History Main / TheRearEnoTheRapists

SisterTrope of AdultsAreUseless. Compare AllTherapistsAreMuggles. If there's a PsychoTherapist in the work, then the characters will likely wish this trope were played straight.

SisterTrope of AdultsAreUseless. Compare TherapistsAreMuggles. If there's a PsychoTherapist in the work, then the characters will likely wish this trope were played straight.

SisterTrope of AdultsAreUseless.

** In the episode "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E4BeautyAndTheBeasts Beauty and the Beasts]]", Buffy was sent to see a school counsellor who gave her good advice... only for him to wind up dead, just like the last encouraging teacher she had. Buffy goes through ''a lot'' of shit that would mess anyone up for life; killing demons for a living, her entire relationship with Angel (which was at best emotionally abusive, and at worst dived right into stalker territory which she thought was perfectly OK) which led to a lot of issues with Riley, her mother's illness, dying and coming back to life, her mutually abusive relationship with Spike... Yet she never got any counselling or therapy. The only reasonable excuse is that no one would believe her and would think she's crazy (and considering she actually got put away briefly by her parents at one point in the backstory for trying to come clean...) but they didn't even ''try'' to find a therapist who knew about the demon world or may have even been half demon themselves. Giles was employed by a whole organization of people who could've easily found someone to help, but given that a Slayer has a short life expectancy, the Watchers Council likely doesn't bother.

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'' tried to avoid this somewhat by instituting the position of "Ship's Counselor", which was the role of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' main cast member Deanna Troi, but still ran into it on occasion. ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' had excuses though: Ezri Dax was still in training when she was assigned as counselor, while Captain Janeway said in an early episode that ''Voyager'' hadn't been expected to need one (being that the mission they were ''supposed'' to have took place well within shouting distance of a major starbase, Deep Space 9). Chakotay (with his VisionQuest), Neelix (as Morale Officer), and Tuvok (using Vulcan meditation techniques) usually take up the role. It's also something of a RunningGag that actually seeing a counselor ''always'' makes the situation worse. ''Series/StarTrekStrangeNewWorlds'' adds a new complication with Pike and La'an--they ''can't'' seek therapy for issues related to their bouts with TimeTravel because Temporal Affairs told them it would mess up the time line and don't have anyone on ''their'' staff whose job it is to help people traumatized by anything they've seen on their journies through the timeline.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': DoubleSubverted in that there ''are'' numerous mental health officials, but they are generally depicted as [[TheShrink incompetent and misguided]] at best and [[PsychoPsychologist sociopathic and manipulative]] at worst. This is best demonstrated in "[[Recap/SouthParkS15E8AssBurgers Ass Burgers]]", where Stan does not receive the help he needs for his depression because everyone was so stupid that they misinterpreted it as a sign of UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome.

* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic used to mention going to a therapist a lot, but that stopped, probably because the character was getting more and more damaged and it was funnier that way. In fact, a running gag among multiple reviewers is their constant danger of insanity due to the bad things they are "forced" to experience. Plenty of reviews have gags where the reviewer pops "happy pills" like they were candy, chugs from a bottle of booze, or is forcibly restrained by men in white coats. Some have even tried to destroy the world in a bout of rage. [[WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment Spoony]] deserves special mention as a full-on insane convicted serial killer.[[note]]Which only gets HarsherInHindsight when Noah himself went through a CreatorBreakdown...[[/note]]
* This trope is {{deconstructed|Trope}} in ''Literature/FunnyBusiness'', in that the character who desperately needs psychiatric attention is [[StepfordSmiler hiding any indication that something's wrong]]. In other words, the only reason there are no therapists is that the patient doesn't want to go to one, which is sadly TruthInTelevision for some victims of depression.

