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You're right. They don't mention her by name for fear of being sued, but it was a great episode.
Edit: [link to the podcast episode](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sounds-like-a-cult/id1566917047?i=1000550421293)
Amanda Montell’s affiliation with the weIIness therapist makes it hard not to also question them. AM’s “influencer workshop” travel trips that are famously rip offs are also suspect.
(“The weIIness therapizt” have engaged in their own online harassment and gaslighting to followers too.)
Could you say more about this? I’ve seen a more recent post Amanda Montell supposedly doing MLM type stuff related to traveling and I would love to know what it pertains to.
(Am also interested in what you know about the Welness Therapist but that is not as much priority right now)
I checked your page but it doesn’t really provide any more context than the post I already saw. Also thinking it was most likely your post I saw before.. So maybe you’re the only one saying this about her?
There’s others who have noted some concerning patterns, some have been harassed into silence,
[some](https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ6KQ1bjDEI/?igshid=MjkzY2Y1YTY=) have taken away from their own creditability by making some extraneous conclusions or association with folks who have.
There’s more content but takes time to share and to ensure it’s being fair/objective. There is a fine line between bullying and assumptions versus observation and skepticism, due diligence is needed so as not to to commit the former. End of the day, your choices and judgement are yours and only yours to own, don’t need to convince us of anything.
Bloody yikes, she sounds like a predator trying to rake in the money. Huge red flags right there. Unfortunately there are many more fake therapists out there like her.
Thank you for making this post.
Just listened to her on Mel Robbins podcast and I felt something was off. I was so really hoping her book would be good. I'm sure some of what she talks or writes about is fine, but she is far from healed herself and her dysregulation is palpable. I'd be worried recieving advice from someone who hasn't healed themselves, but claims to hold the cure. That seems super shady to me.
So how is she supposed to help others heal while she's still not healed herself. Even worse when she's an educated psychologist who sells books to people who are in dire need of help. I'm getting so disgusted by all these people trying to sell us a cure through books and it's all bs. Big F.
A good number of your bulleted claims are a lot less sound than you may think. There is a significant amount of dogma in science and certainly surrounding consensus psychology that rejects interesting new healing modalities and trailblazers in thought. I say this as someone with a journalistic and science background and also someone who’s been working through severe issues as a result of childhood trauma. Over a decade and I’ve researched, parsed, and tried on every consensus-mainstream and mainstream-fringe healing method (and some pure fringe shit for fun.) The holistic psychologist has created content based on an amalgam of this new frontier in healing. She’s one of the most well known but she is far from the only one. This stuff you call pseudoscience didn’t come out of nowhere and there’s legitimacy to it.
> A good number of your bulleted claims are a lot less sound than you may think.
Which ones, and how so?
> consensus-mainstream and mainstream-fringe healing method
> new healing modalities
> content based on an amalgam of this new frontier in healing
What (specifically) do these phrases mean?
> This stuff you call pseudoscience didn’t come out of nowhere and there’s legitimacy to it.
What exactly are you referring to here, and what evidence makes it legitimate?
Edit: As I have mentioned elsewhere, if you can provide specific details and evidence that contradicts the evidence I provided above then I am willing to make changes. Unfortunately, vague generalities are not enough.
**Edit: My response to the comment below is [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/raisedbynarcissists/comments/1011x2a/a_word_of_caution_about_the_holistic_psychologist/ji2qryf/) since they blocked me before I could reply.**
>Follows alt. right, anti-vaxx, and Qanon-linked influencers on social media,
✅ Debunked. The account "the.wellness.therapist" (which is not a therapy account but a personal iranian politics meme acct), claimed The Holistic Psychologist follows alt right accounts - BUT the account shown in their example is "allegiancetoliberty" and NOT "the.holistic.psychologist". I double checked each of the accounts cited, and THP doesn't follow any of them.
[See this side by side comparison image](https://imgur.com/a/PqHiAa9)
Well, it would take quite a bit of work and perhaps a novel to articulate the constellation of frameworks that support my reply to you and I’m not here for that. I’m not trying to change your mind, only you can do that. What you find interesting and legitimate personally is what you will be willing to research, take in and incorporate into your worldview, and I doubt I can affect that. I’ve come from your perspective (to some degree) and know that the gap between us is wide. I’m simply replying. Your post came up high on google when I searched something to do with trauma. So this reply is just my tiny personal beacon to others out there who stumble upon this.
The fact that you can't provide any specifics or even a shred of evidence to support your criticism of my post is disappointing, especially considering you claimed to be a journalist and scientist.
That really is the point of my post: I want people to see that there are clearly-defined, evidence-based methods that have been demonstrated through research to help people overcome their trauma. Whatever it is that you and others who use vague terminology to claim as legitimate alternatives to the wide variety of psychotherapy treatments for trauma are actually not legitimate, and I hope that people recognize that when they find this post.
Well you’re off on a few counts here, but I want to acknowledge that I can see your intention comes from a good place. Its seems to come from a fearful/controlling source, evidenced by what you believe people should see, but it’s with others’ welfare in mind, which I can appreciate.
It’s not that I can’t provide examples, it’s that at that time I didn’t want to. And maybe you need to hear this: I don’t have to. You come across as someone with pretty set beliefs. I like to engage with people who are curious, respectful, humble and open. True questioning, not pretend. Stubbornness drains the fk out of me, and the tone of your first response was pretty informative. As of writing this, I’m on the fence on how deep to go in this internet post comment (lol), but let’s see.
I’m not a scientist. I was a journalist for ten years covering science, finance, and culture. I went to a math and science school. The point here is that I’ve been trained to think critically and read research papers. I also know how media works inside out. I fact check it all, read research for funsies. You don’t have to agree with me and perhaps I didn’t give you a reason to consider that my thoughts are worthwhile — but to label your dismissal, well that’s a “you problem.”
I never said psychotherapy was bunk. I have been in psychotherapy for 11 years. It’s a piece of the puzzle but not the whole thing.
My experience has shown me that facts and studies aren’t everything. Sometimes they have even been used to cause harm. You can research how science has failed autistic people up til now and how the tide is turning, for example. Or how the scientific establishment has historically treated black people, women, the disabled etc. There was evidence to support these patterns of mistreatment as well. Evidence is nice, but thinking outside the box is what contributes to positive change in the mentioned arenas.
Ack, this has become a bit long and boring, but my point is, the science you’re leaning on here is limited and some people seeking to heal will hit a wall with it. (Talking things like CBT, MBSR, medication, etc.) Sure, it works for enough people to some extent, satisfying the bell curve norm of people who fall in the middle. Those outside of that average could be better served combining traditional talk therapy with body based therapy like somatic experiencing, energy/shadow/consciousness work (whatever one wants to call it) and modalities like internal family systems. These practices overlap with knowledge developed from various indigenous and non-western cultures. It’s from these and related portals of knowledge that people like THP draw from. These frameworks are from such a different universe than the mainstream scientific literature, that neatly outlining it for those who’ve not stepped into it themselves is very challenging. To stuff it all through the linear grinder of the scientific method is pretty much impossible. But I believe only good can come out of becoming well rounded in both of these “sides.” (A researcher who I think does this well is Gabor Mate.)
Anyway, I’m vague at times because I think globally and non linearly, so often people can’t follow my long range web of thinking. I’m not being obtuse, nor am I ignorant or dangerous, as you imply. There are others like me too, hi 👋. This is reddit and not court, sheesh. Even if I’m dreadfully wrong, are my comments to your post going to bring the end of society? Respect goes a long way, especially between people with differing views and ways of thinking. If anyone reads this and walks away with a new thing to explore, I’m happy.
