Why Some Seek Out Bad Therapy and How It Impacts Intuitive Guides
Tearing down the stigma surrounding mental health treatment has been game-changing for millennials. The elimination of this age-old barrier has not only normalized seeking help for traumatic experiences and generalized mental health conditions within this generation, but it has also encouraged Gen X and Baby Boomers to seek treatment for struggles they were once told to simply "toughen up" about.
This shift, in combination with the expansion of social media, has made conversations about mental health a part of daily life. It allows us to witness and relate to the struggles of others across different cultural and racial backgrounds, offering a sense of shared experience and opening a collective dialogue. The increased accessibility of mental health care has become a pivotal entry point into exploring the deeper layers of our collective consciousness.
Yet, despite this mass normalization, many people remain reluctant to frame their challenges within the context of mental health disorders. Instead, they gravitate toward spiritual or intuitive approaches, often to sidestep the stigma that still lingers in their personal or family histories. For some, it's not a pursuit of spiritual enlightenment but rather a search for a perspective that opposes the label of mental illness—creating a space where they can avoid confronting the depths of their emotional and psychological turmoil.
The Allure of Bad Therapy: When Talking is More Comfortable Than Transforming
If there's one refrain often echoed when seeking mental health care, it's how difficult it is to find a "good therapist" or a "good doctor"—one who truly listens and digs into the root of mental health disorders. While there are both highly skilled and average professionals in any field, several factors fuel this narrative. For many BIPOC individuals, therapy can feel isolating; the industry's roots in Western perspectives and protocols often leave them feeling unseen or misunderstood. The historical framework of mental health care is not always equipped to meet diverse needs, leading to a sense of alienation.
But there's another, often overlooked, reason this conversation persists: some individuals find a sense of identity and community in their traumas and may not actually seek to overcome or understand their struggles on a deeper level. Seeking out a less challenging therapist can serve to appease the friends or family members, encouraging them toward growth while allowing them to remain within their comfort zone. For some, especially those with mild to moderate anxiety, depression, or neurodivergent conditions, the fear isn't just about confronting their issues—it's about the fear of losing people they care about if they don't change.
This dynamic can turn therapy into a space for "show and tell," where individuals can recount their struggles each week without the pressure of accountability. The bad therapist's office becomes a safe container to express their pain without necessarily challenging the patterns that keep them stuck. For those battling people-pleasing tendencies or fearing they'll become the "villain" in others' narratives, it can be easier to stay in a space where they feel temporarily heard rather than confront the deeper roots of their trauma—especially if doing so feels like it might disrupt their sense of self respective to fully accepting themselves through the lens of their condition.
Using therapy as a sounding board rather than a space for transformation can offer temporary relief, like a crutch that provides just enough support to carry on with the same struggles. But without seeking coping strategies, tools, and genuine introspections, inadequate therapy can become a cycle of replaying the same stories rather than breaking free from them. When traditional therapy is used solely as a space to vent, it can ultimately reinforce the very patterns that need to be challenged, leaving true growth just out of reach.
Validation Over Transformation
I've said it countless times over the last four years: many people seek validation rather than true transformation and growth. Since the pandemic's sudden upheaval and forced isolation, the fear of the unknown has only deepened, driving people to seek reassurance instead of facing reality—whether that reality is difficult to accept or even holds the promise of a better future that requires uncomfortable change. This shift has led to a growing attraction to the now-glamorized spiritual path, often preferred over traditional religious journeys or the quick fix of a diagnosis and prescription. With technology providing instant access to share thoughts, create new narratives, and the tendency to self-define and self-identify, many have redefined what they believe an empath or intuitive guide should be and what role they think we should play in their lives.
In recent years, I've often found myself expected to "perform" beyond the services I offer as an intuitive guide and Akashic Records reader. There's an assumption that an empath should understand every life circumstance, be nonjudgmental in a way that defies their humanity, and provide a validating spiritual response that affirms whatever story a person wants to believe about themselves or their situations. This has turned what should be one of the most sacred and honored spaces into an increasingly toxic and disingenuous environment.
Too often, I've encountered clients with significant mental health challenges who are less focused on their mental wellness and more intent on dictating the terms of how I should help them cultivate spiritual abilities that they haven't yet developed or fail to possess. Spirituality, and the idea of spiritual gifts, has become something that many believe is accessible to anyone—if only they learn what has been innate within me for my entire life. What people don't realize is that this behavior often reflects a deeper mental health struggle, with the intense projection serving as a red flag. Seeking validation in a space meant to help you identify and remove your blind spots is a form of skepticism.
Skepticism isn't always about testing an intuitive with yes-or-no questions or demanding specific answers. It can be more subtle, like seeking out an intuitive guide just to hear what you want to hear—without being open to facing the true roadblocks on your path or understanding their root causes. This is the true work of a genuine intuitive guide: illuminating what stands in the way of your transformation, helping you see beyond your own self-imposed limitations, and opening the door to the life you desire.
Many never consider the toll this takes on the intuitive guide, especially when trying to hide behind spiritual guidance. Deception—whether intentional or unconscious—is particularly draining for those of us who hold psychic space. It diverts energy away from the deeper work of providing spiritual clarity and creates an atmosphere of distrust. Many may think it's harmless to "pay to waste an intuitive's time," but they don't realize how much energy is depleted in the process or how deeply it affects an empath. It can feel like a core wound, as though the very essence of our purpose is being misused. It's a process that requires immense effort and practice, learning to hold stillness to receive the whispers from the spiritual realm. This effort is undermined when the space becomes tainted by the need for validation rather than the pursuit of truth.
