Part 1 - Pseudoscience in Psychotherapy Hurts People

[TheMonkeyMedicine]

I think you found the right therapist. Both of you try to hard to be something you are not, and inflate your self-importance. With you, it is obviously portrayed by your need to "be different" via piercings and sherbert hair coloring. For your therapist, angels and spirits. a perfect match of insecurities. Now you can reflect on how full of shit both of you are, and get over yourself.

[SaganAppreciationSoc]

You should report these charlatans to your state professionals board. Outrageous! The woo is creeping in everywhere. Cornell U is listed among other schools messing with Reiki, Search "Holistic Animal Care School: List of Schools with Holistic Animal Care Degree Programs" on EduChoices. Appalling!

[saberway]

wow interesting experiences! i have only watched this part yet but i will watch the others. From my perspective, these people that tell you they will heal you have BIGGGG EGOs!!, for one, no one needs heal you but yourself, all that chakra work is very old and a big red flag because chakras are compartments of energy that can be manipulated and generally for the worse. externalisation like religious worship or healing from outside parties will cause more damage than good.

[steveoho]

I am a psych major and a Christian. I don't know where you are religiously, but from what I understand, what that massage therapist was doing was demonic (under the influence of or seeking the aid of demons). And while they do exist/can cause physical ailments, it should not be assumed that they are at fault until otherwise revealed. Fyi... seeking the aid of specific angels/saints is proscribed by the Bible. Let me know if I can do anything to aid in your healing journey.

[MIKAFANFROMAMERICA]

I am a psychology major. I can see how a massage may be useful to get the client to relax and be more comfortable. The rest of that stuff you mentioned beyond the massage has absolutly nothing to do with psychology. If your therapist was allowing some psychic to help her with her practice then she was doing that on her own. None of my classes have ever taught us to use psychic powers to help with anything. That's stupid. To be honest, I am skeptical of the validity of your story.

[ech0dancer]

Tarot cards r a part of occult sciences.If u r demon possessed u need a priest! If u r depressed u need a vacation ! It doesn't get much more simple than that ! The doc took u & family for a BIG JOY RIDE & like others basically stated she was feeding her own inner pangs & pains at your expense & a FRIEND does not happen that way at all even if u r messed up -- all too creepy & sorry for typos etc & going on & on :) you rock

[Hierophant2]

Chakra's and Tarot in you therapy. How very odd.

[drstrangelove09]

Wasn't sure until I heard "Chakra", "Tarot", "Jesus"... yup, BS!! Not good! Not acceptable!!

[drstrangelove09]

Wasn't sure until I heard "Chakra", "Tarot", "Jesus"... yup, BS!!

[EazyEternalE]

didnt watch the whole video, the only thing i get was that u feel misthreated of your mother, i have to say there are alot more people who had such a worser life then you, my cousen was 14 when his father got shot his mother left him not even said where she goes, he grew up the first years on the streets until my grand ma took him to her...so be happy that u even have a mother!

[PandyFackleresque]

@EazyEternalE Well it's actually a 6 part series so.....you're way off. 

[tgaattefur]

Massage therapy? wut

Has nothing to do with psychoanalysis.

Thinking about becoming a psychotheripist, so Its nice to hear an opinion from the other side.

[lmollot]

see cathy o brien-in access denied-on how to heal from the inside you-for hope lets read and imitate the native women in the book "iroquois women" by spittal- gov will never help us b/c they are the cause of child abuse- why wd women not join a system like in book "iroquois women" (spittal) to stop sex asaults/battering of women/children?ALL children were legitimate b/c all belonged to grandmother clan-so no orphanages or teachers 2 target "orphans" to easily sex assault

[PandyFackleresque]

@lmollot Stop leaving me comments that I have to decipher. Use spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

[maradashewolf]

Wow. New Age philosophy has absolutely NO PLACE in legitimate psychotherapy, and this is coming from a pagan.

[DanThePropMan]

Various acting teachers I've had have talked about chakras a lot, but in terms of visualization, acting, and character building rather than spirituality or healing. In that sense I've found the principle very useful, but I always faintly wondered if any of my classmates took it more seriously than I did.

[seba20sa]

your video makes me think a lot about therapy, I could not find any videos about debates "therapy vs medicine". any recomendations?

[PandyFackleresque]

@seba20sa Both. I believe that's the consensus of most sane therapists as well and it makes a lot of sense to me. 

[seba20sa]

I wanted to say: are there any debates online about therapist vs psychiatrist. damm I google for those, but nothing. only organizations that said that psychiatrist are demons because the used to trat people with electroshocks. anyway: have you been able to take that beach out of buisness?