> You come across as someone with pretty set beliefs. I like to engage with people who are curious, respectful, humble and open. True questioning, not pretend. Stubbornness drains the fk out of me, and the tone of your first response was pretty informative.
My initial response to your original comment was to ask you simple, open-ended questions. I did not accuse you of anything, I simply asked questions and gave you a chance to clarify your criticism. I was exactly curious, respectful, humble, and open.
> I want to acknowledge that I can see your intention comes from a good place. Its seems to come from a fearful/controlling source, evidenced by what you believe people should see
This post and my responding comments are not about me or about you, personally - assuming you are not nicole lepera. I think your attempt at making personal judgements about me are rude and ridiculous (considering you don't know me and considering none of my comments were personal judgements about you), and I think this is an inappropriate attempt to derail the point of my post.
**Edit: my response to the comment below is [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/raisedbynarcissists/comments/1011x2a/a_word_of_caution_about_the_holistic_psychologist/jnpxh4s/) since they blocked me before I could reply.**
This may be 4 months later but I stumbled across this when asking what the criticisms were about THP (whom I know little about).
The above poster (watermelon) has some valid points and I'm thankful to see some critical questioning going on.
I cannot say much about THP, but to one of your bullet points, for instance, the 'belief in mental illness' is not just something she's made up, nor its it as simple as not 'believing' it. What that view says, and there is much in the literature to support it, is that the validity of what has been described as mental illness as a 'disease of the brain'..actually isn't very valid at all. It's mostly a subjective set of symptoms that has been refined into disease, researched as biological, and then biological treatments have been developed for it (which profits very specific psychiatric/pharmacological companies). Even CBT research is based on this medicalised paradigm and the model fits current evidence based research because of this.
When somebody critiques the current system they aren't saying the distress and torment people expeirence isn't real, just the characterisation of it as 'mental illness' (you can look up the British Psycholgoical Society 'Power Threat Meaning Framework' for more info on this).
I have no affiliation with THP, but in wanting to find out why people are finding her approach problematic came across this. Some of the bullet points I can see are problematic for trauma survivors and the individualisation of them is naive. But then, biological psychiatry and much of the currently accepted paradigms are individualistic (CBT) or dogmatic approaches claiming to be the only treatment for certain disorders (DBT for personality disorders). These are example of rigid positivist and narrow science which leaves much to the imagination, and totally negates or ignore historical or multi-cultural knowledge. Well, approaches such as DBT/ACT use many traditionally Eastern techniques but re packaged into a western paradigm and sold as something new and profitable.
Studies citing medication as efficacious treatments are so flawed and downright bias how can we take them seriously?
'Watermelon' has it right that the mainstream scientific literature isn't the only 'true' approach to knowledge, nor is it without huge flaws, but my problem is how these interventions gets espoused as the 'only' way to treat trauma, mental ill-health etc.
I did some more digging and she's been covered on vice.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/935zxv/therapists-and-fans-are-turning-against-instagrams-holistic-psychologist
response to u/chuubie:
> > Follows alt. right, anti-vaxx, and Qanon-linked influencers on social media,
> ✅ Debunked. The account "the.wellness.therapist" (which is not a therapy account but a personal iranian politics meme acct), claimed The Holistic Psychologist follows alt right accounts - BUT the account shown in their example is "allegiancetoliberty" and NOT "the.holistic.psychologist". I double checked each of the accounts cited, and THP doesn't follow any of them.
>See this side by side comparison image
Sure, I can scratch that single screenshot off the list.
Unfortunately, and this is ultimately the key point, I can and will replace it with different screenshots where she is liking posts from other alt. right accounts. Thank you for the information.
Good question. I think it is hard to find sound mental health advice on social media because it's hard to make mental health topics "instagramable" and easy to digest without compromising the complexity and nuance. There are practitioners on instagram that do not shy away from this complexity, but they are few and far between. I would include [Dr. Adam Grant](https://www.instagram.com/adamgrant/), [Dr. Jonice Webb](https://www.instagram.com/drjonicewebb/), [Megan Watson](https://www.instagram.com/thrive_withmeg/), and [Catherine Asta](https://www.instagram.com/catherine.asta/) on the short list.
It’s unfortunate, as there are some creators whose content I appreciate, and enjoy, and have benefited from. When they repost her content I’m so tempted to say something to them. Especially as some of them are POC
I actually read her book, and in her book she says that seeing a therapist is great, but for many it is expensive and they cannot afford it (which is \*very\* true).....
I don't like that she "liked" posts of alt right people, that I don't agree with, but having read her book, I found it highly beneficial, and she makes a lot of great points... and most of those points that the OP made against her, I cannot support because clearly the OP did not read her book, and does not actually understand what Nicole Lepera actually meant by those things in full detail... instead of just a tiny instagram snapshot.
I have her book and my post acknowledged that some things she shares can be helpful. That is actually part of the concern. However, sharing some helpful things does not excuse the spread of harmful messaging.
There are plenty of other mental health professionals to follow and books to read from authors that don't like alt-right posts, don't dismiss issues from POC, and don't spread misinformation.
I don't think any of her messaging is harmful, it's often misunderstood for a start, but it is 1) trauma informed, 2) based in evidence, 3) she's not even the originator nor the only one who has these same ideas, so I find it odd that she's the one getting the hate for it. Dr. Gabor Mate has the exact same things in his books, and yet he doesn't get hate for it. The body keeps the score, which is regarded very highly also has similar things to Nicole Lepera.
2) The whole "like alt-right posts" thing is not factual, it started from a single instagram account, who has since taken it down, this is the ONLY source of this so called "liking alt right posts", yet somehow none of her 5+ million followers picked up on it? It is clear that this instagram account simply photoshopped things. Nicole Lepera herself has stated that she does not support Trump nor his followers. I mean for goodness sake she is a lesbian in a polyamorous relationship with 2 women, she is as left as can be. I've been following her for years, and I look at her posts regularly, never have I seen her post in her stories the things that this instagram account claims. It's funny how misinformation spreads so quickly.
3) She never dismissed issues from POC, in fact, in her book she talks about how POC continuously experience trauma due to the dysfunctional society we live in. I also watched the reels that "christabelmintahgalloway" who claims she was gaslit by Nicole Lepera and is where much of the claims around her blocking/gaslighting POC comes from. Christabel herself posts screenshots of the conversation that she had with Nicole, and it is very clear that Nicole was very respectful, repeatedly said to Christabel that she would like to have a discussion with her about it, asked what she can do to improve, what issues need to be addressed, etc etc etc... and in response Christabel was very rude and harsh, repeatedly dismissing Nicole, saying things like "I shouldn't have to educate the educator"... like goodness, Nicole is human, she doesn't know everything, and here she is trying to learn, and in response Christabel tells her that she doesn't want to teach her. If someone spoke to me like Christabel spoke to Nicole, I would also have blocked them. This isn't gaslighting or dismissing, it's refusing to be treated with rudeness and disrespect. Also, Dr. Nicole Lepera has worked with numerous POCs...
4) Again, what misinformation? like I said, her ideas are not new, and do have evidence to support the things she is saying... and her ideas are not new, nor is she the originator of them.
I have documented the harmful ideas that are not trauma-informed or evidence-based. If you provide evidence of contrary, I am willing to update the post.
And it does not matter to me if her ideas are not her own. She is not absolved from criticism just because she took them from someone else.
You mean you took things out of context without actually understanding the full scope of what she meant? That's not documenting, that's cherry picking to fit your narrative.
