Last night I was watching a TV show on Netflix, that shall remain nameless, and one of the characters was advised by her family to go see a therapist. The show is pretty good and one I have enjoyed in the past, however as the story unfolded I found myself cringing at how inaccurate it portrayed the therapist and therapy.
Time and time again therapists are inaccurately portrayed in movies and on TV. I see them doing things that quite frankly would have any therapist’s license revoked. Not only are there inaccuracies about the therapist, but also inaccuracies about the therapeutic process. It frustrates me a bit because if I were on the other side and had never been to therapy, I would be immediately turned off. Today, I’m debunking portrayals of what you see in the media to set the record straight.
Therapists Don’t Reveal Your Personal Information Without Your Consent
In the TV show the main character, Annie, bursts into the office while the therapist is seeing another client. The therapist not only reveals the client’s identity to Annie but also discusses the client’s personal information when they leave the room. Then, in subsequent sessions, asks Annie to “go get Timmy (the client) outside in the waiting area.”
To quote my favorite Midwest saying, ummm yeah, no.
This is a HUGE violation of HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). To briefly summarize, HIPPA ensures that all health providers keep your information private AND cannot reveal any information about you without your consent, not even to your partner or mom. The only time we can break confidentiality is when a client is in immediate danger of harming themselves or another person.
Sometimes therapists will consult with other health providers, like a psychiatrist, however, we MUST GET YOUR CONSENT. We will have you sign a form stating that you agree for us to discuss your treatment.
The situation above is a huge violation of HIPPA and one that should never happen. If I’m retrieving someone from the waiting room, I won’t even say their name and would NEVER, EVER reveal any information to another client.
Therapists Don’t Make the Session About Them
’ve seen this one a lot on TV and in movies. The therapist talking about his divorce or love life and starts crying in session. Or the therapist that overshares and is desperate to have a friend. In the show mentioned above, the therapist started talking about his father having cancer and how much it affected him… in great detail. He completely overshares and puts Annie in an extremely uncomfortable position.
First of all, a therapist will never make the session about them. Therapists might pull from their personal lives, however, it should be brief and relevant to the conversation. The session should never be consumed with them talking about their lives or situations. It’s perfectly fine for a therapist to share some small details however, a huge red flag would be if they were crying about their situation, seemed like they weren’t over it, or kept talking about it. Therapy is about YOU, not your therapist.
Not All Therapists Are Scatterbrained or Sloppy
I’ve seen many therapists portrayed as messy, sloppy, or not pulled together. The therapist is seen perpetually coming to the session late or reveals to the character they are hungover. Or worse yet, I see storylines where the therapist comes to the session drunk. Sure, some therapists aren’t as organized as others, but the vast majority of therapists I know are all extremely professional and organized. Additionally, a therapist will never come to a session drunk or tell a client they are hungover.
Therapists Don’t Make You Lay on a Couch
This is an age-old myth. Yes, for the most part, therapists do have couches in their office and of course, if you need to lay down you can. However, therapy is no longer laying on a couch without the therapist responding as you talk. It’s a relationship and a conversation between two people – eye contact and all! Additionally, therapists aren’t always quoting Freud. On the show mentioned above, the therapist kept responding to Annie by saying “Freud would think this.” Therapists pull from various treatment modalities and it’s not always about Freud. SideBar: Therapy isn’t always about discussing your childhood, either. A lot of it might be focusing on the present and working on the here and now. That’s a whole different blog post for another day, though. 😊
Therapist Don’t Have Sex With or Stalk Their Clients
Oye. These are the ones that frustrate me the most and unfortunately are portrayed the most. I see too many TV shows and movies where the client and therapist get involved in a romantic relationship. This.Will.Never.Happen. This is a HUGE ethical violation and would result in the therapist getting their license revoked. The therapist/client relationship is unique and personal; however, it should never be romantic, and a therapist and client should never have a sexual relationship. This includes when the client and therapist are no longer meeting.
In the example above, Annie and the therapist get remarkably close to kissing. In the real world, this would never even come close to happening.
In the same episode, to make things weirder, Annie stops showing up to therapy and the therapist comes to her house. Again, not going to happen and is super creepy. If a client doesn’t show up to a session, the therapist will reach out via phone/email. Most therapists have a set number of times they will reach out before they close the client. If the therapist is worried the client is in danger, they will reach out to their emergency contact first or appropriate authorities if absolutely needed. They will never just show up at their client’s house. This is a massive boundary violation.
And, just to reiterate, a therapist will never be high or drunk in a session or do drugs while in session with the client. I saw this on another TV show, so just had to put that out there.
Remember
Therapy is a safe, confidential space for you to express yourself and your thoughts and your feelings. It is the therapist’s job to create that. I hope I was able to debunk some of these myths to help you understand therapy a little better and set the record straight.
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