Do parents need to spend more time with troubled kids? Do you as an individual just suck it up and move on to only have problems later in life? Generalizing in this way sounds like “not my problem”. In life you either teach people or put up with them. This article suggests people just become self-reliant. We all know that doesn’t just happen overnight.
Most professions that are noble ought to be putting themselves out of a job. Doctors, therapists, educators, etc. Not just passing the buck.
There are different approaches to therapy. The article points out some ways that talk therapy could actually make problems worse, not better. But a good therapist would recognize the kind of problem their patient is experiencing, get to know their patient, and opt for a treatment path or an approach to talk therapy that will not be detrimental.
And therapy goes way beyond "talking about your problems to a professional." Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, for instance, is a structured process that is often utilized specifically in cases where talk therapy would not be effective. [0]
Therapy isn't the answer to every problem, sure. It's not going to help me unclog the garbage disposal. But I think the generalization that most people would be better off with the support of a good therapist is a true one. And sure, that's just my own opinion - but it's my view that mental hygiene isn't that different from the other ways we maintain the health of our bodies, and most people don't seem to object to the generalized advice that everyone should see a dentist twice a year.
Some of the points this article raises, like the negative effects of rumination or the potential utility of stress, are already known to me because I learned about them from my therapist, advising me about them!
Choosing the right therapist can be a challenge though, especially if you don't know what a good therapeutic outcome should look/feel like. I think most of the advice in this article would be better applied to "how do I choose the right therapist" than "should I just completely rule out therapy."
[0]https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22838-diale...
> I think most of the advice in this article would be better applied to "how do I choose the right therapist" than "should I just completely rule out therapy."
FWIW, I read this advice as, "How do I choose the right therapy?" which is similar to what you're saying. I can see how someone reads this as the latter, however.
This comes off like you didn't read the article. The author instead seems to be speaking against a certain generalization that therapy is never a bad thing.
> To be clear, I am a fan of therapy, and as a practicing psychiatrist for almost 20 years, I have witnessed many patients improve in treatment. However, the therapy-is-the-answer model is problematic for several reasons.
The author is suggesting that therapy isn't always the answer to every problem. I think the author even agrees with you that therapy is often a good answer to many common problems.