[iHomestarrunner69]

My mother has gone psychotic on my ass before for no apparent reason. So, basically, it was her and not me

[PandyFackleresque]

@devilraydude76 Too bad for you

[leah97462]

just out of curiosity, was she ever right? did her tarot card ever point her towards the ball park? My grandma is a tarot card reader and there are times she's right and there are times she wrong so I was just curious if you experienced that... Personally I think it's hard not to get it right every once in a while cuz they all have a broad general theme that makes it easy to mold to situations lol

[PandyFackleresque]

@leah97462 Of course there were times she was right. First, there's statistics of chance and second, like you said, they have broad themes that can be paired with almost anything you're feeling at the moment.

However, I'm just going to go ahead and re-imply that tarot should never EVER be used in a legitamite therapeutic situation. There is absolutely no evidential basis for it's efficacy.

[sarsfieldusmc]

@PandyFackleresque Just wondering, did you go to a private psychologist or a clinical?

My father has depression, he has to go to a clinical psychologist. The therapy has helped alot. my 2 cents

[TrionfiTarot]

@leah97462 Tarot should be used for card games. Contrary to popular myth, Tarot cards were not intended for Tarot reading. They were made for games.

[Chirno9Icefall]

@TrionfiTarot Thank you so much for telling the truth here!!!

[TrionfiTarot]

@Chirno9Icefall This is a very insightful series here. There are a lot of truths told here.

[margaretschlegel]

Commenting as I work my way through your series. I think the massage "therapy" you were getting is called either Reiki or Touch Field Therapy. The tarot cards were an extra. It's complete bunk. There were two key factors in play here: it was a new practice, still building its business, and your insurance would cover this stuff. Ca-ching! As you know now, even properly licensed therapists can get up to all kinds of quackery.

[Karrie1981]

Looks like you need to research the subject and try to understand it...most people pay good money to see chakra healers. I want to be a healer...not like the ones you discribe but someone who is more science based and less hookie

[proftobes]

omg you're hot

[mmclees]

Take the metal out of your face. It takes away from your natural features.

[PandyFackleresque]

@mmclees No.

[juditK2007]

@mmclees how is this any of your business?

[PandyFackleresque]

@juditK2007 Since making my visage public, I've noticed that a lot of people think their opinions matter to me in areas where I've never asked for one. They are, of course, controlling, arrogant fools :)

[alexkidd3d]

(cntd) in a sense you're lucky, you seem a capable intelligent woman, a big danger is obviously when you label yourself as a therapist people tend to bring vulnerable and troubled people for you to help. There's a long history of unscientific practices, hypnotic regression say, causing immense harm in a persons life.

[alexkidd3d]

damn, I consider this a huge problem, I'm a psychology student hoping to get into scientific research. I've seen this a few times, like a psychotherapist in the same office buildings as acu-puncture clinics and all kinds of woo. A lot of this comes from lack of regulation over practice. the concept of therapy can overlap with pseudo scientific psychodynamic perspectives, which traditionally leads into a lot of bullshit. Sorry you had this experience, that woman should be charged (cntd)

[johndoe43210]

Some people say these kinds of pseudosciences are harmless, and that we should just let people believe them. But clearly from your story it shows that it distracts away from the real and effective help that people need. It angers me that these people were trying to fill your head with this nonsense while you were in a vulnerable situation (i don't know if you needed real counselling or not, but nevertheless you were young at the time).

[nervousneuron]

It makes at least some sense that you'd think about what's stressing you during a massage in order to maybe relax a bit, and if people feel better, fine. I'd get nervous at mentions of chakras, and I'd be walking out of there when the tarot cards were pulled out.

[endthedisease]

Pandy, is it cool if I post my story here? I could end up taking 10 parts.

[PandyFackleresque]

@endthedisease I'd rather you posted maybe the first part here. Then you can link your videos together like I did mine, see?

[RapidCycling07]

Thank you for sharing this information with the youtube community...first off id like to say that it seems like a lotta therapists need a therapist themselves...i was diagnosed with bipolar yet i was in grad school to become a clinical psychologist...the smart crazies want to learn about this stuff bc they wanna help themselves or just bc they are already familiar with this stuff so why not make money off it...of course there are scam artists out there...damn i need a camera...i love you bye!!!!

[PandyFackleresque]

@RapidCycling07 A few people have brought up that point as well and I think you're right. She was simply projecting her own personal life into other girls.

[suavesosa]

@RapidCycling07 >thats is a main reason why i cant continue my studies in my field because i dont want to follow some other persons beliefs without learning for myself

[westfalla]

I was a student of massage therapy, and have had a number of psycho therapists. The technique the one girl was using is called aura stroking. This type of behavior is actually promoted in class, and skepticism was frowned upon. We had a number of people in the class that would do the same things, one was thinking about becoming a "psychic surgeon". I dropped out of it due to some issues as well as a disagreement with teaching that nonsense

[ackthet]

Was she a licensed psychology? This seems like they kind of thing that licensing is supposed to prevent.

