And they should refuse! It creates a dependency when what you deserve is to learn or validate that you are capable 💖

At least in my professional experience, it really doesn't fucking matter if I tell you what to do... You're probably going to just keep doing the same shit anyway. In fact, most of the time if I actually tell my clients what they should do, they'll just think I'm an asshole. Not a jaded response, by the way, just 11 years of experience, doing it my way and watching others do it wrong over and over.

I deal with people with severe behavioral disorders. They know what they're doing and they know what they're supposed to do, but impulse almost always wins over reasoning. If I want someone to change, my ultimate goal is to make them come to a realization and to feel like they did so on their own. Then I want them to want to tell me about it. So then, when they come so me and tell me something, I can listen and give feedback based on our previous talks to reinforce what they did. Hopefully, the next time that issue comes up, they can then use that to make the right decision again.

The reason it's done this way is because someday, I'm not going to be around to tell you what to do, so you need to be able to figure it out on your own. That's my job. I can give you the tools to change. I can kinda tell you how to use them, but I can't force change on you any more than I can live your life for you.

Think God in Futurama.

"What should I do?"

"What do you think you should do?"

"I think I should ask my therapist for advice on what I should do."

They know it‘s no use telling you all the things you know yourself deep down. No good advice will ever be anywhere near as effective as an idea from your own mind. And they‘re really trying to massage your brain towards having that idea. I think I got that from Inception and even though the older I get the more I think Nolan is kind of a hack, it‘s a good practice. Or at least I think so. I‘m no therapist after all.

Love the meme though. I get the frustration from just not moving forward but the best therapist I have ever had did just listen for about 90% of the time and Shared his own life experience for the other 10%. He was an older guy and he was absolutely fantastic.

In my humble opinion, unless someone comes up with an idea all by themselves, there is no way they will take my advice on anything.

"I think I should ask a professional their opinion, you clipboard on an ass"

Good therapists have more than three or twelve critical thinking questions. Crumblaying is a great way to get the horse to water with a thirst. Some people born to a silver spoon will get an easy degree in a vulnerably subjective field and waste space and time. Sorry about the humans.

So true. I go to one but he at least gives us insight.

@PugJesus I went to therapy after my abusive relationship in my 20s. The therapist sat in a chair, SMOKING A PIPE while drawing doodles, and every time I asked "what do you think?" he answered "what do you think?" as if he was a bird repeating what I said.After a while I lost all respect for therapists, and went and talked to my friends instead. That was much more helpful.