Generalizing Therapy

Since psychotherapy became accessible to the public, a stigma has been attached to it. A

negative stereotype has been attached to therapy since it became accessible to the public. Many

people think that Some individuals think seeking help through therapy is only for people with

serious mental issues, personality disorders, or severe depression. However, generalizing therapy

has benefitted hundreds of people with various mental health states. A video released by

Buzzfeed titled “How Therapy Changed My Life” explains how anyone can get help, people

from any background can go to therapy to get help. Conversely, while an article from the Journal

of Consulting and Clinical Psychology touches on the scientific aspect of how therapy affects the

brain. Both sources ultimately explain that anyone can benefit from therapy because it can help

you get to know yourself better. The Buzzfeed video is a more effective source than the journal

article because it appeals to emotions, includes all types of people people from different

backgrounds, and delivers the point more promptly.

Individuals in all mental states should be encouraged to go to therapy and experience

benefits from it. Buzzfeed released a video in 2018 titled “How Therapy Changed My Life.” It

features five individuals telling opening up about their experiences before, along with and after

therapy. The people speaking are all of the different races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and

economic backgrounds. Each person told about how they felt scared about attending therapy

because of the stereotypes attached to it. For example, the second speaker, Treye, remarks that as

a black man, “the topic of therapy is not talked about very often” (1:45). However, he benefited

from finding a therapist that helped him get his motivation back in addition to getting his life

back on track. This appeals to ethos because he is establishing the credibility of psychologists,

especially among the black male community. The speakers in the video are ultimately trying to
establish that anyone should have access to therapy, in addition to suggesting that the audience

find ways to help them personally. regardless of their background.

The video “How Therapy Changed My Life” is directed toward people that feel like they

can’t get help for any reason. Therapy is stereotyped as being serious, but it does not have to be.

sad, and depressing. One of the downfalls of the video is that the style of the video enforces that

stigma. The music in the background of the speakers is soft and sad while the color of the

backdrop is a dark dusty pink rather than a bright cheery color. At the beginning of the Buzzfeed

video, the speaker claims to have felt “lost, conflicted, sad, numb, and chaotic” before going to

therapy (0:13). This appeals to pathos as viewers hear the negative words and feel they can relate

to them. Listening to other people, especially in similar situations to your own, really makes the

audience connect. Starting the dialogue in this context sets the tone of the video to be serious.

However, therapy does not have to be dark and upsetting. Sometimes, it can be nice to just

discuss your day with someone that has no opinion on outside drama. In addition, it can be

helpful to talk to someone who has the education to help you proceed with the next step

healthily. *add sentence to tie back to thesis

Generalized therapy has become more prevalent as social media has improved

communication about mental health. An article from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical

Psychology titled “Evidence that therapy works in clinically representative conditions” targets

the more academic audience concerned with the accessibility of therapy. The author explains the

methods as well as the results of the studies conducted. In Consumer Reports (1995), a study

went to great lengths to find results proving that therapy is beneficial. After surveying around

180,000 people, the study dove into the psychological field. The results showed great support for

generalized therapy as it produced solely positive outcomes (Sadish et. al. 356). Conducting a
study appeals to logos because it provides facts to try in addition to trying to convince readers of

the point. Because it has been proven that psychotherapy can help anyone, the stigma associated

with going should be disintegrated. *Add sentence connecting to thesis

No matter your profession, jobs cause a high amount of stress. The article “Evidence that

therapy works in clinically representative conditions” targets audiences with a higher level of

education. Some people think that educated people are more emotionally intelligent, but that is

not always the case. Having a higher-paying job can often mean greater stress, like that of a

surgeon or a lawyer. Though this article was written in 1997, it is still relevant today. Even more,

research has been done to prove that therapy can help anyone, no matter the circumstance. *Add

detail to paragraph

Between the video and the journal article, the same points are proved. Both sources

explain that getting mental help is beneficial to everyone. Especially in the age of social media, it

is common to talk about mental health, and even more important to prioritize it. In my opinion,

the video is more effective because it pulls at heartstrings, along with featuring real people.

Buzzfeed did a good job of finding people that everyone can relate to, as multiple types of people

are represented. Members of any community could watch the short video, hear what the speakers

have to say, and feel that they could give therapy a chance as well. The journal article was less

effective than the video because it is so hard to get through. Though it provides scientifically

proven facts, the general public does not want to take the time to read 11 pages of complicated

words. Ultimately, both sources show that psychotherapy is not only for mentally unwell people,

but the Buzzfeed video delivered the point better.

Accessibility is also important when considering which source is more useful. The

Buzzfeed video was one of the first pieces of media that I came across when searching “why
anyone can go to therapy” on Google. It is short and easy to understand, drawing readers the

audience in. However, I had to search through scholarly articles and filter through many websites

to find articles from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. It was also a hard read,

in addition to using jargon that only scientists or psychologists would understand. Because of

this, the video was not only more accessible but more effective.

Finding the right therapist for you, especially at a reasonable cost, can be a struggle, but it

is worth it for everyone. The Buzzfeed video showed that real people from every situation

proved the stereotype wrong, attended therapy, and benefited from it. The article from the

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology uses facts to prove that clinical therapy would

help people from any profession. I benefited from therapy and believe I have personal positive

experiences with therapy, helping me to understand that anyone could benefit have a positive

experience from it. Everyone should have access to therapy because it is a great way to cope with

any situation and healthily deal with your feelings. Going to therapy is a great resource for

people in any situation because it validates your feelings, gives you coping mechanisms, and

allows you to chat with someone that knows the proper way to handle any situation without bias.
Works Cited:

BuzzFeedVideo, Buzzfeed. “How Therapy Changed My Life.” YouTube, YouTube, 14

May 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuKuQx-qOnQ.

Sadish, William, et al. “Evidence That Therapy Works in Clinically Representative

Conditions.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association,

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1997-06366-001.