October is a big month for our profession. Not only is it National Depression and Health Screening Month, October 10th is World Mental Health Day, October 1st -7th was Mental Health Awareness Week and it is ADHD Awareness Month as well. That is a lot to pack into 31 days.
Raising awareness is so important, especially when it comes to Mental Health. You may find your clients asking additional questions this month about Depression as well as ADHD. It’s difficult to hear about these diagnoses and not have questions. You may even have questions yourself!
With such an important month will come increased content. As I am writing content myself, I am reminded more than ever that not all content is created equal. Some content is wonderful, citing reliable sources and conveying needed information. Others… not so much.
Let’s unpack what to do when client’s bring you information that is the latter……
“So, I Saw a TikTok”
If you haven’t heard this lead in, I’m jealous…. And I hate to break it to you, you likely will at some point. There is soooooo much out there when it comes to mental health. As I mentioned, some information is wonderful and I’m beyond grateful someone influential is putting it out into the world. Unfortunately, a lot of information out there is click bait, opinion based or simply the experience/interpretation of one individual.
Clients will bring you information they have found online. It is likely that it raised anxiety for them, validated a concern, or something in between. Either way, regardless of the content source or quality, it is important to them and worth unpacking.
In my opinion, this is much easier when it is quality content. I truly enjoy psychoeducation and wholeheartedly believe that facts can be incredibly validating when trying to understand symptoms and one’s experience. If online information brought to you is factual and relevant, a lot can be done in session. I would also argue that the opposite can be true too!
What If It’s Wildly Inaccurate?
Sometimes you can really feel as if your “therapist face,” as I like to call it, is being tested. As I mentioned, there is some wild stuff out there. Your client may bring you information that is so wildly inaccurate that you don’t even know where to start. That’s okay, you can be authentic in your reaction. The important part to remember, however, is that something about this information resonated with your client. Be sure to explore that.
Let’s say for example that your client wants you to watch a TikTok about Major Depressive Disorder, as ‘tis the season. You watch it with them and it’s fraught with inaccuracies and concerning information. If you feel you need to take a deep breath, then please do so. Then explore it with them.
I have experienced similar situations many times, and have found that asking questions can be remarkably helpful. As you know, dear therapist, asking questions first before diving in with your own thoughts is often the best course of action.
Perhaps begin with asking your client what stuck out for them. Explore their thoughts and feelings first. They may have felt the information was inaccurate as well. I’ve had clients bring me information about their diagnosis that seemed so wrong to them and they were frightened it was right. Simply having me point out the inaccuracies was exactly what they needed. They wanted me as their trusted therapist and “expert on mental health” to tell them that information was wrong and not what they may experience.
On the flip side, a client may say that the information explains how they feel in ways even they couldn’t verbalize. It made them feel seen. Now if you jump in with “this is so untrue and this is why,” it could have been very unsettling and invalidating for them.
Always ask questions, no matter how wild the content.
Self-Diagnosis
This is another side to this type of experience. Have you ever had a client come in and tell you they have a diagnosis that you NEVER even remotely considered for them? I certainly have, and you know what, sometimes they were right.
When we do our assessments we ask many questions, we try to screen for a variety of diagnoses, and explore diagnoses that are pertinent to what our clients present with and report. While we are trained in diagnosis and do the best we can, we are human and we miss things.
Even if you are at your wits end when it comes to WebMD-type of self-diagnosis I would encourage you to always hear your client out. Even if they come in with a new self-diagnosis routinely. I truly believe that we know ourselves better than anyone else ever could, including a therapist.
Clients will point out symptoms or experiences that resonate with them and oftentimes it may be something we didn’t think to explore with them. It may be that the symptoms they feel are part of one diagnosis are actually symptoms that cross over to their current working diagnosis. It may be something totally different and worth exploring. Either way, this is an area to connect with your client and dive deeper into what they are experiencing.
Now, I do realize that this can be a whole different story if your client is addressing symptoms of hypochondria. It may need to be navigated more delicately, though it is still worth exploring with them in a supportive, yet structured way.
To Sum It Up
Your clients will bring you information that may or may not apply to them. This content may be factual, it may be wildly inaccurate, or it may be somewhere in between. Regardless of the quality of the content, don’t forget that something about it was meaningful to your client.
Ask questions, stay curious and take a deep breath. Especially if it’s “one of those” TikToks. Practice what you preach, my fellow therapist, and see you next time.
*Feeling like you need a change? It may be time to explore something new. If you are a therapist licensed in North Carolina, send your cover letter and resume to the following email: Applicants@CarolinaCounselingServices.com We look forward to hearing from you!