* Played with by the Freelancer Program of ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', which has the Counselor as its number two leader. Only problem is that he doesn't actually care about mental health, only whether or not the Agents are at their peak in terms of combat ability. Agent Washington, implied to have spent considerable time with him after being driven insane by Epsilon, is afterwards notably more efficient, less empathetic, and only recovers a semblance of normality by taking over for Church as the Gulch's self-appointed StraightMan.
* Played with in ''WebOriginal/ProtectorsOfThePlotContinuum''. Canon characters traumatized by the events of a story to a degree beyond what a simple memory wipe can fix are sent to [=FicPsych=] for more significant treatment. Agents are also heard of going there after particularly bad missions, but therapy for them is only enough to get them back onto the field instead of fixing whatever innate problems they had before signing up.

* The ''LetsPlay/DreamSMP'' is a DysfunctionJunction where almost every member has experienced some form of trauma and has to cope with it through their own means, healthy or not. Justified by the fact that no one there is a qualified psychiatrist and even Puffy, the one person who has decided to take up the role of therapist, [[TheCobblersChildrenHaveNoShoes has her own problems]] that effectively take her out of the role for the time being. This ultimately becomes {{deconstructed|Trope}} and PlayedForDrama, as the resident [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Woobies, Destroyers of Worlds]] and [[TookALevelInCynic jaded idealists]], [[spoiler:Wilbur and Quackity]], would not have spiraled so badly or turned out this way if they had received psychological help for the trauma they had experienced.

** Even with a staff of four, and assistance from ARC's therapists and Fubar, the school is all too aware that it still isn't enough, given the unique nature of some of the problems, especially for cases where their powers directly cause behavioral changes (as is often the case for Avatars, due to the passenger that shares their head). In addition, you have trauma cases like Pejuta, kids who have been [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer rejected by their friends]] and [[ParentalAbandonment families]], kids who have been attacked by other mutants or hunted by [[FantasticRacism Humanity First!]] and/or the [[GovernmentConspiracy Mutant Commission Office]], kids who were subject to abuse due to their mutation, kids who were victims of [[ParentalNeglect more mundane,]] [[ParentalAbuse but no less tragic]], forms of mistreatment (such as [[CuteButPsycho Jade]] or [[HeroicBSOD Circuit Breaker]]), and even cases of psychic, astral, or magical assaults (such as what [[spoiler:[[MindRape Skybolt and Cavalier]]]] experienced). Just keeping them all going is a monumental undertaking.

* ''WebOriginal/WhateleyUniverse'':
** Even with a staff of four, and assistance from ARC's therapists and Fubar, the school is all too aware that it still isn't enough, given the unique nature of some of the problems, especially for cases where their powers directly cause behavioral changes (as is often the case for Avatars, due to the passenger that shares their head). In addition, you have trauma cases like Pejuta, kids who have been [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer rejected by their friends]] and [[ParentalAbandonment families]], kids who have been attacked by other mutants or hunted by [[FantasticRacism Humanity First!]] and/or the [[GovernmentConspiracy Mutant Commission Office]], kids who were subject to abuse due to their mutation, kids who were victims of [[ParentalNeglect more mundane,]] [[ParentalAbuse but no less tragic]], forms of mistreatment (such as [[CuteButPsycho Jade]] or [[HeroicBSOD Circuit Breaker]]), and even cases of psychic, astral, or magical assaults (such as what [[spoiler:[[MindRape Skybolt and Cavalier]]]] experienced). Just keeping them all going is a monumental undertaking.
** The trope more fully plays out in the stories of those who ''didn't'' make it to Whateley, such as [[ThenLetMeBeEvil Imp]], [[ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder Lady Havoc]], [[BullyingADragon Conner Edwards]], or [[DeathEqualsRedemption Christine Manning]], for whom there were few if any attempts to help, and those which did come, were too little, too late.

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[[folder:FanWorks]]

* ''Fanfic/TheDesertStorm'': Lampshaded during the ''Ripples'' arc. [[spoiler:During Ben's (a time-displaced Obi-Wan Kenobi's) therapy session with [[TheShrink Ylar Klar]], he recounts the events of ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', leading Klar to comment that both he and Anakin definitely should have gotten therapy after what they had gone through.]]