[VolatileReaction]

The therapist that talks a lot - she sounds a lot like my mother.

When she "heals" people, she goes into meditation and uses prays for energy from God to locate the sickness (usually it has a sickly yellow or brown aura) and then vanquishes it using her God-given powers. Luckily she's never charged anyone for this service.

[Othelie]

Shit, that sounds like a "therapist" that my sister went to. The entire point was to make you see your guardian angel and that would fix you.

[Catlover123445]

This is a really odd thing to have happen to you.....did you believe everything she was telling you at that age??

My psychotherapy sessions were nothing like yours...thank fuck. it would have really probably fucked with my head if they were though cause when i first started therapy i was really suggestible and paranoid...

[GigaBoost]

disgusting emo bitch

[KasparHauser4]

Holy shineola! what Quackery!

[SpookyFan]

Wow, what a crank that 'therapist' was.

[Phyre1928]

hold up... terret cards... and then meditated to... god? Jesus?

uh.. those cards.. are a form of magic... then... meditating to... GOD??? theres a problem there, magic + Christianity = stone the witch!!

[squirreljester2]

OK, minus the massage weirdness too. :)

[squirreljester2]

I just noticed "Veritas" on your hand at 3:21, Hail to you, Boondock saints fan! :)

I came from lovingdoubt's channel. I haven't made it through this video series yet, but I suspect that your life will draw a great many parallels with what I dealt with throughout my childhood, minus the seemingly non-understanding parents. I'm not sure how I could have made it through those years without my family, and I'm always thankful for them.

I have seen some other vids by you, keep up the good work!

[LukeShetler]

I fell for the naturopathic shit, because my mother's best friend had two PH.Ds and was making huge money on it in California. I thought it was rooted in proper science, lol.

It was very harmful and I have to say I'm surprised that people can continually believe erroneous shit for so many years. It was obvious to me within 9 months that it was all wrong. You can probably relate when I say, I'll never let go of my skepticism again. No matter what.

[PandyFackleresque]

I relate to that extremely well. I'm just sorry it took me longer than 9 months to figure it all out.

[greenelf12]

Tarot cards (the t is silent by the way it's pronounced taro ) could be usfull if used in the right way like using a card as a basis or starting point but you should really be picking the card consiously and not at ramdom as you did.

[PandyFackleresque]

I could see where you're going with this, philosophically. I still like tarot cards because I think they're pretty.

[greenelf12]

Yes, at the very least they are cards with nice pictures on them. Ive had a few readings both by myself and other's and even if you take all the mysticism away they can be used as a way to provoke thought, I usually walk away with my mind concentrating on something it wasn't before. Its a bit left field but if used responsibly it could be good. But this woman seems to be mixing her personal values and beliefs with her work far too much. I mean what if the client was Christian?

[PandyFackleresque]

She was christian, herself. That's why she used guardian angel cards instead of pagan ones :P What an idiot.

[greenelf12]

That's unusuall for a christain most groups wont go anwere near such a thing because they are from "satan" If she was a christain she dosen't seem a very othordox one. Angels are quite universal so it is possible to be into them without being christian as such.

[mikesinner69]

lols, hahaha

[greenelf12]

She sound's very spiritual and eastern to me but she did a lot of stuff that should really be seperated from psychotherapy spiritual counsouling is ok if that's what you went for, but it seems a bit like going to a GP and then geting subscribed alternitive medicene. It wasn't what you expected.

[blurglide]

Is all Theraputic Message this mysticism based? I've heard of it, but I assumed it was just massage to work out the kinks in joints and muscles and just for helping people to relax. Of course, I used to think that was all chiropractic was, too. Put a fancy name on something and it seems people will take for granted it's legit.

[PandyFackleresque]

No, not at all. When used like it's suposed to (as with most anything) it can really help you destress!

[SeaCrone]

I'm just starting your series and will comment as I go along. Initially I will say that thus far it sounds like you got hooked up with a form of alternative/holistic "medicine" - this chakra therapy/meditation is part of one type of yoga. Definitely "eastern" philosophy. I'm kind of amazed that this was covered by insurance because most "alternative medicine" therapies are not. My personal opinion is that these practices are more of a spiritual/religious nature than they are medical science

[ezmereldagreen]

ivebeen a massage therapist for 12 yrs and it can be quite a powerful tool....this is such bullshit though and of course has no place in quality psychotherapy. by all means have a massage to destress and treat yourself (therapy can leave one emotionaly raw) IF IT WORKS FOR YOU. some people do find that touch from another person makes them feel good and i thnk its pre-sexual...it takes them back to being a baby(providing that experience was not abusive) and reminds them of the love and attention

[PandyFackleresque]

I agree with you! Massage is WONDERFUL in the right setting!

