Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down The Worst Advice A Therapist Has Ever Given Them

People Break Down The Worst Advice A Therapist Has Ever Given Them
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The job of a therapist is multifaceted.

They have to be excellent and active listeners. They must be masters at holding space for people that need a safe zone to spill it all.

They must know when to interject and push a behavior change, and when to let the client discover the need for change on their own.


So it really is quite rare that a therapist actually makes the move to give advice to a client. It's usually a careful decision to intervene when all other therapeutic approaches haven't yielded results.

Unfortunately, it doesn't always do the trick. In fact, one recent Reddit thread asked people about the times their therapists gave truly terrible advice--so bad it left the patient scratching their head about whether to continue on the following week.

taiwanna asked, "What is the worst advice a therapist has given you?"

Never Good to Guilt Trip the Patient

"I give you a safe place to cry and you don't cry."

"I have bipolar and this was after my husband died. I was in a mixed episode. Because of my meds I seldom cry. It was as if she expected me to cry on cue."

-- Think-Anywhere-7751

Tough to Prove

"A 'therapist' once told my friend the reason why she fought so much with her sister was because they were enemies in a past life, reunited to solve their problem." -- TunyG

"What the actual f***? Surely this wasn't a licensed professional. If so, I imagine they lost their license soon after."

"Hopefully." -- Basgerin

Chances are it is NOT Pokemon

"My first childhood therapist thought that Pokemon was the root of all of my problems. Turns out the root of all of my problems was severe childhood trauma." -- mouthwordpasta

"I'm so sorry to hear that Pikachu mistreated you that way." -- kirotheavenger

"Omg! Mine said rap music was my problem. Hahahaa! Not all the trauma or death of my father... no rap music was my problem. 🤦♀️🤦♀️" -- Andandromeda3821

Only One Way Out

"I had a therapist who really, really insisted that I have to believe in a higher power of some sort. Yeah, I know that has proven positive effects for some people."

"Doesn't mean it works for me. Plus I'm not just suddenly going to start believing in something I haven't for decades, so can we move on, please?"

-- sterlingphoenix

Heather, the Nonbeliever 

"I had one tell my homophobic parents during family therapy 'Don't worry, a lot of teenage girls think they're bisexual. She'll pick a side before she's 21'"

"I'm almost 22 and still haven't 'picked a side', so f*** you Heather."

-- rayqueerza

An Extremely Morbid Approach

"One therapist asked me what I wanted for myself. I said I wanted peace. She said: You will have peace in the grave." -- wintersweet05

"W H A T" -- DaktiloTuna

"what the actual—" -- thatonebandgeek

Seems Like a Personal Choice

"'You need to have another baby'" -- sidewhiner

"Wtf, a therapist said that? Like an actual f***ing therapist? Bruuuuuuh" -- Cheese_globe

"How was that supposed to help you?? 'Here, have another responsibility and more stress. That will solve everything.'" -- bookishweirdo

Just Stop Being You, Okay?

"Stop being sad and speak to people...im depressed with social anxiety and autism" -- DuplicateSolace

"I once had a therapist tell me I should go to events alone, and start talking to randomers, when I told her I might have social anxiety. Stopped seeing her after that comment.." -- theantonia

Sure Fire Way to Explode Later On

"To keep my feelings to myself in order to not cause problems with my family." -- Sigridhavorrk

"f***ing YIKES" -- ThermonuclearCream

"Bottle it up lol duh"

"I mean, really, how did these people get certified? They're teaching the exact opposite things to do. Even I know you don't do that, and I'm f***ing stupid." -- Basgerin

The Least Fun Fact 

"Saw a therapist because of my OCD."

"Told her I had to make my bed every morning in a very particular way, and, in an attempt to get me to 'break that habit' she decided to tell me that 'actually, making your bed traps all the germs in your sheets, which is actually way more gross, so it's better to not.'"

"Result: I was both scared to make my bed and not make my bed. Great."

-- QueenDenjamin

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Cover of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

People's Response To Merriam-Webster's 2024 Word Of The Year Just Proved Their Point

Merriam-Webster dictionary nailed it with their 2024 Word of the Year selection that accurately defined the divisive reaction to the 2024 presidential election results.

The dictionary's account on X (formerly Twitter) declared this year's Word of the Year was, "Polarization," and joked:

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy Mace
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Nancy Mace Rages After Nobody Will Print Her Transphobic Holiday Wrapping Paper Design

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace was called out after sharing a photo of her anti-trans wrapping paper design to lament that "no company" would print it due to its "offensive" nature.

Mace, who has courted significant controversy for her efforts to bar Sarah McBride, the first transgender member of Congress, from using the bathroom that corresponds with her gender identity, shared on social media that she attempted to create custom wrapping paper, seemingly intended for raising campaign funds.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eugenio Derbez; Selena Gomez
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images, Amy Sussman/Getty Images

'Coda' Star Apologizes After Selena Gomez's Classy Response To His 'Emilia Pérez' Criticism

Actor Eugenio Derbez walked back his harsh review of Selena Gomez's Spanish in the new musical crime comedy film Emilia Pérez after she responded with class to the tough criticism of not being a fluent speaker.

Gomez stars as Spanish-speaking character Jessi Del Monte, the wife of a cartel kingpin who undergoes gender-affirming surgery to start a new life as the titular Emilia Pérez.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump
NBC

Trump Dragged After Claiming He 'Started Using' The Word 'Groceries' During The Election

President-elect Donald Trump was dragged after claiming he "started using" the word "groceries" during the election—before asking, "Who uses the word?"

Trump, in an interview with Meet the Press host Kristen Welker, emphasized the soaring grocery prices affecting millions of Americans as a pivotal factor in his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the race for the White House.

Keep ReadingShow less
man pointing up
Alex Sheldon on Unsplash

People Break Down Their 'I F*cking Knew It!' Experiences

Sometimes you feel like you just know something is true, even if you can't prove it.

You may find out you're completely wrong. People usually don't like to talk about or acknowledge when that happens.

Keep ReadingShow less