We need to talk about bad therapists.

Visit to get started learning STEM for free, and the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual premium subscription. If you or someone you know has been in therapy before, there’s a deceent chance that you have a story about a “bad therapist“. But how can you tell? And what can you do about it? Therapy is a complex process that combines the professional with the deeply personal, which can sometimes make it difficult to differentiate between discomfort that arises from the therapy process and discomfort that results from a bad therapist. Sometiems it’s quite clear-cut. We need to talk about bad therapists, especially the difference between therapists who are the wrong fit versus therapists who are wrongdoers. And if you ever have an encounter with an unethical therapist, I’ll tell you what to do to respond. This video focuses on a lot of negative aspects that might be seen in a therapy setting, but it is worth reiterating that the vast majority of therapists do a good job and act in a legal and ethical manner. List of licensing boards in the U.S.: There is a wide range of bad behaviors that a therapist can engage in, but here is an (incomplete) list of signs that you’re seeing a bad therapist: - They do not ask relevant questions or appear disorganized in their thoughts - They fall asleep in session - They fail to develop and enact a plan for therapy that aligns with your goals - They frequently miss, cancel, or show up late to appointments - They make frequent errors in scheduling or billing - Their personal problems interfere with their ability to provide proper treatment - They downplay or avoid exploring any of your emotional or vulnerable feelings - They act as though they have all the answers and tell you what to do to fix things - They are frequently contentious or confrontational - They encourage you to blame your friends, family, or partner for your problems - They talk excessively about their personal issues without any therapeutic purpose - They’re not sensitive to beliefs or background - They misdiagnose you or overdiagnose you - They involve authorities when not necessary or do not when needed - They keep pushing a particular therapeutic approach that you aren’t interested in - They judge or criticize your behavior, lifestyle, or problems - They shame you for your mental illness - They force you to talk about something you’re not prepared to talk about - They impose their religious, spiritual, political, or social beliefs on you - They get angry or defensive with you if you try to challenge them or give feedback - They don’t tell you they’re a trainee or don’t have a proper license - They try to keep you in therapy against your will - They try to provide a service they’re not qualified or trained to provide - They break confidentiality and share your information or the info of other clients - They’re trying to be your friend - They abandon you by stopping service without giving you any time to find a new therapist - They try to convince you to get involved in another venture or business of theirs that isn’t related to therapy - They say things or take actions towards you that are clearly racist, homophobic, sexist, or otherwise overtly discriminatory - They’re trying to have a sexual relationship with you - They try to involve you in illegal behavior or engage in illegal behavior in front of you, such as insurance fraud - They are practicing without a license - They provide services that aren’t therapy or that are experimental, harmful, or dangerous - They sexually harass or assault you Timestamps: 0:00 My last therapy session 2:41 We need to talk about bad therapists 4:28 The two kinds of “bad therapists“ 7:07 “Wrong fit“ Therapists 10:16 Signs that your therapist is the wrong fit 11:36 What to do if your therapist is the wrong fit 13:19 “Wrongdoer“ Therapists 14:38 The First Circle of Bad Therapist Hell 15:46 Brilliant Ad 17:26 The Second Circle of Bad Therapist Hell 19:13 The Third Circle of Bad Therapist Hell 20:06 What bad stuff can therapists do? 21:02 What can you do if you have a bad therapist 25:28 In conclusion Buy our book, Brains Explained! --- Find us on social media (Twitter, FB, Insta) and check out our website: Join our Discord server: If you like what we do, support our work by becoming a Patron: We couldn’t do all of this without our awesome Patreon Producers, Ryan M. Shaver, Danny Van Hecke, Carrie McKenzie, and Jareth Arnold. You four are like the comforting voice of a caring friend! And thanks to our other high-level Patrons, including: Marcelo Kenji 12tone Linda L Schubert Susan Jones Ilsa Jerome k b Raymond Chin Marcel Ward Memming Park