Psychology In Seattle Podcast When Therapy Harms
11 snips
Jul 18, 2025 
Dr. Kirk Honda, a clinical psychologist and host of a popular podcast, delves into the dark side of therapy, discussing how harmful practices can occur in the field. He shares his journey into psychology and the critical five-year learning curve for new therapists. Kirk highlights the startling lack of training on preventing harm and reveals the traits that often characterize problematic therapists. He advocates for systemic reforms in licensing and training, emphasizing the importance of accountability and better care for survivors.
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Client Dropout After Premature Trauma Disclosure
- Kirk recounts a client who disclosed childhood sexual trauma and then dropped out after the session.
- He reflects that he should have paused and prepared her, because premature disclosure can retraumatize clients.
Pause Before Trauma Disclosure
- Do pause and assess readiness before encouraging clients to narrate traumatic events.
- Test boundaries and build emotional regulation systems before moving into trauma exposure.
Gatekeeping Clashes With Institutional Pressures
- Graduate programs must gatekeep to protect clients, yet institutional pressures often resist removing harmful trainees.
- Kirk says formal evaluation and gatekeeping are core supervisory roles despite lawsuits and administrative pushback.