* Lampshaded in an author's note for the ''Anime/MyHime'' fanfic ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4004316/1/Windows-of-the-Soul Windows of the Soul]]'':
-->''Sometimes I wonder whether it would be easier if I just had Shizuru see a psychologist. The problem being, how does she say "I have a huge guilt complex over killing scores of people with my summoned demon named after the legendary Kiyohime" without being put in an asylum? Perhaps the First District has specialized psychologists. Oh, wait. She blew them up. That's what she's guilty about.''

* Discussed in ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/YourServantMistress''. It takes place in a real-life setting, so the main character can get treatment for her PTSD ... or could if she was able to trust someone with her problems. Diaval mentions having seen a therapist in the past.

* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' fanfics sometimes have [[ManipulativeBastard Darcy]] as the only decent one on Magix. In ''Fanfic/TheInfiniteLoops'', she boasts of being the best of the Magical Dimension… Before admitting that she's also the only one who knows what she's doing and that she's only decent when compared to Earth therapists.
* ''Fanfic/TheInfiniteLoops'': Zigzagged; because the baseline worlds are often unclear on the status of therapy, it can change significantly from loop to loop. In ''Fanfic/TheMLPLoops'', Rarity at one point has Blueblood committed to an asylum to make sure he won't interfere with her wedding--but she had to check to see if asylums existed this time first. In another loop, Twilight decides to defeat Nightmare Moon by giving her a much-needed therapy session.
* Discussed in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/series/717477 Second Chances]]'' when Loki returns to Earth to warn them of Thanos' coming. The various Avengers are all appalled that Asgard as a whole views therapy as something only the weak need and each of them suggests Loki see a therapist; that each of them either has seen one before or is currently seeing one helps convince Loki they have a point.
* By the time ''Fanfic/PowderedGoldAndPottery'' begins, [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia Shouto]] has been seeing a therapist for several years to cope with the way Endeavor raised him. He also has a service dog, Hiro. ZigZaggingTrope in that not all adults and authority figures have been entirely supportive; at one of his previous schools, students harassed Hiro, and Shouto was blamed for 'distracting' them, forcing him to leave Hiro behind. When Nedzu and Aizawa prove to be more supportive, Shouto is honestly surprised.
* ''Fanfic/ReCoded'': Unlike his canon counterpart, Yusaku didn't get any help for his trauma because they were hiding from the Knights of Hanoi. Like Yusaku, Takeru became a Hikikomori and has a lot of issues when Yusaku and Ryoken visited him in his hometown. They both learn how to cope with the trauma and live normally again after the Lost Incident with the help of friends and newfound family. The only one who did get into therapy is Jin, who was catatonic until [[spoiler:Lightning recruited him]].

* ''Fanfic/MastermindRiseOfAnarchy'', from the same author, also averts this, as it is revealed [[spoiler:Tokoyami Fumikage]] was required to attend therapy after the training camp attack which had occurred back in [[Fanfic/MastermindStrategistForHire the previous fic]]. Additionally, Aizawa had extended his visits after Hawks had [[FaceHeelTurn defected to the League of Villains]], ostensibly to help with the betrayal.
** This is played straight with [[spoiler:Uraraka]], however, given she doesn't receive any therapy after [[spoiler:having a knife held to her throat by Mastermind.]]
* ''Fanfic/UnbreakableRedSilkenThread'': Jasmine, Sammy, and Cameron have some serious issues; the girls because of Sammy being bullied by her sister for years, and Jasmine feeling impotent to help her; and Cameron because of his many years of social isolation. Instead of getting professional help, the girls are helped by Heather while Cody acts as a BigBrotherMentor to Cameron; fortunately, [[TheChessMaster Heather]] and [[NiceGuy Cody's]] personalities and life's experience make them very good at this, effectively helping the girls and Cameron with their problems.