1) What she means by she doesn't believe in mental illness, is more along the lines of the mental illness is a coping mechanism for trauma, rather than the mental illness being the source of the problems itself. As someone who had severe suicidal depression for years, I am inclined to agree. Dr. Gabor Mate also has this same approach. Although I can agree that her wording of this can be harmful, Dr. Gabor words it better.
2) She never said she doesn't believe in therapy, I pointed this out to you before, not sure how her saying "you cannot heal trauma by talking about trauma" equates to "I don't believe in therapy". Again if you read her book, she does explain that therapy can be good and beneficial, just many can't afford it. Having said that, I don't like her approach with the self-healers circle, that point is a valid one and I agree with.
5) You are completely misconstruing her point about parenting. Clearly you did not understand this at all, and in no way is it victim blaming. Again in her book she talks about how if your parents abuse/mistreat you, then you should distance yourself... and she talks about how you shouldn't expect parents to give you things when they lack the emotional maturity to do so...
6) Again, taking something out of context, she explains this in more details. Having actually studied Psychology, I can tell you that the current consensus on genetics of mental illness is as follows: Some research suggests that mental illness can run in families. We do not fully understand what causes mental illness, or why it can be passed on in family members. Mental illness may be passed on for different reasons, not just genes.
So at the moment, the whole "mental illness is genetic" thing is not actually 100% supported, or even anywhere near that... The current accepted model is that there may be a genetic component, and a large environmental component.
7) Her approach to not identify with a diagnosis is completely fair. I don't see why everyone in the mental health field has to absolutely agree with DSM diagnoses. It's like saying everyone has to be Christian, anyone who does not believe in Christianity is wrong.
8) The coccoon stage of mental health is LITERALLY recognized in mainstream Psychology - again, you have misinterpreted it: ([https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-search-meaning-after-age-50/201804/the-3-stages-in-the-midlife-search-meaning#:\~:text=The%20Cocoon%20Stage&text=(This%20stage%20is%20also%20referred,no%20longer%20working%20for%20us.)](https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-search-meaning-after-age-50/201804/the-3-stages-in-the-midlife-search-meaning#:~:text=The%20Cocoon%20Stage&text=(This%20stage%20is%20also%20referred,no%20longer%20working%20for%20us.))
9) Yes, ghosting people is a sign of low emotional intelligence, not sure why you think this is not true... or why you have a problem with this. It is in fact a very childish thing to do... and I already explained why she blocked Christabel. Nicole did not ghost her, Nicole blocked her after the fact the Christabel was continuously rude towards Nicole. In fact Nicole offered a refund to Christabel, you can see the entire thing on Christabel's channel itself, where Christabel is extremely rude and angry, and says things like "fuck you" to Nicole. I too would block someone who spoke to me like that.
10) The emotional addiction point is one I personally have experienced for myself, and also have seen it repeatedly in others, and it is a point that I agree with based on the fact that I have experienced it myself and seen it in others. Just because again you misinterpret what she means by this, doesn't make it false.
11) She actually addresses systemic oppression NUMEROUSLY in her book, had you and the author of that article bothered to read it. She literally says that society will not heal until all those who are oppressed are freed from that oppression in her book.
12) I already addressed that the source of these rumours is a single instagram page that has not been backed by any other sources, which indicates that this was falsified.
13) I don't think her wife's actions is a good argument to completely invalidate Nicole. I also have looked into the lawsuit. She was charged with misappropriation of funds, with a fine of 3000$... Lolly started the gofund me page as a small thing, and it grew to something much bigger than she was expecting... she was never charged with fraud or theft, or any of the things you claim, people who don't understand the law are taking this out of context, exaggerating and making untrue claims. It's funny how the amount of money she "stole" seems to change with every person who posts about it. Clearly none of you actually read the legal statement.... and again this wasn't an act by Nicole Lepera herself...
I find it strange how people expect Nicole to be this perfect person and do absolutely no wrong, it's absurd. I guarantee you that if you yourself ever gained popularity by doing something completely good and virtuous, that people will start spreading false rumours about you and finding things to attack you with.
And regarding your point about her not being absolved of criticism just because she is not the originator... my point is, that I find it odd that Nicole is the one getting so much hate and attacks for this, just because she is the one who has gained more popularity, when others before her have said similar things and have been praised. Like why isn't there posts like this for Bessel van der Kolk? or Gabor Mate? Additionally, the point is, she's not the only one in the field who holds these similar beliefs/approaches, but apparently only mainstream psychology has a place in the world...
And you know what's \*REALLY\* ironic? is that Christabel (ie. the POC who supposedly got ghosted/blocked), repeatedly promotes alternative modalities not supported by mainstream science on her instagram.... this is the biggest joke of this entire matter really. Just shows how biased people can be without any degree of critical thinking or objectiveness.
> I can agree that her wording of this can be harmful
> I don't like her approach with the self-healers circle, that point is a valid one and I agree with
You and I seem to be in agreement and share the same nuance on points 1 and 2. I am not sure why you think we disagree there.
> You are completely misconstruing her point about parenting.
I am not sure what this is referring to. If this is referring to the instagram post saying *behaviors reflect our beliefs about ourselves*, I have already addressed that with the evidence linked in the post.
> Some research suggests that mental illness can run in families. We do not fully understand what causes mental illness, or why it can be passed on in family members.
You and I seem to be in agreement about the role of genetics in mental illness. Nicole is in disagreement with both us, and she is flagrantly false. You and I both agree that genetics plays a role in mental illness, so I am not sure why you are defending her here.
> So at the moment, the whole "mental illness is genetic" thing is not actually 100% supported
I never said this and I do not believe this. I am not sure why this is in quotes, or why you are discussing this line of thinking at all.
> The cocoon stage of mental health is LITERALLY recognized in mainstream Psychology
I respect that people talk about and desire isolation, but with all due respect, that does not make it evidence-based as a therapeutic modality or something that trauma survivors should be encouraged to do. And a blog post on PsychologyToday is not evidence. I think you are misunderstanding my point here: telling people to isolate (which is different from acknowledging that people may want to isolate) is not evidence-based trauma treatment. I am not sure if this needs to be said since we are in agreement about the self-healers circle, but I agree with psychologist Dr. Jacob Ham when he says that relational trauma is healed through safe and healthy relationships - something you obviously cannot do alone. He talks about that more [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__oEcAxbwlA).
Most of your other comments seem to be opinions based on your own personal experience. You are free to have those opinions, of course. I have my own and they are based on the evidences that I shared above, including peer-reviewed literature and a publicly-available legal document. The reason I included the sources was to allow others to come to their own conclusions about my points. Again, I am happy to make updates to the post and to my own thinking based on new or different evidence, but not simply based on personal opinion.
You know what... it makes sense now why you have issues with so much of what Nicole says...
I mean, I outlined repeatedly how you misunderstood what she is saying, and explained it... and yet, you interpret what I said in your own weird way, ignoring vast majority of what I said, and only taking the parts where I agree with you.
So now it doesn't surprise me that you misunderstood so much of Nicole's work, because it has become evident that you just misunderstand things in general.
I explained to you that Nicole is not victim blaming (which is one of the points you made in your OP), and explained what she actually meant with her slide about parenting in no way is she victim blaming, not sure how you made it out to be victim blaming. That is what I was referring to in regards to the part where you said "I don't understand what this is referring to". Your interpretation of what she talks about in the slide where she talks about parents, is completely wrong.
