Why #therapytok is Good News for the Mental Health Field

With the combination of being a registered mental health counseling intern as well as a borderline gen-z’r (the cut off year is ’96, and I was born in ’95) I am generationally designed to enjoy tik tok.

During the pandemic the inevitable disconnection I felt from the world around me felt haunting. Tik tok offered a quick way to feel less isolated as it sprinkled my day with choreographed dances, storytimes, and POV from internet creators all over theworld. Tapping the tiktok app gave me a sense of belonging on top of a rush. A rush of “what might I learn today?”. And it’s not only the videos - it’s the comments from other viewers such as, “I have never had an original experience in my entire life” and “they said FYP and they meant it” FYP for those not on tiktok means for you page. It’s the homepage where videos fit the algorithm according to the videos you watch the longest, and the one’s you most interact with.

I don’t remember seeking out #therapytok more than other sub genres of tiktok but the tiktok gods must have known (or the algorithm works really well and really quickly). Here are a few of my thoughts as to why #therapytok is good news for the mental health field.

On the average 20 minutes a day I find myself scrolling on the app itself I switch between feeling inspired, challenged, and entertained. Videos posted with the #therapytok hashtag feel like short quips from real life sessions with clients. We validate, we explain, we hold space, we show up as human. All are involved with removing the mask between client and therapist. I think that is my most favorite part of being on therapytok – the question of what can happen in the therapy office is removed. Therapists on tiktok are able to express themselves in a way that feels creative, inspired, and supplementary to the roles we play in session. It loosens up that 50 min time frame we sit in sometimes hours back-to-back. It allows space for expression of what we so often see and teach on. It opens up the space for that to be seen by hundreds, thousands, and for some creators on tiktok millions.

Therapytok provides this, “you have felt this way too?” sense of belonging and deeper understanding. It possibly shows those who have yet to experience their own healing journey in psychotherapy to get a taste of what that space can bring to them – belonging, understanding, and the benefit of “feeling your feels”. It breaks down the fear of the unknown concerning the types of questions a therapist may ask. It reinforces the fact that therapists educate clients day in and day out aboutattachment styles, how trauma feels in the body, and why they can’t just “move on” from that one ex.

When clients enter our office they have preconceived notions about what we might say, how we might dress, and how quickly the healing process may take. #therapytok provides authentic insight to the realities about how a. emotional healing, on average, takes more than 10 therapy sessions, b. not all therapists wear cardigans, and c. the relationship between client and therapist is unlike any other relationship they may ever have. To put it simply #therapytok provides example after example as to how psychotherapy can be life changing, and not THAT scary or unknown. It fills in the gaps for the average person who is scared of sitting in a room alone with a stranger who is asking them questions about their childhood, dating history, and relationship to their parents. That’s why I believe #therapytok is an incredibly beautiful space – it is healing, accepting, and educational. It replicates the many benefits our clients glean from sitting in a 50 min session with us – without the added music, captions, and comment section.

Written By: Dallas Trese, MA,Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern

Dallas is passionate about working with traumasurvivors, adolescents, college students, youngadults, and female entrepreneurs. She is trained inmind - body approaches such as EMDR, yoga, and brainspotting.Dallas is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern in the state ofFlorida. She is a member of FMHCA & SMHCA.