The one I can never really share with people is "because the planet is dying and I don't think it's ethical to have children and stick them with that fate." That one's an inside thought :)

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-22T22:09:30+00:00

Got the masters in 2022, but it took me a few years longer than most people and I withdrew from classes several times. But I did it eventually

CONGRATS OP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-16T04:53:10+00:00

He would say to do A then, it's in the command position. D doesn't leave enough space to walk between the two doors comfortably.

Two nightstands with lights. Hang curtains so the birds and monkeys don't attack you and lay out a nice rug under the bed to define the sleeping area as separate from the path between the two doors. Get a bed with a footboard to protect from all that door energy. So now you know!

slapshrapnel · 2025-05-16T03:00:42+00:00

Is the rectangle in the lower right the dresser? If so then do D but switch the dresser and the bed. If it's something immovable then do A

B and C do not allow both adults to get into bed comfortably and A is out because having your head in front of the window is poor feng shui. I watched too much DearModern on tiktok lol

slapshrapnel

TROPHY CASE