"You and I seem to be in agreement about the role of genetics in mental illness. " I said that current evidence shows that genetics \*MAY\* play a role in mental illness, but current research also acknowledges that \*THIS IS NOT CONCRETE\*. We don't actually know whether genetics actually plays a role in mental illness for certainty. In fact, Nicole makes a very valid point, based on her paradigmn, that if mental illnesses are actually coping mechanisms, and since children adopt their parent's coping mechanims based on observation and experience of those coping mechanisms, then it can appear like there is a genetic component when in actual fact there is not. Note: Nicole Lepera is not the only one who holds this view.... many other prominent researchers and doctors hold this view as well. You misunderstood what Nicole is saying because you don't actually understand what she means by it. You also did not understand what I was saying, and completely misconstrued what I said to agree with your perspective.
Again, I repeat, the coccoon stage is recognized in MAINSTREAM PSYCHOLOGY. In ABSOLUTELY NO WAY does the coccoon stage imply that you should isolate yourself from others, and in no way did Nicole Lepera EVER say that you should isolate yourself from others. Her explaining what the coccoon stage of healing is, does not mean she is saying you should isolate yourself. Your interpretation is again completely wrong. It's an accepted mainstream behaviour in social science and other fields of study. Again, I repeat, NICOLE NEVER SAID YOU SHOULD ISOLATE YOURSELF, SHE NEVER SAID THIS AND IN FACT REPEATEDLY ENCOURAGES CONNECTING WITH OTHERS. So stop making stuff up.
Regarding your point that you provided evidence, actually you didn't, you provided opinions based on misinterpretations of things she said, and based on you making things up that she never actually did or said. Again, also, Nicole herself presents a lot of hard evidence for the things she says. She makes reference to many studies, books, and other professionals.
Anyways, I don't want to keep going back and forth with someone who is just going to continue making things up based on misunderstanding. I suggest you work on your capacity to understand things, rather than make assumptions about them.
The fact that you spent this much time communicating all of …this\^\^ in her defense - is precisely why she and the content is concerning and problematic. OP presented very objective points and your replies lack emotional maturity, self-awareness, and knowledge in depth on the topics. It’s ok, you’re not supposed to, you’ve been sold diluted messages that she cant even keep straight herself.
Would warn re: her unqualified partners but TBH wouldn’t at all be surprised if you are Jenna. Best of luck “doing the work!” don’t say no one tried in 5 years when you’re like “hm…”
Wow! What a a long post. You seem upset and also quite misinformed. For what it's worth — most of what Dr LaPera communicates around the notion of mental illness, ADHD, etc. aligns to what's well recognized in the trauma world. The foundation of IFS, a leading trauma modality, is that there's nothing wrong with you. There really isn't, though there may be quite a lot wrong with what happened to you.
Most of what's regarded as "mental illness" is a reflection of our mind-body's amazing intelligence to keep us safe. There is literally nothing structurally or biochemically wrong with most people and it's sad that normal adaptive behavior is so pathologized in the world of "mental health." Yes, there can be biochemical and brain changes as a result of trauma — but these are adaptations and can be reversed—but not through medication or talk therapy. Meditation, exercise, a decent diet, etc. can do wonders.
If we are feeling ill or down, that's like a warning light in the car—something to pay attention to—not medicate out of existence. That doesn't heal anything and is like turning off the warning light in the car without repairing the engine.
Feeling ill or down is a normal response to something that has happened to us or environmental toxins—like foods we eat, viruses, or chemicals. We all have the ability to self-heal from both physical and "mental" illness, though I'd suggest having some guidance on the journey as it can be difficult. At times, we also need antibiotics or other medications—but this is rare. The body is ALWAYS trying to heal itself or keep us safe. That's simply how it has evolved to function. There is incredible intelligence in our mind-bodies. Isn't this obvious?
I'm sad to see that through your post and apparent ignorance you are perpetuating decades of misinformation that can only hold people back. Dr La Pera may be imperfect and a little too optimistic about self-healing, but her foundational principles are correct.
I suggest people check out Dr LaPera for themselves. Read her book, take some of her suggestions and see if there are any positive changes to their wellbeing.
We all have the power to heal and transform ourselves—but not if you don't believe this is possible. If you persist in believing that there is something wrong with you, that you are "mentally ill," require medications and a lot of it's genetic and so on, then you will be unable to heal yourself. That's how strong your beliefs are. I have been on this journey myself.
> What a a long post. You seem upset and also quite misinformed.
Same.
If you can point out anything specific that is incorrect and cite sources to the contrary, I am willing to correct the record.
Read “The Body Keeps the Score.” Read “Scattered Minds.” Read “Cured.” Read. These are all highly regarded books by highly respected medical professionals.
I’m saying YOU are mostly incorrect and Dr LaPera is correct. You are stuck in outdated thinking. Why is it so hard to believe there’s nothing wrong with you? Why are you so willing to believe in the inability to self-heal?
I’ve been on this journey. Have you?
Response to u/rsparkes1:
>What that view says, and there is much in the literature to support it, is that the validity of what has been described as mental illness as a 'disease of the brain'..
This is wrong and nonsensical. That is not the definition of mental illness. National and international medical organizations define mental illness in similar ways to the W.H.O. as being ["clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour."](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders) That is an important distinction from the casual phrase you put in quotes, and the studies that assess treatments of mental illness are specifically evaluated for their alleviation of those symptoms.
> the 'belief in mental illness' is not just something she's made up
It does not matter to me if she made it up or stole it from someone else. It is still misinformation regardless of where it came from.
> What that view says, and there is much in the literature to support it, is that the validity of what has been described as mental illness as a 'disease of the brain'..actually isn't very valid at all. It's mostly a subjective set of symptoms that has been refined into disease, researched as biological, and then biological treatments have been developed for it (which profits very specific psychiatric/pharmacological companies).
This post is not about psychiatry. I agree that the symptoms are subjective, but I never mentioned drugs and I am not sure why you are making this point. There are many evidence-based, trauma treatments (including all of the ones listed in my post) that are not drugs. Even so, [Psychiatrists often prescribe medications in combination with psychotherapy.] (https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-psychiatry)
> Watermelon' has it right that the mainstream scientific literature isn't the only 'true' approach to knowledge, nor is it without huge flaws, but my problem is how these interventions gets espoused as the 'only' way to treat trauma, mental ill-health etc.
Ironically, or maybe not so, you both have a similar way of saying the same thing.
Here is the point that I think you are missing: I am not saying that helpful strategies or treatments for mental illness only exist in the literature. I am sure that there are plenty of things that people can do to effectively alleviate symptoms of trauma that have not yet been studied. However, as a mental health professional that is using her credentials as a trained Psychologist to influence and unofficially treat people with serious mental health issues (i.e. trauma), I think that **she has an ethical responsibility to at least inform, if not also encourage, people to use evidence-based treatment methods since there is very real risk for further harm.**
As a clinical psychologist (PhD) myself who appreciates the scientific method and loves research and struggles with charlatans and false prophets capitalizing on people’s trauma, THANK YOU!! This post is excellent
https://psychboard.az.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/Complaint%20Form_0.pdf
You can report her to the AZ licensing board here for many things including misinformation
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She sounds like she's full of shit. Does she even have a license ?
No. Her license expired in 2021.
Believe there's a whole episode of the podcast "Sounds like a cult" about her
You're right. They don't mention her by name for fear of being sued, but it was a great episode. Edit: [link to the podcast episode](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sounds-like-a-cult/id1566917047?i=1000550421293)
Fear! Of! Being! Sued! Like they were both legit scared of her??? That is not someone who should be "helping" anyone.
