Dr. Jessica Goodnight
Psychologist; thoughtful analysis on neuroscience vs. psychology in therapy, resilience, and behavior change.
Self‑diagnosis Works if You Stay Open to Experts
Self-diagnosis can be valid. But if you're not willing to hear "hmm, this is actually something else" and keep an open mind when you do see a professional, it's actually not.
Recognize Spiritual Roots to Avoid Blind Spots in Therapy
Psychology and spirituality are inextricably linked, and any MH professionalwho denies it is holding a blind spot. And is almost certainly engaging in cultural appropriation. Example. Mindfulness has been studied extensively in psychology. Where did this idea originate? Who do we owe...
Parenting Boils Down to Love, Not Endless Advice
So it's funny, I'm a psychologist, I read a million parenting books before my kid was born, and I wish back then someone had told me that my main task was just to like my kid and form a real...
Baby‑free Flights: Shift Blame From Babies to Complainers
I would personally love for people to have the option of a baby free flight so people who complain about babies on planes can be shamed more easily. "Can't handle babies' cries? Why didn't you pick the baby-free flight? Seems...
Therapist Endorsing Perpetration Urges Is Dangerous, Nuance Needed
I have been mulling over the therapyjeff post folks are talking about, trying to decide whether to comment and what to say. In some ways, my thoughts are simple - a therapist publicly supporting folks with perpetration urges sends a hugely...
Turning a Kid’s Galaxy Dream Into Bathroom Reality
I've never considered myself great at this kind of artsy thing, but when your 6yo asks for a galaxy themed bathroom I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do!
Psychologist Argues Against Legalizing Psychedelics for Therapy
I'm not a narc. But as a psychologist and past clinical researcher, I currently oppose the legalization of psychedelics for mental health. Here's why.
People Dismiss Talk Therapy yet Push IFS
All y'all talking crap about talk therapy and then recommending IFS or similar... I have something to tell you.
Disbelieving Doctors Undermine Psychotherapy Progress Amid Illness
In my work, people typically get better over time. You know what tends to make people suddenly, reliably worse? What tends to near-universally halt or totally undo progress in psychotherapy? New onset medical struggles. But not medical struggles alone. Medical struggles...
More Accountability, Not Less, Protects Mental Health
We're talking again on Threads about coaches and therapists - here are my thoughts. 1. Accountability matters. Working with mental health comes with tremendous, literal life and death risk. The entire purpose of licensing is to protect the public from...
Acknowledge Past Harm to Minimize Future Therapy Mistakes
50 years from now, we will look back at the therapy we are doing now and feel embarrassed. That doesn't mean the therapy is fundamentally bad. This is just how progress works. That means that you can do absolutely everything in...
Safety Fuels Growth; Scolding Undermines Improvement
People become the best versions of themselves when they feel ✨safe✨ This is why scolding people doesn't usually work so well to make them improve if they don't feel safe with you.
Therapists Need Balanced Training Beyond Rigid Echo Chambers
There are therapists trained to follow strict therapy protocols and they're told that it's the only way to be evidence based in their work - and they still believe it. There are therapists who are trained in almost no direct...
Apologies Aren’t Enough When Behavior Can’t Change
Ideally the best apology is changed behavior. One thing I'm not seeing in the social media space is nuance around behavior that can't or can't easily be changed. Lighthearted example: My child wants me to stop ever brushing her ears...
Therapy Can Harm, Yet Still Helps Many
Therapy harm stuff is all over Threads right now and I'm just here to say that two things can be true. Our system needs to change. Stigma and coercive practices have shaped our field in ways that cause ongoing harm and On...