--> '''Black Canary''': The League felt that it might help if the team had someone to talk-.\\

* Subverted in ''Fanfic/{{Unfinished Business|Kitsunealyc}}'' where after receiving therapy as Shen Yuan, Shen Qingqiu makes sure that his disciples would receive the closest equivalent in a [[SpiritCultivationGenre Xianxia]] world.
* ''Fanfic/TheDesertStorm'': Played both ways. Obi-wan Kenobi was never able to get enough time off to see the Jedi Temple's "Soul Healers" (a Jedi Medicorps branch specialising in mental health issues) during the Clone Wars because he was deemed too valuable to be off active duty for long enough, contributing to the ''spectacularly'' poor state of health he's in before he [[PeggySue finds himself back before the Separatists were even a rumour]]. When "Ben Naasade" shows up at the Temple and talks his way into an audience with the Council it's obvious to everyone that he's been through the wringer, but the full extent of his issues doesn't come to light until a combination of bad luck, bad timing, and bad decisions cause several of his {{Trauma Button}}s to be punched simultaneously. After nearly killing a fellow Jedi during the resulting PTSD flashback, Ben is placed on mandatory medical leave and assigned a Soul Healer, kicking off a very long but cathartic MentalHealthRecoveryArc.
* ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomverse'': The trope is played with, depending on the story and the protagonist. For Chloe Cerise and Goh, for example, their problems are exacerbated by the parents not even noticing (or actively ''caring'') to see what is wrong with them or too busy with work to consider therapy. Professor Cerise was actually advised to take his daughter to a therapist...and refused, deciding it's better if she was stuck in the Cerise Institute where her problems festered and ultimately lead her onto the train and the destruction left in her wake. Whoops.
* Lampshaded in the ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfiction [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5669669/1/Joke-s-on-You Jokes On You]]. The whole thing is kicked off when Naruto decides to become, of all people, '''''[[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]]''''', with the rest of Konoha driven insane by just trying to handle him. The narration points out that the ''lack'' of ninja psychiatrists in general use is both a big oversight and the root cause of all the trouble.

* ''Film/IronMan3'': Tony Stark is unambiguously suffering from PTSD after nearly dying during ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', and J.A.R.V.I.S. flat out tells him that he is having a panic attack. TheStinger shows that he ''is'' seeing a doctor about it... [[NotThatKindOfDoctor Bruce Banner]]. And beyond that, the scene is decidedly PlayedForLaughs, and there is no indication in the film or any subsequent MCU films that Tony ever seeks out professional help from a qualified source. The only character who gives him any kind of advice whatsoever is Harley, who tells him to "build something" to help him focus. While this could be an effective short-term solution to helping someone through a panic attack, it does essentially ''nothing'' to address the underlying causes of his PTSD. However, the movie treats it as a moment of EpiphanyTherapy, as Tony doesn't have trouble through the rest of the film, [[UnfortunateImplications the implication being he is completely cured]]. [[FridgeHorror Actually]], if Tony is suffering from undiagnosed PTSD, this puts a lot of what happens in [[Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron later]] [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar films]] into a quite different context...
* ''Film/Joker2019'': [[DoubleSubversion Double-subverted]]. Arthur is seeking out mental help, but he only has access to a social worker that can periodically sign him off on medication, and with [[BeleagueredBureaucrat how visibly overworked she is]], she doesn't end up being very helpful. At the start of the third act, she informs Arthur that due to budget cuts, she's being fired and he'll be unable to get ''any'' treatment -- psychological or medical. On their last meeting, [[DiscussedTrope she openly confides to Arthur how upset she is that she can't be of help]], and how [[InherentInTheSystem both of them were screwed over because the powers that be failed them]].
* ''{{Film/MFA}}'': Well, technically there is, but the college counselor has steered women who come to her who have been raped against filing complaints, thus her true concern isn't their mental health but making it seem like there are no campus rapes. Noelle quickly stops seeing her, realizing this.
* ''Film/TheRageCarrie2'': Subverted. Sue Snell is one of the main characters and also a survivor of Carrie's rampage in the original, who works as a school counselor. She attempts to stop Rachel from doing the same thing Carrie did. [[spoiler:She doesn't survive the sequel, though.]]
* In the second half of ''Film/ShredderOrpheus'', Linus is increasingly frustrated with Orpheus's depression and moodiness after losing Eurydice and tries to force the issue to no avail before realizing he needs help. The closest thing to a therapist the Grey Zone offers is a traveling oracle, and Orpheus agrees to see her in the hopes of finding a way back to Eurydice.
* ''Film/TheyThem2022'': Played with. The setting is a gay conversion therapy camp, where there is a therapist, Cora, but there might as well be none. Cora is hinted to even take sadistic pleasure in tearing down the queer kids at the camp, she goes through their belongings when they're out to find ways to tear them down, and [[spoiler:cooperates with the "forbidden fruit" practice where they place a mole among the campers to see which ones get seduced and subsequently subjected to shock therapy]].
* ''Film/TheWhale'': None of the characters receive any sort of therapy or counseling for their issues. Ellie in particular is never mentioned as having been sent to a mental hospital for her bad habits, such as smoking and abusing drugs.

