Scott Smith LCSW
@scottsmithlcsw.bsky.social
California-licensed clinical social worker in private practice. Located in Tokyo, Japan for 40 years; now doing therapy online from Brisbane, Australia.
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
It's almost as if the Enlightenment figures who founded the US had learned the lessons of Europe's wars of religion and created a secular state that would both protect worshippers from political interference, AND protect the polity from becoming dominated by religious sectarians.
December 27, 2025 at 12:46 AM
It's almost as if the Enlightenment figures who founded the US had learned the lessons of Europe's wars of religion and created a secular state that would both protect worshippers from political interference, AND protect the polity from becoming dominated by religious sectarians.
news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...
“The brain can learn that most anxiety-provoking situations are not actually dangerous, and that creates the opportunity to learn that you can handle the distress that arises when you challenge yourself.“
“The brain can learn that most anxiety-provoking situations are not actually dangerous, and that creates the opportunity to learn that you can handle the distress that arises when you challenge yourself.“
Crossing line between good and bad anxiety — Harvard Gazette
Psychologist offers three strategies to keep worry from interfering with everyday life.
news.harvard.edu
October 1, 2025 at 12:39 PM
news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...
“The brain can learn that most anxiety-provoking situations are not actually dangerous, and that creates the opportunity to learn that you can handle the distress that arises when you challenge yourself.“
“The brain can learn that most anxiety-provoking situations are not actually dangerous, and that creates the opportunity to learn that you can handle the distress that arises when you challenge yourself.“
Succint, eloquent advice for anyone entering therapy for the first (or second, or third) time😊
open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...
open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...
Getting Started in Psychotherapy
What patients and therapists both need to know.
open.substack.com
September 3, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Succint, eloquent advice for anyone entering therapy for the first (or second, or third) time😊
open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...
open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
#ERICHFROMM ON FREEDOM AS ESCAPE FROM IT
"Most people are convinced that as long as they are not overtly forced to do something by an outside power, their decisions are theirs, and that if they want something, it is they who want it. But this is one of the great illusions we have about ourselves.
"Most people are convinced that as long as they are not overtly forced to do something by an outside power, their decisions are theirs, and that if they want something, it is they who want it. But this is one of the great illusions we have about ourselves.
August 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
#ERICHFROMM ON FREEDOM AS ESCAPE FROM IT
"Most people are convinced that as long as they are not overtly forced to do something by an outside power, their decisions are theirs, and that if they want something, it is they who want it. But this is one of the great illusions we have about ourselves.
"Most people are convinced that as long as they are not overtly forced to do something by an outside power, their decisions are theirs, and that if they want something, it is they who want it. But this is one of the great illusions we have about ourselves.
Why Psychotherapy Should Busy Itself with Building Character Strengths, Not Reducing Symptoms - Mad In America www.madinamerica.com/2025/07/psyc...
Why Psychotherapy Should Busy Itself with Building Character Strengths, Not Reducing Symptoms
More than symptom reduction, clients want outcomes like self-understanding, enhanced self-agency, and greater social engagement from therapy.
www.madinamerica.com
July 2, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Why Psychotherapy Should Busy Itself with Building Character Strengths, Not Reducing Symptoms - Mad In America www.madinamerica.com/2025/07/psyc...
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Where your fear is, there is your task. - Jung
April 22, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Where your fear is, there is your task. - Jung
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
It’s Amazing What White Evangelicals Are Willing To Ignore….
April 11, 2025 at 1:25 AM
It’s Amazing What White Evangelicals Are Willing To Ignore….
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
"You boy! What tariff is it today?"
April 9, 2025 at 7:56 PM
"You boy! What tariff is it today?"
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
One useful adage suggests that one should formulate the interpretation and think about it four times before verbalizing it.
- Glen Gabbard
- Glen Gabbard
To have an idea and to utter it are two separate things - or should be, at least.
Ideas…need not be uttered when they first emerge, but they ought to be spoken inwardly on the first occasion.
- Theodor Reik, 𝐿𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝐸𝑎𝑟
Ideas…need not be uttered when they first emerge, but they ought to be spoken inwardly on the first occasion.
- Theodor Reik, 𝐿𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝐸𝑎𝑟
April 6, 2025 at 8:57 PM
One useful adage suggests that one should formulate the interpretation and think about it four times before verbalizing it.
- Glen Gabbard
- Glen Gabbard
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Periodically we should remind ourselves that if helpful suggestions and sympathy from people were sufficient to work out a significant emotional problem, nobody would need a therapist.
- Nancy McWilliams
- Nancy McWilliams
March 29, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Periodically we should remind ourselves that if helpful suggestions and sympathy from people were sufficient to work out a significant emotional problem, nobody would need a therapist.
- Nancy McWilliams
- Nancy McWilliams
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
I spent my training years missing empathic opportunities and fighting against an internal pull toward "fix-it" statements...I would have been the master if fix-it statements were helpful. They aren't.
- Suzanne Bender (with Edward Messner), 𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑡
- Suzanne Bender (with Edward Messner), 𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑡
March 29, 2025 at 7:57 PM
I spent my training years missing empathic opportunities and fighting against an internal pull toward "fix-it" statements...I would have been the master if fix-it statements were helpful. They aren't.
- Suzanne Bender (with Edward Messner), 𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑡
- Suzanne Bender (with Edward Messner), 𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑡
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Wait.