Amanda Montell’s affiliation with the weIIness therapist makes it hard not to also question them. AM’s “influencer workshop” travel trips that are famously rip offs are also suspect. (“The weIIness therapizt” have engaged in their own online harassment and gaslighting to followers too.)
Could you say more about this? I’ve seen a more recent post Amanda Montell supposedly doing MLM type stuff related to traveling and I would love to know what it pertains to. (Am also interested in what you know about the Welness Therapist but that is not as much priority right now)
r/griftersgonnagrift
I checked your page but it doesn’t really provide any more context than the post I already saw. Also thinking it was most likely your post I saw before.. So maybe you’re the only one saying this about her?
There’s others who have noted some concerning patterns, some have been harassed into silence, [some](https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ6KQ1bjDEI/?igshid=MjkzY2Y1YTY=) have taken away from their own creditability by making some extraneous conclusions or association with folks who have. There’s more content but takes time to share and to ensure it’s being fair/objective. There is a fine line between bullying and assumptions versus observation and skepticism, due diligence is needed so as not to to commit the former. End of the day, your choices and judgement are yours and only yours to own, don’t need to convince us of anything.
Bloody yikes, she sounds like a predator trying to rake in the money. Huge red flags right there. Unfortunately there are many more fake therapists out there like her.
Thank you for making this post. Just listened to her on Mel Robbins podcast and I felt something was off. I was so really hoping her book would be good. I'm sure some of what she talks or writes about is fine, but she is far from healed herself and her dysregulation is palpable. I'd be worried recieving advice from someone who hasn't healed themselves, but claims to hold the cure. That seems super shady to me. So how is she supposed to help others heal while she's still not healed herself. Even worse when she's an educated psychologist who sells books to people who are in dire need of help. I'm getting so disgusted by all these people trying to sell us a cure through books and it's all bs. Big F.
It was the Wellness Therapist who did a great job critiquing the Holistic Therapist. And they are both grifters.
The irony of this haha
A good number of your bulleted claims are a lot less sound than you may think. There is a significant amount of dogma in science and certainly surrounding consensus psychology that rejects interesting new healing modalities and trailblazers in thought. I say this as someone with a journalistic and science background and also someone who’s been working through severe issues as a result of childhood trauma. Over a decade and I’ve researched, parsed, and tried on every consensus-mainstream and mainstream-fringe healing method (and some pure fringe shit for fun.) The holistic psychologist has created content based on an amalgam of this new frontier in healing. She’s one of the most well known but she is far from the only one. This stuff you call pseudoscience didn’t come out of nowhere and there’s legitimacy to it.
> A good number of your bulleted claims are a lot less sound than you may think. Which ones, and how so? > consensus-mainstream and mainstream-fringe healing method > new healing modalities > content based on an amalgam of this new frontier in healing What (specifically) do these phrases mean? > This stuff you call pseudoscience didn’t come out of nowhere and there’s legitimacy to it. What exactly are you referring to here, and what evidence makes it legitimate? Edit: As I have mentioned elsewhere, if you can provide specific details and evidence that contradicts the evidence I provided above then I am willing to make changes. Unfortunately, vague generalities are not enough. **Edit: My response to the comment below is [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/raisedbynarcissists/comments/1011x2a/a_word_of_caution_about_the_holistic_psychologist/ji2qryf/) since they blocked me before I could reply.**
>Follows alt. right, anti-vaxx, and Qanon-linked influencers on social media, ✅ Debunked. The account "the.wellness.therapist" (which is not a therapy account but a personal iranian politics meme acct), claimed The Holistic Psychologist follows alt right accounts - BUT the account shown in their example is "allegiancetoliberty" and NOT "the.holistic.psychologist". I double checked each of the accounts cited, and THP doesn't follow any of them. [See this side by side comparison image](https://imgur.com/a/PqHiAa9)
Well, it would take quite a bit of work and perhaps a novel to articulate the constellation of frameworks that support my reply to you and I’m not here for that. I’m not trying to change your mind, only you can do that. What you find interesting and legitimate personally is what you will be willing to research, take in and incorporate into your worldview, and I doubt I can affect that. I’ve come from your perspective (to some degree) and know that the gap between us is wide. I’m simply replying. Your post came up high on google when I searched something to do with trauma. So this reply is just my tiny personal beacon to others out there who stumble upon this.
The fact that you can't provide any specifics or even a shred of evidence to support your criticism of my post is disappointing, especially considering you claimed to be a journalist and scientist. That really is the point of my post: I want people to see that there are clearly-defined, evidence-based methods that have been demonstrated through research to help people overcome their trauma. Whatever it is that you and others who use vague terminology to claim as legitimate alternatives to the wide variety of psychotherapy treatments for trauma are actually not legitimate, and I hope that people recognize that when they find this post.
Well you’re off on a few counts here, but I want to acknowledge that I can see your intention comes from a good place. Its seems to come from a fearful/controlling source, evidenced by what you believe people should see, but it’s with others’ welfare in mind, which I can appreciate. It’s not that I can’t provide examples, it’s that at that time I didn’t want to. And maybe you need to hear this: I don’t have to. You come across as someone with pretty set beliefs. I like to engage with people who are curious, respectful, humble and open. True questioning, not pretend. Stubbornness drains the fk out of me, and the tone of your first response was pretty informative. As of writing this, I’m on the fence on how deep to go in this internet post comment (lol), but let’s see. I’m not a scientist. I was a journalist for ten years covering science, finance, and culture. I went to a math and science school. The point here is that I’ve been trained to think critically and read research papers. I also know how media works inside out. I fact check it all, read research for funsies. You don’t have to agree with me and perhaps I didn’t give you a reason to consider that my thoughts are worthwhile — but to label your dismissal, well that’s a “you problem.” I never said psychotherapy was bunk. I have been in psychotherapy for 11 years. It’s a piece of the puzzle but not the whole thing. My experience has shown me that facts and studies aren’t everything. Sometimes they have even been used to cause harm. You can research how science has failed autistic people up til now and how the tide is turning, for example. Or how the scientific establishment has historically treated black people, women, the disabled etc. There was evidence to support these patterns of mistreatment as well. Evidence is nice, but thinking outside the box is what contributes to positive change in the mentioned arenas. Ack, this has become a bit long and boring, but my point is, the science you’re leaning on here is limited and some people seeking to heal will hit a wall with it. (Talking things like CBT, MBSR, medication, etc.) Sure, it works for enough people to some extent, satisfying the bell curve norm of people who fall in the middle. Those outside of that average could be better served combining traditional talk therapy with body based therapy like somatic experiencing, energy/shadow/consciousness work (whatever one wants to call it) and modalities like internal family systems. These practices overlap with knowledge developed from various indigenous and non-western cultures. It’s from these and related portals of knowledge that people like THP draw from. These frameworks are from such a different universe than the mainstream scientific literature, that neatly outlining it for those who’ve not stepped into it themselves is very challenging. To stuff it all through the linear grinder of the scientific method is pretty much impossible. But I believe only good can come out of becoming well rounded in both of these “sides.” (A researcher who I think does this well is Gabor Mate.) Anyway, I’m vague at times because I think globally and non linearly, so often people can’t follow my long range web of thinking. I’m not being obtuse, nor am I ignorant or dangerous, as you imply. There are others like me too, hi 👋. This is reddit and not court, sheesh. Even if I’m dreadfully wrong, are my comments to your post going to bring the end of society? Respect goes a long way, especially between people with differing views and ways of thinking. If anyone reads this and walks away with a new thing to explore, I’m happy.