* Rob in ''Literature/AnOutcastInAnotherWorld'' explicitly notes that Elatra doesn’t have therapists. He even checks if there’s a Utility Class of that name – no dice.
* Ward of ''Literature/{{Hurog}}'' has been ObfuscatingStupidity, and therefore is to be sent to an institution for insane nobles, a very nice and comfy place, from which, allegedly, many recovered patients returned to society. [[spoiler: When he ''is'' brought there, it is with the intent to ''make'' him go crazy and stay that way. And he's not the only one getting that treatment.]]
* Played with in every way in Bujold's ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga''. The main character is from Barrayar, a feudal militaristic culture where one is expected to go through hell and get over it without complaints and ''definitely'' without therapy, but his mother is from Beta Colony, a high-tech hyper-sophisticated and modern world where all is well-regulated and therapy is the normal response to any trauma or psychological issue. The trope is inverted in the first book for both worlds: Cordelia's awesome Betan therapists refuse to believe she is actually sane and wasn't brainwashed into falling in love with the enemy and she ends up having to run away, while it's revealed that Barrayaran therapy of the kind [[spoiler: Bothari]] went through is possibly [[MindRape worse]] [[LaserGuidedAmnesia than]] the original trauma. In later books, the trope is played straight (and lampshaded by Cordelia repeatedly), especially where Barrayar is concerned.
* Dr. Lense in the ''Literature/StarfleetCorpsOfEngineers'' series has a serious case of PTSD from the Dominion War but specifically chose assignment to the ''[=DaVinci=]'' because the ship's complement is too small to have a counselor aboard. When Captain Gold finds out her performance as CMO is slipping, he tells her she can work out her issues with him as a sounding board or he'll have her downchecked for duty and booted off the ship pending a full psych workup.
* ''Literature/TheRedVixenAdventures'': On Foxen Prime anyways, foxens are supposedly more mentally stable on average than humans so they have very little experience helping those who do develop mental illnesses, House Darktail has to import a psychologist from Earth to help Sallivera with the trauma inflicted by her abusive ex-husband.

