Is Therapy Overrated? ft. Psychologist Jonathan Shedler

In a Prof G Deep Dive, Scott Galloway and clinical psychologist Jonathan Shedler discuss the limitations of therapy, with Shedler arguing that most people in therapy are not receiving treatment that produces lasting change. They explore when therapy is warranted, why economic suffering often isn't a psychotherapy problem, and why AI cannot substitute for a human therapist.

Scott’s December No Mercy / No Malice post, “The Cult of Therapy,” argued that therapy has been oversold as a cultural cure-all. In this Deep Dive, he tests that argument with Dr. Jonathan Shedler, a clinical psychologist and researcher best known for his work on the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy. Dr. Shedler agrees with much of the critique, and goes further: most people who believe they’re in therapy, he argues, aren’t getting the kind of treatment that produces lasting change. They discuss when therapy is warranted, why economic suffering often isn’t a psychotherapy problem, what the gender imbalance among providers means for men, and why AI can’t substitute for a human therapist. If you’re not a Prof G+ subscriber yet and want access to these weekly deep dives, make sure to subscribe below for all of Prof G Media’s exclusive content, plus livestreams and ad-free pods.