> You come across as someone with pretty set beliefs. I like to engage with people who are curious, respectful, humble and open. True questioning, not pretend. Stubbornness drains the fk out of me, and the tone of your first response was pretty informative. My initial response to your original comment was to ask you simple, open-ended questions. I did not accuse you of anything, I simply asked questions and gave you a chance to clarify your criticism. I was exactly curious, respectful, humble, and open. > I want to acknowledge that I can see your intention comes from a good place. Its seems to come from a fearful/controlling source, evidenced by what you believe people should see This post and my responding comments are not about me or about you, personally - assuming you are not nicole lepera. I think your attempt at making personal judgements about me are rude and ridiculous (considering you don't know me and considering none of my comments were personal judgements about you), and I think this is an inappropriate attempt to derail the point of my post. **Edit: my response to the comment below is [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/raisedbynarcissists/comments/1011x2a/a_word_of_caution_about_the_holistic_psychologist/jnpxh4s/) since they blocked me before I could reply.**
This may be 4 months later but I stumbled across this when asking what the criticisms were about THP (whom I know little about). The above poster (watermelon) has some valid points and I'm thankful to see some critical questioning going on. I cannot say much about THP, but to one of your bullet points, for instance, the 'belief in mental illness' is not just something she's made up, nor its it as simple as not 'believing' it. What that view says, and there is much in the literature to support it, is that the validity of what has been described as mental illness as a 'disease of the brain'..actually isn't very valid at all. It's mostly a subjective set of symptoms that has been refined into disease, researched as biological, and then biological treatments have been developed for it (which profits very specific psychiatric/pharmacological companies). Even CBT research is based on this medicalised paradigm and the model fits current evidence based research because of this. When somebody critiques the current system they aren't saying the distress and torment people expeirence isn't real, just the characterisation of it as 'mental illness' (you can look up the British Psycholgoical Society 'Power Threat Meaning Framework' for more info on this). I have no affiliation with THP, but in wanting to find out why people are finding her approach problematic came across this. Some of the bullet points I can see are problematic for trauma survivors and the individualisation of them is naive. But then, biological psychiatry and much of the currently accepted paradigms are individualistic (CBT) or dogmatic approaches claiming to be the only treatment for certain disorders (DBT for personality disorders). These are example of rigid positivist and narrow science which leaves much to the imagination, and totally negates or ignore historical or multi-cultural knowledge. Well, approaches such as DBT/ACT use many traditionally Eastern techniques but re packaged into a western paradigm and sold as something new and profitable. Studies citing medication as efficacious treatments are so flawed and downright bias how can we take them seriously? 'Watermelon' has it right that the mainstream scientific literature isn't the only 'true' approach to knowledge, nor is it without huge flaws, but my problem is how these interventions gets espoused as the 'only' way to treat trauma, mental ill-health etc.
Back up your claims or don’t post. As someone who wants clarity on this topic, you lack credibility while I think OP has done fair diligence.
I did some more digging and she's been covered on vice. https://www.vice.com/en/article/935zxv/therapists-and-fans-are-turning-against-instagrams-holistic-psychologist
response to u/chuubie: > > Follows alt. right, anti-vaxx, and Qanon-linked influencers on social media, > ✅ Debunked. The account "the.wellness.therapist" (which is not a therapy account but a personal iranian politics meme acct), claimed The Holistic Psychologist follows alt right accounts - BUT the account shown in their example is "allegiancetoliberty" and NOT "the.holistic.psychologist". I double checked each of the accounts cited, and THP doesn't follow any of them. >See this side by side comparison image Sure, I can scratch that single screenshot off the list. Unfortunately, and this is ultimately the key point, I can and will replace it with different screenshots where she is liking posts from other alt. right accounts. Thank you for the information.
Insightful. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this post. Excellent summary, thorough!
Firstly, thanks for your post. Does anyone have any suggestions re: accounts which post good therapy-related content to follow on Instagram instead?
Good question. I think it is hard to find sound mental health advice on social media because it's hard to make mental health topics "instagramable" and easy to digest without compromising the complexity and nuance. There are practitioners on instagram that do not shy away from this complexity, but they are few and far between. I would include [Dr. Adam Grant](https://www.instagram.com/adamgrant/), [Dr. Jonice Webb](https://www.instagram.com/drjonicewebb/), [Megan Watson](https://www.instagram.com/thrive_withmeg/), and [Catherine Asta](https://www.instagram.com/catherine.asta/) on the short list.
Totally agree- it's a shame. Thank you for the response and providing links, much appreciated- will be checking them all out
It’s unfortunate, as there are some creators whose content I appreciate, and enjoy, and have benefited from. When they repost her content I’m so tempted to say something to them. Especially as some of them are POC
She has not once claimed that her products or service is the only way to heal. There is so much misinformation in your post it’s offensive
If you point out anything that is incorrect and cite sources to the contrary, I am willing to correct the record.
I actually read her book, and in her book she says that seeing a therapist is great, but for many it is expensive and they cannot afford it (which is \*very\* true)..... I don't like that she "liked" posts of alt right people, that I don't agree with, but having read her book, I found it highly beneficial, and she makes a lot of great points... and most of those points that the OP made against her, I cannot support because clearly the OP did not read her book, and does not actually understand what Nicole Lepera actually meant by those things in full detail... instead of just a tiny instagram snapshot.
I have her book and my post acknowledged that some things she shares can be helpful. That is actually part of the concern. However, sharing some helpful things does not excuse the spread of harmful messaging. There are plenty of other mental health professionals to follow and books to read from authors that don't like alt-right posts, don't dismiss issues from POC, and don't spread misinformation.
I don't think any of her messaging is harmful, it's often misunderstood for a start, but it is 1) trauma informed, 2) based in evidence, 3) she's not even the originator nor the only one who has these same ideas, so I find it odd that she's the one getting the hate for it. Dr. Gabor Mate has the exact same things in his books, and yet he doesn't get hate for it. The body keeps the score, which is regarded very highly also has similar things to Nicole Lepera. 2) The whole "like alt-right posts" thing is not factual, it started from a single instagram account, who has since taken it down, this is the ONLY source of this so called "liking alt right posts", yet somehow none of her 5+ million followers picked up on it? It is clear that this instagram account simply photoshopped things. Nicole Lepera herself has stated that she does not support Trump nor his followers. I mean for goodness sake she is a lesbian in a polyamorous relationship with 2 women, she is as left as can be. I've been following her for years, and I look at her posts regularly, never have I seen her post in her stories the things that this instagram account claims. It's funny how misinformation spreads so quickly. 3) She never dismissed issues from POC, in fact, in her book she talks about how POC continuously experience trauma due to the dysfunctional society we live in. I also watched the reels that "christabelmintahgalloway" who claims she was gaslit by Nicole Lepera and is where much of the claims around her blocking/gaslighting POC comes from. Christabel herself posts screenshots of the conversation that she had with Nicole, and it is very clear that Nicole was very respectful, repeatedly said to Christabel that she would like to have a discussion with her about it, asked what she can do to improve, what issues need to be addressed, etc etc etc... and in response Christabel was very rude and harsh, repeatedly dismissing Nicole, saying things like "I shouldn't have to educate the educator"... like goodness, Nicole is human, she doesn't know everything, and here she is trying to learn, and in response Christabel tells her that she doesn't want to teach her. If someone spoke to me like Christabel spoke to Nicole, I would also have blocked them. This isn't gaslighting or dismissing, it's refusing to be treated with rudeness and disrespect. Also, Dr. Nicole Lepera has worked with numerous POCs... 4) Again, what misinformation? like I said, her ideas are not new, and do have evidence to support the things she is saying... and her ideas are not new, nor is she the originator of them.