* ''Literature/SweetValleyHigh'': You would think that everything the twins and various other characters have gone through (trials for manslaughter, abductions, attempts on their lives, being stalked by identical impersonators) would qualify them for months and months of therapy. Nope, doesn't happen.
** Big brother Steve also clearly needs one. Anyone so hung up on the memories of a long-dead girlfriend that he can't bring himself to enter a new relationship is in need of help.
** This is played with Jessica's friend Lila. Following her near date rape, she goes to therapy at Project Youth (at first just going to get her dad to stop worrying about her), but becomes attached to the therapist there and accuses ''him'' of assaulting her when the fight breaks out at the Jungle Prom.
** Played straight in The Sweet Life as Jessica and Todd (and Lila and Ken) are having marital problems but they don't see a therapist.
** For that matter, neither do the Wakefield parents during their marital problems.
** Other characters too-—Emily Mayer's family could certainly have used some counseling, Bruce could have, etc.

** Then in the SequelSeries, Literature/{{Ward}}, the main cast are introduced by their shared therapist as part of a group therapy session
* There are no therapists in Middle-Earth of ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Therapists ''do'' exist in the setting, but to get access to them you need to sail with the Elves beyond the circles of the world into the Undying Lands where the gods live, and so everybody who even briefly carried the One Ring over the course of the saga eventually joins the elves in sailing west to get the help needed to overcome the trauma of having carried the Ring. Mortals with non-ring-related trauma, such as Denethor's anguish at losing his son and stress over the war, go wholly unaddressed.
** Tolkien wrote the Legendarium during a time where the mentally ill were sent away to not really be seen or heard from, so it's likely that he had no real frame of reference on how to address subjects like post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues. For his part though, as a veteran of World War 1, he did understand the concept of shellshock and how people who have fought in massive, terrible battles will still have trouble explaining how they feel to others.
* In the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series, [[TheEmpath Mindhealers]] are a thing, but they're consistently incompetent at seeing that Herald Trainees - teenagers with newly-awakening PsychicPowers who often come from a DarkAndTroubledPast and are being trained to serve as agents of the Crown - get so much as five minutes of therapy. When dealing with Talia, they fail to give her therapy ''or'' psychic training, and her Gift goes out of control - a situation which the Dean later says "will go in the Records for sheer wrongheadedness."
* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': There really are no therapists on Roshar, at least during the era the series takes place in; things might have been better in the days of the [[TheTimeOfMyths Silver Kingdoms]]. Standard psychiatric care is little more than "put the patient in a dark room with no stimulus so that they don't get worse." In ''Literature/RhythmOfWar'', Kaladin more or less ''invents'' the concept of therapy from first principles... and then refuses to attend the meetings himself.
* The entire ''Literature/DollangangerSeries'' could have been avoided if the family had had some competent therapy. Interestingly enough, in ''Literature/IfThereBeThorns'', Cathy and Chris try to fix their son Bart's problems by taking him to a child psychologist. The first one actually has a few useful insights--for example, how Bart hates ''himself'' and thus finds it hard to believe his family genuinely loves him either. But Bart doesn't like that psychologist, and so they then take him to a second psychologist, and this one doesn't seem to yield much.
* Subverted in ''Literature/MySweetAudrina''; after she was raped, [[spoiler: Audrina]] ''was'' taken to a psychiatrist, but the person apparently thought the best way to treat a traumatized child rape victim was through electric shock therapy and her father couldn't bear to put her through that. A bit of therapy could have also helped [[spoiler: Vera]] and prevented the whole novel from happening in the first place.
* Defied by Jin and Meiling in ''Literature/BewareOfChicken''. Although there's no actual profession of therapy in [[SpiritCultivationGenre magical pseudo-ancient China]], Jin as an [[TrappedInAnotherWorld Isekai protagonist]] from [[GivingRadioToTheRomans 21st century Canada]] understands the value of talking out your mental issues and seeking advice; and Meiling is simply a practical person with wisdom beyond her years. Most people in the setting believe that [[TherapyIsForTheWeak you face the heavens alone]]; they deliberately encourage their friends and disciples to open up to them and as a result, their whole social group has much better mental health than average.

