# Dear therapist: **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 22, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035 "2010-02-22T21:59:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/21 "2010-02-23T17:19:15Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I also don’t care for them shouting my home address across the waiting room - “Are you still at 555 East Madeup Street?” Well, not after this - any crazy people want to meet me at home and discuss the results of my pap smear/apocalyptic diarrhea? Rule 34. ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/22 "2010-02-23T17:24:43Z")
> [@Zhen\_ka](#): > > You really need to get a get some perspective. You have a therapist who helps you and you bitch about this? > > Puh-lease. He made a mistake. Buck up and have a saltine. > > Christ, no wonder you’re in therapy. > > As an aside, being in therapy is so passe that no one cares that you are in therapy. If you fear that you’ve been outed, shut up, realize that you are not a unique little snowflake and get a fucking livejournal, already. Hmm. Newsflash: different people have different things they prefer to keep private. I know one person who talks openly about his therapy, his autoimmune disease, and his struggle with weight, but keeps his diabetes a deep dark secret. I prefer to keep my fucked-up psyche under wraps. And I’m not particularly worried about being outed. But if you can’t think of any reason why sending a compiled list of vulnerable people out to other people who may not be in the best mental health, you’re a moron. Anyways, my therapist apologized. At some point later on, I’ll have a chat with him about putting in mechanisms to make sure that it doesn’t happen again, because I don’t think he has the computer savvy to do it himself. I realize it was a mistake, but he damn well needs to know that it’s not a mistake to be repeated. mischievous ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/23 "2010-02-23T17:31:53Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Rule 34. GAH! ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/24 "2010-02-23T18:31:34Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Rule 34. I officially hate you. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/25 "2010-02-24T00:36:14Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > That’s a peeve of mine, too - I don’t need my pap smear or apocalyptic diarrhea announced to the whole waiting room, if it’s all the same to you. I also don’t care for them shouting my home address across the waiting room - “Are you still at 555 East Madeup Street?” Well, not after this - any crazy people want to meet me at home and discuss the results of my pap smear/apocalyptic diarrhea? Or worse, having someone tell your boss you and his daughter are getting your cervixes scraped on the same day! ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/26 "2010-02-24T01:54:09Z")
breach of confidentiality is a violation of the Ethical Code ([Standard #7](http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx)) and is enough to get in hot water with the APA and put one’s license in jeopardy… ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/27 "2010-02-24T02:56:23Z")
Sorry to threadjack but it’s sort of on-topic. Today on the subway I noticed an ad for a school of psychology. It listed several areas of study, from psychology to sports psychology to social work to childhood psychology to latino psychology to elder care psychology to… wait Latino psychology? What the hell is that? Do people from latin america have completely different brain chemistry and mental functions? I mean, I’m sure some Latinos face different problems, as does any minority, but do they need their own area of study? What the eff, dope? ---
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/28 "2010-02-24T03:00:48Z")
> [@Zhen\_ka](#): > > You really need to get a get some perspective. You have a therapist who helps you and you bitch about this? > > Puh-lease. He made a mistake. Buck up and have a saltine. > > Christ, no wonder you’re in therapy. > > As an aside, being in therapy is so passe that no one cares that you are in therapy. If you fear that you’ve been outed, shut up, realize that you are not a unique little snowflake and get a fucking livejournal, already. Jesus, what is your fucking problem? Just because therapy is more common these days doesn’t mean the therapist should be outing his whole patient list. What if his specialty was very specific and the sig of his email said “Specializing in the treatment of psychoscatological disorders?” While you’d want to be getting help for that, you probably wouldn’t want people to know you were getting help for that. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Rule 34. JEESUS! What is **your** fucking problem?:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/29 "2010-02-24T03:24:23Z")
> [@wierdaaron](#): > > Latino psychology? What the hell is that? Do people from latin america have completely different brain chemistry and mental functions? > > I mean, I’m sure some Latinos face different problems, as does any minority, but do they need their own area of study? What the eff, dope? To make a wild-assed guess, I would say that it’s a different area of study, but a focus. Latino culture can be very different from white culture and having a focus on that could be very helpful for white mental health professionals in areas with a high Latino population. But just a WAG. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/30 "2010-02-24T04:20:22Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Hey **Zhen’ka** , thanks for only posting around four times a year. You may be one of the two or three biggest assholes I’ve ever come across here. Careful, that might be mistaken as praise. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/31 "2010-02-24T16:37:44Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > To make a wild-assed guess, I would say that it’s a different area of study, but a focus. Latino culture can be very different from white culture and having a focus on that could be very helpful for white mental health professionals in areas with a high Latino population. But just a WAG. Yep. It’s important to understand that Americans and, say, Mexicans can have a very different perspective on sadness, anxiety, bipolar, anger, etc., and it’s meanings and causes and if it even needs to be treated (or how it needs to be dealt with). It’s really important to be aware of the cultural implications. That may even extend to the gender of the therapist, I’d imagine. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/32 "2010-02-24T17:10:01Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > To make a wild-assed guess, I would say that it’s a different area of study, but a focus. Latino culture can be very different from white culture and having a focus on that could be very helpful for white mental health professionals in areas with a high Latino population. But just a WAG. A google search on the topic didn’t turn up much, but what I found more or less confirms your guess. Though it doesn’t seem especially geared towards white psychologists, just psychologists treating Latinos. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/33 "2010-02-24T17:58:01Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > That’s a peeve of mine, too - I don’t need my pap smear or apocalyptic diarrhea announced to the whole waiting room, if it’s all the same to you. I also don’t care for them shouting my home address across the waiting room - “Are you still at 555 East Madeup Street?” Well, not after this - any crazy people want to meet me at home and discuss the results of my pap smear/apocalyptic diarrhea? . . . I like to use a drive-through pharmacy for the convenience, but it’s a drag to shout at the little microphone screen about my prescriptions and home address. It’s in a public parking lot right next to a well-patronized Starbucks. “Yeah, I’m still on BIRTH CONTROL PILLS! WHAT? MY BIRTHDATE IS 10/1/56! WHAT? YES, I’M STILL AT [HOME ADDRESS]!” I’m not annoyed enough to take the time to go inside and stand in line, though. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/34 "2010-02-24T18:12:38Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > A google search on the topic didn’t turn up much, but what I found more or less confirms your guess. Though it doesn’t seem especially geared towards white psychologists, just psychologists treating Latinos. > > Weird. I don’t think that’s so weird. Imagine you’re treating a first or second generation Latino immigrant, even if you’re a Latino yourself (who’s family has been here long enough or is affluent enough to have a professional education). There’s definitely going to be some cultural issues there. If you are “American” even though your ancestry is Mexican, you aren’t of the same exact culture. Know what I mean? And hell, if you’re a Latino counselor, you already have accepted our cultural belief that there is an issue and that you can help. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/35 "2010-02-24T19:58:39Z")
I guess I can see that. A more extreme example might be a Japanese woman trying to cope in western culture. Since culture can often affect and shape self-image, someone versed in both cultures would probably make a superior therapist. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/36 "2010-02-24T20:27:42Z")
I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/37 "2010-02-25T01:46:19Z")
I can see the difference culture makes. We had an experience with a counsellor who didn’t know anything about the internet, when we were having a problem with an internet relationship that was affecting our marriage. I think we would have gotten a lot more out of the counselling session with someone who had a shared frame of reference with us. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/38 "2010-02-25T08:15:07Z")
> [@wierdaaron](#): > > Latino psychology? What the hell is that? Do people from latin america have completely different brain chemistry and mental functions? Well, there’s Women’s Studies and Black History Month, right? So, that comes from the same corner. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/39 "2010-02-25T09:25:33Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > I don’t think that’s so weird. Imagine you’re treating a first or second generation Latino immigrant, even if you’re a Latino yourself (who’s family has been here long enough or is affluent enough to have a professional education). There’s definitely going to be some cultural issues there. If you are “American” even though your ancestry is Mexican, you aren’t of the same exact culture. Know what I mean? And hell, if you’re a Latino counselor, you already have accepted our cultural belief that there is an issue and that you can help. Apparently [“ethnospecific disorders”](http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Ethnospecific_disorders) are a real phenomenon, across a bunch of different societies (including mainstream Amercian society). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035/40 "2010-02-25T11:11:29Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Apparently [“ethnospecific disorders”](http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Ethnospecific_disorders) are a real phenomenon, across a bunch of different societies (including mainstream Amercian society). It lists anorexia and bulimia in there. So I’m thinking the definition is a disorder that one culture believes is real while another does not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-therapist/530035.md?page=3)