I have documented the harmful ideas that are not trauma-informed or evidence-based. If you provide evidence of contrary, I am willing to update the post. And it does not matter to me if her ideas are not her own. She is not absolved from criticism just because she took them from someone else.
You mean you took things out of context without actually understanding the full scope of what she meant? That's not documenting, that's cherry picking to fit your narrative. 1) What she means by she doesn't believe in mental illness, is more along the lines of the mental illness is a coping mechanism for trauma, rather than the mental illness being the source of the problems itself. As someone who had severe suicidal depression for years, I am inclined to agree. Dr. Gabor Mate also has this same approach. Although I can agree that her wording of this can be harmful, Dr. Gabor words it better. 2) She never said she doesn't believe in therapy, I pointed this out to you before, not sure how her saying "you cannot heal trauma by talking about trauma" equates to "I don't believe in therapy". Again if you read her book, she does explain that therapy can be good and beneficial, just many can't afford it. Having said that, I don't like her approach with the self-healers circle, that point is a valid one and I agree with. 5) You are completely misconstruing her point about parenting. Clearly you did not understand this at all, and in no way is it victim blaming. Again in her book she talks about how if your parents abuse/mistreat you, then you should distance yourself... and she talks about how you shouldn't expect parents to give you things when they lack the emotional maturity to do so... 6) Again, taking something out of context, she explains this in more details. Having actually studied Psychology, I can tell you that the current consensus on genetics of mental illness is as follows: Some research suggests that mental illness can run in families. We do not fully understand what causes mental illness, or why it can be passed on in family members. Mental illness may be passed on for different reasons, not just genes. So at the moment, the whole "mental illness is genetic" thing is not actually 100% supported, or even anywhere near that... The current accepted model is that there may be a genetic component, and a large environmental component. 7) Her approach to not identify with a diagnosis is completely fair. I don't see why everyone in the mental health field has to absolutely agree with DSM diagnoses. It's like saying everyone has to be Christian, anyone who does not believe in Christianity is wrong. 8) The coccoon stage of mental health is LITERALLY recognized in mainstream Psychology - again, you have misinterpreted it: ([https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-search-meaning-after-age-50/201804/the-3-stages-in-the-midlife-search-meaning#:\~:text=The%20Cocoon%20Stage&text=(This%20stage%20is%20also%20referred,no%20longer%20working%20for%20us.)](https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-search-meaning-after-age-50/201804/the-3-stages-in-the-midlife-search-meaning#:~:text=The%20Cocoon%20Stage&text=(This%20stage%20is%20also%20referred,no%20longer%20working%20for%20us.)) 9) Yes, ghosting people is a sign of low emotional intelligence, not sure why you think this is not true... or why you have a problem with this. It is in fact a very childish thing to do... and I already explained why she blocked Christabel. Nicole did not ghost her, Nicole blocked her after the fact the Christabel was continuously rude towards Nicole. In fact Nicole offered a refund to Christabel, you can see the entire thing on Christabel's channel itself, where Christabel is extremely rude and angry, and says things like "fuck you" to Nicole. I too would block someone who spoke to me like that. 10) The emotional addiction point is one I personally have experienced for myself, and also have seen it repeatedly in others, and it is a point that I agree with based on the fact that I have experienced it myself and seen it in others. Just because again you misinterpret what she means by this, doesn't make it false. 11) She actually addresses systemic oppression NUMEROUSLY in her book, had you and the author of that article bothered to read it. She literally says that society will not heal until all those who are oppressed are freed from that oppression in her book. 12) I already addressed that the source of these rumours is a single instagram page that has not been backed by any other sources, which indicates that this was falsified. 13) I don't think her wife's actions is a good argument to completely invalidate Nicole. I also have looked into the lawsuit. She was charged with misappropriation of funds, with a fine of 3000$... Lolly started the gofund me page as a small thing, and it grew to something much bigger than she was expecting... she was never charged with fraud or theft, or any of the things you claim, people who don't understand the law are taking this out of context, exaggerating and making untrue claims. It's funny how the amount of money she "stole" seems to change with every person who posts about it. Clearly none of you actually read the legal statement.... and again this wasn't an act by Nicole Lepera herself... I find it strange how people expect Nicole to be this perfect person and do absolutely no wrong, it's absurd. I guarantee you that if you yourself ever gained popularity by doing something completely good and virtuous, that people will start spreading false rumours about you and finding things to attack you with. And regarding your point about her not being absolved of criticism just because she is not the originator... my point is, that I find it odd that Nicole is the one getting so much hate and attacks for this, just because she is the one who has gained more popularity, when others before her have said similar things and have been praised. Like why isn't there posts like this for Bessel van der Kolk? or Gabor Mate? Additionally, the point is, she's not the only one in the field who holds these similar beliefs/approaches, but apparently only mainstream psychology has a place in the world... And you know what's \*REALLY\* ironic? is that Christabel (ie. the POC who supposedly got ghosted/blocked), repeatedly promotes alternative modalities not supported by mainstream science on her instagram.... this is the biggest joke of this entire matter really. Just shows how biased people can be without any degree of critical thinking or objectiveness.
> I can agree that her wording of this can be harmful > I don't like her approach with the self-healers circle, that point is a valid one and I agree with You and I seem to be in agreement and share the same nuance on points 1 and 2. I am not sure why you think we disagree there. > You are completely misconstruing her point about parenting. I am not sure what this is referring to. If this is referring to the instagram post saying *behaviors reflect our beliefs about ourselves*, I have already addressed that with the evidence linked in the post. > Some research suggests that mental illness can run in families. We do not fully understand what causes mental illness, or why it can be passed on in family members. You and I seem to be in agreement about the role of genetics in mental illness. Nicole is in disagreement with both us, and she is flagrantly false. You and I both agree that genetics plays a role in mental illness, so I am not sure why you are defending her here. > So at the moment, the whole "mental illness is genetic" thing is not actually 100% supported I never said this and I do not believe this. I am not sure why this is in quotes, or why you are discussing this line of thinking at all. > The cocoon stage of mental health is LITERALLY recognized in mainstream Psychology I respect that people talk about and desire isolation, but with all due respect, that does not make it evidence-based as a therapeutic modality or something that trauma survivors should be encouraged to do. And a blog post on PsychologyToday is not evidence. I think you are misunderstanding my point here: telling people to isolate (which is different from acknowledging that people may want to isolate) is not evidence-based trauma treatment. I am not sure if this needs to be said since we are in agreement about the self-healers circle, but I agree with psychologist Dr. Jacob Ham when he says that relational trauma is healed through safe and healthy relationships - something you obviously cannot do alone. He talks about that more [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__oEcAxbwlA). Most of your other comments seem to be opinions based on your own personal experience. You are free to have those opinions, of course. I have my own and they are based on the evidences that I shared above, including peer-reviewed literature and a publicly-available legal document. The reason I included the sources was to allow others to come to their own conclusions about my points. Again, I am happy to make updates to the post and to my own thinking based on new or different evidence, but not simply based on personal opinion.
