How To Write A Therapist And Patient Scene Into Your Fiction

How To Write A Therapist And Patient Scene Into Your Fiction

 

If you’re a writer, then you know how important it is to make your characters and plotlines believable. You don’t want to lose readers because they can tell that you didn’t research specific scenes and situations! In this article, we’ll go over a few tips and tricks for writing a therapist and patient scene into your fiction. Considering the fact that many authors don’t get the therapist/patient dynamic quite right, this brief article can help you to stand out!

 

When writing a therapist and patient scene:

  • Stick to the 50-minute hour. In some types of fiction like books and movies, you’ll see scenes where a therapy session seems to go on for hours. This simply isn’t realistic or believable! Counselors and therapists have a strict schedule to adhere to, and they typically only spend 50 minutes with a client for each session.

 

  • If you’re writing about a specific diagnosis, be sure to research it first. Anyone who actually experiences a mental health disorder will be able to tell immediately if you haven’t done sufficient research on the topic–and you run the risk of offending them if you write about their disorder in a disparaging or inaccurate way. A lot of writing that involves therapist and patient scenes is clearly based on stereotypes that simply aren’t true. To write an authentic scene, do plenty of research and make sure that you fully understand what you’re talking about. If you can interview people who live with the disorder you’re writing about, that can be very helpful as well! For more information on mental health topics, check out https://www.mytherapist.com/advice/

  • Breakthroughs are considered cliche in therapist/patient scenes. In reality, breakthroughs aren’t likely to happen. The therapy process often takes weeks or months of slow, steady progress with setbacks every once in a while. If you’re looking to write a realistic therapist and patient scene, a miraculous breakthrough that completely changes your character simply isn’t believable to anyone who has actually experienced therapy. Plus, breakthroughs in therapy happen so often in fiction that they are now considered cliche.


  • Be mindful of the boundaries between therapist and client. In real life, it’s rare that a therapist shares the things that their clients tell them, because it’s actually against the law to do so. It’s also not realistic for your therapist character and client character to start a romantic relationship; there are laws against that as well. Before writing a therapist and client scene, be sure to do some research and read up on the laws and rules that mental health professionals must adhere to.

 

The Bottom Line

When writing a therapist and patient scene, the most important thing to remember is to do your research! Avoid cliched breakthroughs, be mindful of boundaries and the 50-minute hour, and do your due diligence when writing about specific mental health diagnoses. Rather than dramatizing the therapist/patient dynamic and making it into something it’s not, stick to the reality of the situation for a convincing and believable scene; your readers are sure to appreciate it!

Marie Miguel Biography

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with MyTherapist.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.

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