Giving Your Friends Therapy

I scored a 5 on the AP Psychology exam, so yes, I am officially an AP-level psychologist. I tell everyone this when they need emotional support and a personal therapist.

To answer the question, "How hard is it to be an amateur therapist?" I think it is easier than most people expect. The better question is, "Are you willing to listen?"

Number one: most useful information on being an amateur therapist is available in random YouTube videos titled some variation of "How to... Therapy." The real challenge is whether you will actually apply that advice in difficult moments, instead of forgetting it and escalating arguments.

Number two: after you memorize the YouTube advice, are you actually willing to listen to someone else's problems? The best sessions I have had were the ones where I mostly listened and kept my own input minimal.

Minimal emotionally charged input matters even more. For example, if someone says, "The aliens are going to turn us into protein noodles with white sauce and eat us!" avoid replying, "That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard."

Instead, ask better questions so the person feels agency and can reflect: "Why do you think the aliens are going to eat us?"