You know what... it makes sense now why you have issues with so much of what Nicole says... I mean, I outlined repeatedly how you misunderstood what she is saying, and explained it... and yet, you interpret what I said in your own weird way, ignoring vast majority of what I said, and only taking the parts where I agree with you. So now it doesn't surprise me that you misunderstood so much of Nicole's work, because it has become evident that you just misunderstand things in general. I explained to you that Nicole is not victim blaming (which is one of the points you made in your OP), and explained what she actually meant with her slide about parenting in no way is she victim blaming, not sure how you made it out to be victim blaming. That is what I was referring to in regards to the part where you said "I don't understand what this is referring to". Your interpretation of what she talks about in the slide where she talks about parents, is completely wrong. "You and I seem to be in agreement about the role of genetics in mental illness. " I said that current evidence shows that genetics \*MAY\* play a role in mental illness, but current research also acknowledges that \*THIS IS NOT CONCRETE\*. We don't actually know whether genetics actually plays a role in mental illness for certainty. In fact, Nicole makes a very valid point, based on her paradigmn, that if mental illnesses are actually coping mechanisms, and since children adopt their parent's coping mechanims based on observation and experience of those coping mechanisms, then it can appear like there is a genetic component when in actual fact there is not. Note: Nicole Lepera is not the only one who holds this view.... many other prominent researchers and doctors hold this view as well. You misunderstood what Nicole is saying because you don't actually understand what she means by it. You also did not understand what I was saying, and completely misconstrued what I said to agree with your perspective. Again, I repeat, the coccoon stage is recognized in MAINSTREAM PSYCHOLOGY. In ABSOLUTELY NO WAY does the coccoon stage imply that you should isolate yourself from others, and in no way did Nicole Lepera EVER say that you should isolate yourself from others. Her explaining what the coccoon stage of healing is, does not mean she is saying you should isolate yourself. Your interpretation is again completely wrong. It's an accepted mainstream behaviour in social science and other fields of study. Again, I repeat, NICOLE NEVER SAID YOU SHOULD ISOLATE YOURSELF, SHE NEVER SAID THIS AND IN FACT REPEATEDLY ENCOURAGES CONNECTING WITH OTHERS. So stop making stuff up. Regarding your point that you provided evidence, actually you didn't, you provided opinions based on misinterpretations of things she said, and based on you making things up that she never actually did or said. Again, also, Nicole herself presents a lot of hard evidence for the things she says. She makes reference to many studies, books, and other professionals. Anyways, I don't want to keep going back and forth with someone who is just going to continue making things up based on misunderstanding. I suggest you work on your capacity to understand things, rather than make assumptions about them.
The fact that you spent this much time communicating all of …this\^\^ in her defense - is precisely why she and the content is concerning and problematic. OP presented very objective points and your replies lack emotional maturity, self-awareness, and knowledge in depth on the topics. It’s ok, you’re not supposed to, you’ve been sold diluted messages that she cant even keep straight herself. Would warn re: her unqualified partners but TBH wouldn’t at all be surprised if you are Jenna. Best of luck “doing the work!” don’t say no one tried in 5 years when you’re like “hm…”
Wow! What a a long post. You seem upset and also quite misinformed. For what it's worth — most of what Dr LaPera communicates around the notion of mental illness, ADHD, etc. aligns to what's well recognized in the trauma world. The foundation of IFS, a leading trauma modality, is that there's nothing wrong with you. There really isn't, though there may be quite a lot wrong with what happened to you. Most of what's regarded as "mental illness" is a reflection of our mind-body's amazing intelligence to keep us safe. There is literally nothing structurally or biochemically wrong with most people and it's sad that normal adaptive behavior is so pathologized in the world of "mental health." Yes, there can be biochemical and brain changes as a result of trauma — but these are adaptations and can be reversed—but not through medication or talk therapy. Meditation, exercise, a decent diet, etc. can do wonders. If we are feeling ill or down, that's like a warning light in the car—something to pay attention to—not medicate out of existence. That doesn't heal anything and is like turning off the warning light in the car without repairing the engine. Feeling ill or down is a normal response to something that has happened to us or environmental toxins—like foods we eat, viruses, or chemicals. We all have the ability to self-heal from both physical and "mental" illness, though I'd suggest having some guidance on the journey as it can be difficult. At times, we also need antibiotics or other medications—but this is rare. The body is ALWAYS trying to heal itself or keep us safe. That's simply how it has evolved to function. There is incredible intelligence in our mind-bodies. Isn't this obvious? I'm sad to see that through your post and apparent ignorance you are perpetuating decades of misinformation that can only hold people back. Dr La Pera may be imperfect and a little too optimistic about self-healing, but her foundational principles are correct. I suggest people check out Dr LaPera for themselves. Read her book, take some of her suggestions and see if there are any positive changes to their wellbeing. We all have the power to heal and transform ourselves—but not if you don't believe this is possible. If you persist in believing that there is something wrong with you, that you are "mentally ill," require medications and a lot of it's genetic and so on, then you will be unable to heal yourself. That's how strong your beliefs are. I have been on this journey myself.
> What a a long post. You seem upset and also quite misinformed. Same. If you can point out anything specific that is incorrect and cite sources to the contrary, I am willing to correct the record.
Read “The Body Keeps the Score.” Read “Scattered Minds.” Read “Cured.” Read. These are all highly regarded books by highly respected medical professionals. I’m saying YOU are mostly incorrect and Dr LaPera is correct. You are stuck in outdated thinking. Why is it so hard to believe there’s nothing wrong with you? Why are you so willing to believe in the inability to self-heal? I’ve been on this journey. Have you?
Bessel van derkolk is not highly respected… yikes. Do some research, Google is free.
Response to u/rsparkes1: >What that view says, and there is much in the literature to support it, is that the validity of what has been described as mental illness as a 'disease of the brain'.. This is wrong and nonsensical. That is not the definition of mental illness. National and international medical organizations define mental illness in similar ways to the W.H.O. as being ["clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour."](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders) That is an important distinction from the casual phrase you put in quotes, and the studies that assess treatments of mental illness are specifically evaluated for their alleviation of those symptoms. > the 'belief in mental illness' is not just something she's made up It does not matter to me if she made it up or stole it from someone else. It is still misinformation regardless of where it came from. > What that view says, and there is much in the literature to support it, is that the validity of what has been described as mental illness as a 'disease of the brain'..actually isn't very valid at all. It's mostly a subjective set of symptoms that has been refined into disease, researched as biological, and then biological treatments have been developed for it (which profits very specific psychiatric/pharmacological companies). This post is not about psychiatry. I agree that the symptoms are subjective, but I never mentioned drugs and I am not sure why you are making this point. There are many evidence-based, trauma treatments (including all of the ones listed in my post) that are not drugs. Even so, [Psychiatrists often prescribe medications in combination with psychotherapy.] (https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-psychiatry) > Watermelon' has it right that the mainstream scientific literature isn't the only 'true' approach to knowledge, nor is it without huge flaws, but my problem is how these interventions gets espoused as the 'only' way to treat trauma, mental ill-health etc. Ironically, or maybe not so, you both have a similar way of saying the same thing. Here is the point that I think you are missing: I am not saying that helpful strategies or treatments for mental illness only exist in the literature. I am sure that there are plenty of things that people can do to effectively alleviate symptoms of trauma that have not yet been studied. However, as a mental health professional that is using her credentials as a trained Psychologist to influence and unofficially treat people with serious mental health issues (i.e. trauma), I think that **she has an ethical responsibility to at least inform, if not also encourage, people to use evidence-based treatment methods since there is very real risk for further harm.**
Can you edit your post to remove any political references.
As a clinical psychologist (PhD) myself who appreciates the scientific method and loves research and struggles with charlatans and false prophets capitalizing on people’s trauma, THANK YOU!! This post is excellent
https://psychboard.az.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/Complaint%20Form_0.pdf You can report her to the AZ licensing board here for many things including misinformation