By Syed Nasir Ahmed Gilani
A recent discussion among professionals within social media groups when a doctor shared a study claiming psychotherapy has harmful side effects on LinkedIn. I also took part in that discussion and it made me to think about importance of telling people what is psychotherapy or what is not psychotherapy or any other type of therapy for clear distinction. While doctors’ intentions may have been pure, the study exposes a major misunderstanding and premature conclusions—was the study talking about real psychotherapy, or was it referring to unqualified, non-professional interventions?
This distinction is critical because psychotherapy stops being psychotherapy when practiced by untrained person. To call such interventions “therapy” is an oxymoron—just as you wouldn’t call unlicensed surgery “medicine,” you can’t call non-professional counselling “psychotherapy.”
What is (and Isn’t) Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is not just a conversation about feelings or giving a listening ear to sufferer—it is a structured, scientific process conducted by licensed mental health professionals like clinical psychologists, licensed counsellors or therapists where not only what you say but what you don’t say because of strong human instinct is more important. It is learning not only about learning or developing skills but also unlearning some normal habits.
As Lewis R. Wolberg defined in 1967:
“Psychotherapy is the treatment, by psychological means, of problems of an emotional nature in which a trained person deliberately establishes a professional relationship with the patient with the object of removing, modifying, or retarding existing symptoms, of mediating disturbed patterns of behavior, and of promoting positive personality growth and development.”
This definition is decisive because it makes one thing clear—psychotherapy requires professional training, ethical practice, and scientific methods. Deprived of these, it is not psychotherapy at all.
When “Therapy” in the Wrong Hands Becomes Dangerous
The biggest danger comes from non-professionals who claim to offer therapy without the qualifications to diagnose or treat mental health conditions.
For example, A trained psychotherapist understands the difference between say Clinical depression vs. temporary sadness, PTSD vs. general stress, bipolar disorder vs. mood swings. A non-professional might mistake one for the other, leading to misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis and ineffective treatment, and even harm.
In some cases, well-meaning but untrained “counsellors” have encouraged trauma survivors to talk about distressing experiences without proper coping strategies, further worsening their symptoms rather than helping. Numerous Studies have shown that improper trauma debriefing can increase PTSD symptoms instead of reducing them.
Psychotherapy is More Than Just Talking
Today, many people confuse life coaching, motivational advice, and informal counselling with therapy which are everywhere in social media , even some sources provide therapy through chatting . For example, statements in these programs like:
“Just think positive, and everything will be fine.”
“Try to be grateful, and your anxiety will disappear.”
“You just need to be stronger and stop overthinking.”
While these statements might sound encouraging, they are not therapy.
Real psychotherapy is: strictly
1.Science-based or evidence based – Psychotherapy Uses proven techniques from years of research and clinical trials for example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). There are thousands of studies which have proven the effectiveness of these approaches in alleviating different types of psychological problems.
2.Personalized – A therapist tailors each session based on the client’s specific psychological needs, values, goals and their unique environment. Since understanding a person from psychological, social, biological perspectives needs training, experience, deep knowledge of these factors, untrained therapists, who are mostly employed by hospitals, can fail to understand these things and in turn harm the client unknowingly.
3. Ethical and structured – Therapists follow strict confidentiality and professional boundaries. It is based of all therapy to have a good working alliance or simply a therapy relationship which is based on respecting the patients therapy rights of privacy, confidentiality and informed consent. Trained therapists make sure that these rights are communicated and understood by the client or patient.
4.Based on firm working alliance or therapeutic relationship: All techniques of therapy fail when you don’t first have a strong trusting relationship with client which is based on Authenticity, genuineness, and unconditional acceptance. If a person who is given the task of therapy is not trained, he can mess up with these important elements of therapy by natural human instinct of Advice giving, righting reflex – to make things right immediately.
Beyond the focus of Symptom Relief: The Power of Real Therapy
A trained psychotherapist does not just focus on temporary symptom relief—they help clients achieve long-term emotional and psychological well-being. For example:
- CBT helps people reframe negative thoughts and develop healthier thinking patterns.
- Psychoanalytic therapy uncovers unconscious emotional conflicts that affect behavior.
- ACT teaches people to accept difficult emotions and focus on what truly matters.
When done correctly, therapy is not just about feeling better—it’s about transforming how you handle life itself.
The Bottom Line that we should understand is: Therapy in the Wrong Hands is Not Therapy
The real issue is not whether psychotherapy has “side effects”—it’s that harm comes when non-professionals practice something they do not fully understand. When a trained professional conducts psychotherapy, it is life-changing. When an untrained person gives advice, it is just talking—not therapy.
So, the next time you or someone you know seeks therapy, ask this simple question: Is this person trained, licensed, and qualified?
Because in mental health, just like in medicine, choosing the right professional can make all the difference. The licensed or qualified clinical psychologists should also actively spread information and guidelines for therapy and enlighten people who conduct such studies or propagate as it is using a blanket label which is basically contradictory. Masses should know what psychotherapy is so that they will be empowered to choose it accurately and wisely.
- The author is a Consultant clinical psychologist and can be reached at nasir.geelani@gmail.com
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