[Brianswers]

I got referred here by LovingDoubt..

Wow, that's some wierd stuff. I'd have asked of ranother therapist..

The massage is fine as long as that's all it is. massage helps relax you and relieve tension.

[PandyFackleresque]

I wish I had, trust me. But the sad truth is that I so deep in the BS that I may as well have been breathing it. So, to me, it didn't seem wrong at the time because no one had suggested an alternative and I was too naive to know I could go looking for my own.

[Brianswers]

Yeah I understand where you're coming from. I'm saying it as a 46 year old seasoned skeptic.. :)

[CuriousMoth]

I bet you started to wonder which of you really needed therapy :P

[PandyFackleresque]

Oh man. You have NO idea :P

[AGrandt]

You can add yt:stretch=16:9 to your video tags to correct the aspect.

[PandyFackleresque]

HA! Thank you!! I've been wondering how to do that for a while now

[Loreleila]

Having worked as a therapist for many years and receiving the casualties of cranks and malpractice your story is sadly not uncommon. I wish it were not so. I have often had to help undo the damage done by so called therapists before enabling the person address the issues they initially sought help with.

[PandyFackleresque]

I respect you for putting up with that and I respect you ever more for having the fortitude to help facilitate healthy change in people.

[caketheory]

Hi, I liked your story and thought it was really interesting.

I think psychiatry, psychology, neuroscience and all these so called "mental health experts" are quacks.

None of them cure, not just the one you saw.

[PandyFackleresque]

I wouldn't make such a generalization. Psychology is a soft science and is also extremely new. Because of these two things, a lot of it is speculation; they're JUST RECENTLY getting into biological links to certain diseases and disorders that cause mental problems. Give it a while and it will have it's roots firmly in science alongside the rest of medicine.

[CousinoMacul]

I totally saw the whole "chakra" thing coming. I've read about that kind of quackery before. The Tarot Card sessions, however, were unexpected.

[JustAnotherX]

The physical closeness-ting is true to some people, but I'm not sure who or why, exactly. My GUESS is that it's more of a sexual thing, though.

[Maxdwolf]

When I hear tarot the o is long and the last t silent. Don't ask me why. English is a whore.

[ezmereldagreen]

french actually

[LatumWay]

Now I know why you asked me what alternative medicine I'd tried. Remember? When we did that 4 part interview that nobody fucking watched? Remember?

Ahhhh good times...

[mikesinner69]

When you started talking about female massage therapists I thought this was going to be a story about some hot girl on girl action but when you said Chakra my crazy alarm went off.

[landfillpoet]

So, I do think you got a very bad therapist. (Obviously!) Most therapists are much more...professional than that.

However, there is a disconnect between therapists and the science of clinical psychology. Newsweek ran a good story about this a couple months ago, I recommend checking it out. Often, therapists don't keep up on the research in the field and rely on outdated - and potentially worthless or counterproductive techniques.

Good video.

[SpinozasPsyche]

@landfillpoet Special emphasis on SOME. The ones I know usually DO keep up, and only do scientific psychotherapy.

[Lovingdoubt]

hair dye!?! O.o

*sigh* I'm glad u r talking about this. This is a world I never got involved in (I went the fundie christian route). Similar things dressed up differently in a lot of ways.

Anyway, i'll be watching ur whole series. *watches*

[jmm1233]

Any psychotherapist you get you should always check their credentials , obvious you were being scamed , it is obvious to a lame like me that message therapy is for stress relief and the healing of hands crap that should not have even been done

[PandyFackleresque]

Unfortunately, its not that simple. The degrees she had hung on her wall were from very reputable universities. I even attended the one that gave her the bachelors!

[dannypantsgm]

As soon as you said shakra I just facepalmed.

[SpinozasPsyche]

Definitely, Pseudoscience is the biggest problem in psychology. I think ill do a video response.

[PandyFackleresque]

I look forward to it!

[samsland22]

sounds like sunday schoo

[thecreepyguy]

wow that's fucked up.

[AnneOnAMoose]

I had a therapy session just like that at the carnival a few years ago, for an extra $5 she read my palms too. I can't believe insurance covers it, now.

[jsnki]

lol at pseudoscience

[Woolstenholme]

all sounds ship shape and bristol fashion to me what what

[yeahwotevaman]

Nutters. I would still go for the massage though, but just wear ear plugs.

[PandyFackleresque]

Unfortunately, the fluffy psuedoscience gets replaced by sad crap. So, I'm sorry in advance.

[alowlyapprentice]

WTF! They were practicing what is called Reikki. Some very new age stuff. *sigh

The idea of a regular message seems cool enough. But the other stuff has no place in a traditional therapists office.