-->'''Ginger:''' It's just that Dr. Phonsfeelings said--\\

** Zig-zagged as Ooo is a [[CloudCuckooLand very strange place]] with a lot of [[CloudCuckooLander even stranger people]], but there actually ''are'' mental health services for those who need them. For a lot of the earlier episodes, however, this trope was played straight, with people such as [[TheMentallyDisturbed Lemongrab]] and [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Ice King]] basically just being dealt with when they caused trouble and ignored when they didn't. Both of them have now been getting a lot more help.
** Played straight with [[KidHero Finn,]] since There Are No ''Human'' Therapists. He has a mental ''vault'' he puts his traumatizing moments in and has been through plenty of experiences being the hero of Ooo while also being the MoralityPet to Princess Bubblegum and Marceline.

* Lampshaded in ''WesternAnimation/AsToldByGinger'' in an episode where Ginger becomes jealous of Darren's new relationship with [[AlphaBitch Miranda]]. Of course, she didn't technically '''see''' a psychologist.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', Hank Pym fakes his death, then goes around with a new personality and calling himself Yellowjacket, who is much more ruthless and prone to violence. Everyone is aware that is unhealthy but no one mentions therapy.
* In ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'', a person gets into the Train if they're going through some sort of trauma which can range from grief of losing a loved one, going through a divorce, or the death of a pet lizard. And yet there's no signs of actual therapy in that universe that could easily fix these problems instead of stranding people in a DeathWorld for months or even ''years'' on end.

* Zig-zagged in ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes''. Although initially mistaken for a SuperpoweredEvilSide, over the course of the series, it becomes more and more clear that TKO is born not of evil, but of psychological problems, and is essentially an embodiment of things that KO refuses to accept about himself. Nobody comments on the fact that the kid has multiple identities, nor do they suggest that he get help - KO instead deals with this on his own, with mixed results. The repressed anger issues which are a major part of what TKO resulted from ''are'', to some extent, addressed - his mother tried to teach him ways to deal with said anger when he was younger, [[spoiler:and his disregarding those methods is more-or-less the reason why TKO exists]] - but nobody helps with or talks about his issues much beyond that. [[spoiler:Ultimately, KO manages to figure things out on his own and undergo a SplitPersonalityMerge at the end of the series.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': DoubleSubverted in that there are numerous mental health officials, but they are generally depicted as [[TheShrink incompetent and misguided]] at best and [[PsychoPsychologist sociopathic and manipulative]] at worst. This is best demonstrated in "Ass Burgers", where Stan does not receive the help he needs for his depression because everyone was so stupid that they misinterpreted it as a sign of UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome.
* {{Subverted|Trope}} in ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'' with Big Shot, a {{parody}} of {{nineties antihero}}es in general and ComicBook/ThePunisher in particular. In "The Tick vs The Ideamen", he is a clearly unstable maniac who riddles random things with bullets until they resemble skulls; the Tick warns him that "Guns and superheroes don't mix. Seek professional help." When he reappears in "The Tick vs The Tick", he has been to therapy and, while he still has anger issues, he has them under control and is overall a calm, stable man who even invites the other Tick to attend his group sessions to work out his own issues.
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'', "Webworld", was all about the Decepticons finally getting sick of Galvatron being insane and sending him to a planet [[PlanetOfHats whose hat]] is curing the mentally ill. Galvatron just ends up ravaging the planet.
* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'': The Trix are sent to a place where they are supposed to be reformed, but it only manages to tick them off even more.
* [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010''. Black Canary is a trained therapist and is often shown having sessions with the superhero teens after traumatizing events, as well as mandatory routine checkups.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': DoubleSubverted in that there are numerous mental health officials, but they are generally depicted as [[TheShrink incompetent and misguided]] at best and [[PsychoPsychologist sociopathic and manipulative]] at worst. This is best demonstrated in "Ass Burgers", where Stan does not receive the help he needs for his depression because the [[AdultsAreUseless adults]] were so stupid that they misinterpreted it as a sign of UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome.

