Culture Study Podcast
The Rise of Therapy Speak
Jan 1, 2025
Ash Compton is a licensed psychotherapist and cultural theorist, while Rachel Monroe is a writer at The New Yorker and co-host of Bad Therapist. They dive into the rise of therapy speak, exploring its evolution and influence on culture, especially via social media. The discussion critiques how therapeutic language can be misused, oversimplifying complex emotions. They also examine the implications of therapeutic terms in personal relationships and the workplace, raising vital questions about authenticity and meaningful communication in our fast-paced world.
51:34
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Quick takeaways
- The rise of therapy speak reflects a trend where complex emotional experiences are oversimplified, leading to miscommunication and misunderstanding.
- Public figures often weaponize therapy language to justify their actions, creating pressure for individuals to conform to similar narratives in their emotional expressions.
Deep dives
The Rise of Therapy Speak
Therapy speak refers to the jargon and language derived from therapeutic settings that have increasingly infiltrated everyday conversation. Terms like 'gaslighting,' 'boundaries,' and 'trauma' have moved beyond clinical use, often losing their nuanced meanings in the process. This shift can lead to the oversimplification of complex psychological concepts, as individuals may use these terms to explain discomfort rather than legitimate trauma, diluting their significance. As a result, therapy speak can create misunderstandings by conflating various emotional experiences, where mere stressors are labeled as trauma, undermining the gravity of actual psychological trauma.
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