You’re telling me that Talkspace sued PsiAN for $40 million in damages after PsiAN sent a private letter to the American Psychological Association asking them to investigate the company for quality control concerns?
thebaffler.com/salvos/the-t...
You’re telling me that Talkspace sued PsiAN for $40 million in damages after PsiAN sent a private letter to the American Psychological Association asking them to investigate the company for quality control concerns?
thebaffler.com/salvos/the-t...
The Therapist in the Machine | Jess McAllen
The latest mental health care disruptors seek to sideline humans altogether. Enter: the AI therapy bot.
thebaffler.com
March 18, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Wait.
You’re telling me that Talkspace sued PsiAN for $40 million in damages after PsiAN sent a private letter to the American Psychological Association asking them to investigate the company for quality control concerns?
thebaffler.com/salvos/the-t...
You’re telling me that Talkspace sued PsiAN for $40 million in damages after PsiAN sent a private letter to the American Psychological Association asking them to investigate the company for quality control concerns?
thebaffler.com/salvos/the-t...
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Erich Fromm, The Heart of Man (1964)
March 8, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Erich Fromm, The Heart of Man (1964)
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Relational know-how is not only what clients prefer from their psychotherapists but is strongly predictive of effective psychotherapy…Alliance-building skills, genuineness, and positive regard far outstrip the effectiveness of techniques, regardless of theoretical orientation.
- Enrico Gnaulati
- Enrico Gnaulati
February 22, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Relational know-how is not only what clients prefer from their psychotherapists but is strongly predictive of effective psychotherapy…Alliance-building skills, genuineness, and positive regard far outstrip the effectiveness of techniques, regardless of theoretical orientation.
- Enrico Gnaulati
- Enrico Gnaulati
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Great advice on helping someone who is grieving.
February 22, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Great advice on helping someone who is grieving.
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
“If you only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier than other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are.”
— Montesquieu
— Montesquieu
February 10, 2025 at 3:09 AM
“If you only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier than other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are.”
— Montesquieu
— Montesquieu
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
The supply of interpretations far exceeds the demand.
- Harry Stack Sullivan
- Harry Stack Sullivan
February 9, 2025 at 4:24 PM
The supply of interpretations far exceeds the demand.
- Harry Stack Sullivan
- Harry Stack Sullivan
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Evasion of peer review is a hallmark of pseudoscience.
But even more insidious is the obviation of scientific scrutiny by publishing in pseudoscientific journals that exist to provide an illusion of scientific legitimacy.
But even more insidious is the obviation of scientific scrutiny by publishing in pseudoscientific journals that exist to provide an illusion of scientific legitimacy.
February 9, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Evasion of peer review is a hallmark of pseudoscience.
But even more insidious is the obviation of scientific scrutiny by publishing in pseudoscientific journals that exist to provide an illusion of scientific legitimacy.
But even more insidious is the obviation of scientific scrutiny by publishing in pseudoscientific journals that exist to provide an illusion of scientific legitimacy.
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Silly psy cartoon for the weekend!
January 18, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Silly psy cartoon for the weekend!
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Regardless of their intentions—even if they believe they’re doing the right thing—grifters worsen health outcomes.
They sell fake cures, pseudoscience, and false hope—and that’s a real problem for anyone needing assistance with mental health or illness.
They sell fake cures, pseudoscience, and false hope—and that’s a real problem for anyone needing assistance with mental health or illness.
January 19, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Regardless of their intentions—even if they believe they’re doing the right thing—grifters worsen health outcomes.
They sell fake cures, pseudoscience, and false hope—and that’s a real problem for anyone needing assistance with mental health or illness.
They sell fake cures, pseudoscience, and false hope—and that’s a real problem for anyone needing assistance with mental health or illness.
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Mental health misinformation is rampant on social media.
In our new study, 33% of popular mental health videos on TikTok that offered advice and information were misleading.
These videos were watched over 1 billion times.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10....
In our new study, 33% of popular mental health videos on TikTok that offered advice and information were misleading.
These videos were watched over 1 billion times.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10....
January 17, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Mental health misinformation is rampant on social media.
In our new study, 33% of popular mental health videos on TikTok that offered advice and information were misleading.
These videos were watched over 1 billion times.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10....
In our new study, 33% of popular mental health videos on TikTok that offered advice and information were misleading.
These videos were watched over 1 billion times.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10....
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Anecdotal evidence reliable?
One man says “yes.”
One man says “yes.”
January 18, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Anecdotal evidence reliable?
One man says “yes.”
One man says “yes.”
Reposted by Scott Smith LCSW
Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 charges but won't face any punishment — and will be back in the White House this month.
Nearly 800 prisoners are now helping to battle Los Angeles fires, making as little as $5.80 per day.
A tale of two justice systems.
Nearly 800 prisoners are now helping to battle Los Angeles fires, making as little as $5.80 per day.
A tale of two justice systems.
Nearly 800 prisoners now helping to battle Los Angeles fires
Incarcerated firefighters working to battle the widespread Los Angeles brush fires are paid between $5.80 and $10.24 per day, plus $1 for active emergencies.
abcnews.go.com
January 10, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 charges but won't face any punishment — and will be back in the White House this month.
Nearly 800 prisoners are now helping to battle Los Angeles fires, making as little as $5.80 per day.
A tale of two justice systems.
Nearly 800 prisoners are now helping to battle Los Angeles fires, making as little as $5.80 per day.
A tale of two justice systems.