Why Emotional Relief Isn't Enough
I recently read Jonathan Alpert’s opinion piece in Newsweek, where he points out a striking disconnect: despite Americans spending nearly $300 billion a year on mental health care, our collective emotional health is getting worse—not better. I found myself nodding in agreement.
When I first started as a therapist, I found it hard to be direct with my clients. I didn’t want to upset them—I wanted them to like me. And while it’s important to be empathetic, and non-judgmental, that’s only part of the job. It’s just as important to help clients see their own patterns, take responsibility, and learn how to break the habits that keep them stuck.
This is one reason I’m drawn to the TEAM-CBT approach. In TEAM-CBT, real change happens after the therapist and client collaborate to clarify goals, address motivation, and choose a specific area to work on—whether it’s anxiety, relationships, or something else. From there, the work is focused and structured, aimed at achieving measurable, lasting outcomes.
Moving forward with ongoing effort and dedication.
I’m not just here to help you feel better for an hour—I want to help you actually get better. That means looking at the bigger picture of your life and working toward real, lasting change. I love his final summary in his article. It has me motivated and excited to help my clients do the difficult work.
We need to rethink how we view discomfort. Pain, failure, and adversity aren't disorders. They're part of life and part of how character is built. Treating every challenge as trauma doesn't help people. It weakens them. When we pathologize ordinary struggles, we rob people of the opportunity to grow stronger. Disagreement isn't an attack. Setbacks aren't mental illness. Life is hard, and that's OK. The truth is, we don't need more therapy. We need better therapy. Therapy should make people stronger, not dependent. If we want a healthier, more resilient country, we need to stop turning therapy into an emotional pacifier and start using it as a tool for real change.
I want to hold myself accountable to that, not just offering support, but helping you build the tools and resilience you need to move forward.