The Dangers of Overstepping Boundaries
The line between intuitive guidance and mental health care is more straightforward than many people would like to believe—yet it's often willfully obscured. For those who struggle to face the reality of their mental health, the allure of intuitive guidance can feel safer than the stark mirror of a diagnosis. I've always believed that you should know what room you are called to be in, but I've witnessed how some are drawn to spirituality not for true healing but to join a trend or attempt to claim ownership over the wisdom they see in others. For many, undiagnosed mental health conditions carry a deep-seated terror—a fear that a formal diagnosis will redefine their lives, alter how they are seen, and burden them with labels they aren't ready to accept.
While the practice of intuitive work can bring clarity, comfort, and healing, it is not—and should never be—a replacement for professional mental health care when deeper issues are present. The smoke and mirrors behind which many conceal their struggles can become deceptive and manipulative, blurring the lines of ethical conduct both in everyday life and within the sacred space of spiritual guidance. It's heartbreaking to see how some clients struggling with their own fears expect their intuitive guides to play along with their illusions, bending spiritual truths to fit their narratives.
But this crosses into dangerous territory, challenging not just the ethics of intuitive work but also the very moral compass of the guide. For many intuitive guides, the work is not simply a practice but a deeply spiritual calling, an expression of their connection to something greater—something divine. Being asked to disregard that connection in service of someone's avoidance is unfair and can profoundly damage the integrity of the spiritual space. It leaves the empathic guide in a painful position, torn between compassion for the client's fear and the need to uphold the sanctity of their guidance.
Why Some Clients Seek Out Empaths and Intuitives Instead
The dynamics behind why people turn to empaths or intuitive guides over traditional therapy can be complex. For many, it's about the discomfort with formal diagnoses and the fear of stigma. Others grapple with confusion around inherited religious beliefs and long for a more spiritual path. Yet, often, people approach intuitive guides out of sheer curiosity, and while this may seem harmless, it can be a red flag for those who later turn into skeptics. As someone with spiritual inclinations my entire life, I wish people understood what's truly at stake when engaging in psychic space with spiritual entities.
This space isn't meant to be a casual Q&A about the mysteries of the spiritual realm. It's a sacred place for those seeking solutions to life's unsolvable problems and a pathway to healing using specific modalities designed to address deep-seated roadblocks. When someone comes to an intuitive session with questions like whether heaven or hell exists or if their past actions will lure them to a painful doom, they're missing the point. These are questions that, while valid, belong elsewhere—especially given how much information is already available on such topics. It's akin to hiring an architect to remodel your home, only to spend the consultation asking about their interest in architecture or if your house might fall apart. It's not just a waste of time for the intuitive guide; it can be draining on a much deeper level.
People must understand the importance of respecting the space they are entering and being transparent about their intentions. And beyond that, they must also embrace the duality in life—traditional therapy and intuitive guidance are not mutually exclusive. I have worked with clients whose well-managed mental health conditions coexist with a genuine spiritual journey that goes beyond the scope of therapy. It's not an either-or choice. Seeking intuitive guidance doesn't require bypassing essential mental health care just because you're uncomfortable with a diagnosis. Therapy can help you face your reality, while spiritual guidance can explore the deeper layers of your soul's journey. Often, spiritual guidance can help you understand more deeply the root cause of the mental health conditions, how it moves through your ancestral lineage, and the purpose of you taking on this condition in this specific incarnation. This soul-level truth, combined with proper treatment, could be the missing link to deeper self-acceptance and confidence while also offering indirect support to others in your lineage facing similar conditions through an intuitive ancestral exploration.
How Empaths and Intuitive Guides Can Protect Their Energy
Protecting your energy as an empath is not as easy as it seems. But doing so as a working intuitive guide is a challenge that must be faced and overcome, often daily. There's always an underlying fear that a client may become resentful or disengage because you've offered them a recommendation that aligns both spiritually and ethically with your offerings. Yet, the reality is that not everyone you can help, or envision a pathway of transformation for, is meant to be carried across that threshold by you.
It is imperative as a guide to offer only the messages you receive at a psychic level and to be transparent about your limitations, particularly with challenges that extend beyond your expertise or comfort. While many clients may value your insights and guidance, those who don't are simply not aligned with your highest good. Too often, empaths and intuitive guides sacrifice their boundaries and comfort to appease others, but this compromises their direct work with Spirit and hinders their own spiritual evolution. Lightworkers of all kinds sometimes overlook that they, too, are on a continuous spiritual journey. Not every client's needs will match your current stage of growth, and in some cases, letting go is essential to avoid stagnation in your own transformation.
Recommending therapy to a client doesn't negate the potential for their spiritual growth; it upholds your integrity. It acknowledges that certain challenges are best addressed through a combined approach, honoring both the mind and the spirit. And just because you can offer support to those with mental health conditions doesn't mean you should. Holding firm to the services that align with your soul's purpose ensures that you remain joyful in your work, eager to hear the whispers of Spirit when guiding those truly ready to receive it.
As a lightworker, it is crucial to be as honest with yourself about the nature of your work as it is for a potential client to be honest about their needs and intentions, whether they seek therapy or intuitive guidance. Both pathways offer immense value in healing the roadblocks we face in this life, but true transformation only begins when someone is ready to face their shadows and open themselves to support—whether for mental wellness or spiritual clarity. It is in this openness that the most profound healing can occur and where both the guide and the seeker find the space to grow and evolve together. In this mutual journey, there is a shared potential for growth, understanding, and connection that honors the sacredness of the work.
Ready to take a deeper, more honest look at your journey towards healing and transformation? Don't wait—explore the true purpose of intuitive guidance and the importance of honoring both your spiritual path and mental wellness. Click here to schedule a session and discover how to align with the support that truly meets your needs. Your clarity, your growth, your next step awaits.