What is one common misconception about psychology that you often encounter? How do you typically address this misconception?

Hi there! I'm Jeanette Brown, a holistic wellness coach who helps midlife women with life transitions. Is I've spent decades applying psychological principles to real people's struggles in classrooms, businesses, and families. One of the most common misconceptions I encounter is the belief that psychology offers a "quick fix" for human behavior. People think that reading one book, attending a weekend seminar, or memorizing a handful of motivational quotes will change everything. In reality, psychology, like teaching or raising children, is a steady practice that reuqires big patience. I'll often share this story: when I was a young teacher, a student's parent asked if I could "make her son confident" before the school play. She wanted a one-day transformation. Instead, we worked with the boy for weeks on small exercises: standing a little taller, practicing lines in front of one friend, then two, then the whole class. By performance night, his hands still shook, but he stood proudly on stage. That's what I call practical psychology — gradual exposure, encouragement, and reinforcement. I remind people that psychology doesn't hand us instant answers — it gives us tools. The real change comes when we apply those tools consistently, over time, and in the messy reality of our daily lives. That's where growth actually takes root. Thank you for considering my insgihts! Hope it's helpful. Cheers, Jeanette Brown Entrepreneur, Founder of JeanetteBrown.net

Upon realizing the role self-esteem plays in their wellness, "am I a narcissist?" Yes and no. You are (usually) not a narcissist as defined by the DSM, but, per the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM) quoting Heinz Kohut, we all have wounds to our self-esteem and consequently this is part of the picture of everyone's mental health and therapy process. Ironically, gaining insight into self-esteem issues is, in itself, a wound to our esteem - a common hurdle in mental health: we avoid the pain recognizing (repress) the underlying problem, resulting in a stalemate until we are ready to gain insight. I refer to this insight as the "sword and the salve" - it is almost ubiquitously essential for wellness, but also causes pain. The re-setting of a broken bone, if you will. Let's imagine all of the hurt self-esteem exists in an internalized embodiment of our childhood - how, in the process of therapy, can we come to accept and nurture it? Can we call upon a healthy, core, adult part of ourselves? Strengthen that part? Build on it's attributes? Self-esteem issues typically have a bipolarity: the DSM narcissist portrays a "specialness" as their surface and represses the depressed ego-state, while the depleted presentation has the depressed ego-state at the surface and the sense of specialness repressed and relegated to daydreams/phantasy. The person with social anxiety feels somehow "less than" on the surface, but often has a phantasy of being overtly accepted without effort (and risk of rejection) on their part - that someone will go out of their way to bring them comfortably and with kid-gloves into the social circle. Other misconceptions: - Bipolar disorder equates to impulsivity. Myth - it is a circadian rhythm disorder, the core symptom is reduced need for sleep while also experiencing secondary symptoms, one of which may be impulsivity. - Therapy addresses symptoms: Myth. While managed care orgs/models apply a heavy handed guide to focus on symptom reduction, this often backfires because the person is no longer the focus of therapy. Focusing on the person, personal growth, and increasing agency/free will almost certainly leads to symptom reduction, but it is short-sighted to focus on the symptoms at the cost of focusing on the person.

As a psychologist for almost fifteen years, I have encountered so many misconceptions about our profession! Interestingly enough, the most common is the idea that I am always analyzing the people around me in a negative way. I find this interesting because this is usually not a question people ask other professionals, but is often asked of psychologists. While I think it is a result of people finding the idea of being "analyzed" as an undesirable situation, it is interesting that our field is associated with providing our services for free even in casual settings! I say that is interesting because so often our field struggles to be compensated appropriately and to be perceived positively around compensation for services. So, it is interesting to me that this comes up as often as it does when I know it is the product of a wider misperception and problem in our industry.

One common misconception about psychology that I encounter as a psychotherapist at a private practice in New York City is that psychology is all about analyzing our childhood and that everything goes back to this. While certain psychodynamic and psychoanalytic approaches do emphasize understanding our early experiences, not everything in the broad field of psychology is about this. There are many schools of thought and therepeutic approaches that focus more or equally as much on the present or future.

A pervasive misunderstanding I encounter quite frequently is the assumption that psychology boils down to "common sense." Many believe it's about offering advice or stating the obvious to someone. As gender and women's studies scholars, we perceive the glaring gap in the definition of psychology. We see it as a discipline concerned with the study of the human mind and behavior. But to other fields of study, especially to the general public, psychology is a pseudoscience. The reality is psychology is a science and is as rigorous as any other branch of science, is based on systematic research, data and evidence on the various nuances of human thinking, emotions and behavior. To address such ignorance, I like to point out that psychology is the one that enables us to differentiate between things that really are true and things that we just think are true. For one thing, the widespread belief that venting one's anger is beneficial is not true, and it is supported with studies over decades abstract that it increases aggression. Providing such instances makes me realize that psychology is not a restatement of the obvious; it is a body of knowledge that provides practical and evidence-based insight to what lies beyond common perception.

A common misconception in the field of psychology is that clinical psychologists (and other therapists) are supposed to give advice to their clients. Our job isn't to tell clients what to do, rather, it is to help our clients explore their thoughts and feelings about their various options when they are faced with a decision.

As a business owner in the addiction treatment and mental health field, one common misconception I run into about psychology is the idea that therapy is just "talking about your problems." I hear it from patients, families, and even professionals outside of the field. They assume psychology is simply venting to someone who nods and listens. That couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, psychology is rooted in science and evidence-based practices. At Ridgeline Recovery, we use structured approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed care. These aren't casual conversations—they're proven methods designed to change thought patterns, build coping strategies, and address the underlying issues driving addiction and mental health struggles. When I address this misconception, I usually explain it in practical terms. If someone breaks their leg, they don't just "talk about it"—they see a doctor, get an X-ray, and follow a treatment plan. Mental health is no different. Psychology gives us the tools to diagnose, treat, and measure progress, not just listen. That shift in perspective often helps people see therapy as active, intentional work rather than passive conversation. I've also found that transparency helps break this myth. When clients and families see that therapy involves measurable goals, exercises, and accountability, they realize it's not about endless talking—it's about real change. And once they experience progress, their view of psychology transforms completely. For me, the bottom line is this: psychology is not "just talking." It's science applied with compassion. And when people understand that, they're much more open to engaging in the process that can truly change their lives.