* TheShrink: Complete with Administrivia/{{Internal Subtrope}}s for situations in which characters do go to a therapist but the therapist is unskilled, condemnatory, or otherwise problematic, and those in which this trope is averted when the characters go to a good therapist and get the help they need.

* Strikingly averted in ''Literature/KyoKaraMaoh'', in which Ken Murata was sent to therapy as a child to help him [[spoiler:cope with his PastLifeMemories and assert his own personal identity]]. He comes out of it reasonably well-adjusted, considering, and remains friends with his therapist.
* Averted twice in ''Manga/BokuraNoHentai''.
** Marika is a [[UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} trans girl]] in middle school at the cusp of puberty. After her voice starts breaking, with encouragement from friends, she comes out to her mother and asks to visit a therapist. After briefly staying home from school she returns living as a girl.
** After the death of her daughter Ryousuke's mom has been in poor mental health. To help her, Ryou began dressing up as his sister. Eventually, his girlfriend catches him and gets him to explain why he's crossdressing. When she learns the truth, she tells her parents who get Ryousuke's mom to care for her problems. Ryou is sent to live with his dad but later he sees his mom in the hospital, who is recovering well.
* In ''Manga/QQSweeper'' this is averted and discussed. Cleaning only takes care of the symptoms, not the problem, and victims who have been infested are given counseling and therapy so the negative energy stays away.

** This is averted in the second season where there are indeed therapists. Unfortunately, said therapists have fully embraced the notion that ChildrenAreInnocent and when Sinon was sent there to treat her childhood trauma involving killing a bank robber with a gun, rather than treat her PTSD, they instead call her a social pariah for having the guts to pull a trigger. Needless to say, this only makes Sinon's condition even worse.

* Averted for much of the superhero community in DC Comics, as many superheroes including Superman, Martian Manhunter and Starfire have mentioned going to therapy sessions under [[https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Claire_Foster_(New_Earth) Dr. Claire Foster]], a Metropolis psychiatrist who specializes in treating superhumans.
* Characters/BlackCanary: Averted. After she was tortured, she went through counseling to help overcome the trauma, and the fact she's undergone therapy firsthand sometimes comes up when dealing with other troubled heroes.

* Completely averted in the original ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad''. [[Characters/SuicideSquadSupportStaff Amanda Waller]], despite her ornery and manipulative behavior, actually made sure Belle Reve Penitentiary had a full staff, including scientists, therapists, and even a priest, who were important side characters in the first half of the series.

* Averted in the ''WebAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls'' comic ''Out of the Bottle''. Characters/{{Harley Quinn|TheCharacter}}, Characters/{{Wonder Woman|TheCharacter}}, Characters/{{Supergirl|TheCharacter}}, and Characters/{{Batgirl}} all mention that they see therapists. They even mention that it's likely hard to be a superhero without some sort of mental health help.
* Averted with Characters/{{Zatanna}}, [[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/tQTwIYBx3rToheLqLjlsA9OH1QbZ-itCfVzkdb5jMufbunrgypaVVn3HWJMQ75uMk0ORcMbIXv4i=s1600 who attends]] [[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3rxH3pLQzxo/VNmz3uU50VI/AAAAAAAABww/-IKgS3vH5Nk/s1600/sszatanna1.jpg a therapy group]] [[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/QtcLw4RkBoeehE57fnbLdGfm7MOHrAMmdk0ss2zWX1-wOTm3QkpwcIE4Zu2Yh2WpkdmZQSE8DyZH=s1600 to talk about her father.]]

* Nicely averted in ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass'', where the heroic Decepticons have several psychologists on hand to help others and often run group therapy sessions. Granted, they're still really eccentric, but they still seem to be more mentally stable compared to the Autobots, who probably don't have any therapists of their own (and probably don't even want any) and are no doubt AxCrazy, megalomaniacal, or just plain nuts as a result.
* Averted in ''ComicBook/ThePunisher2099''. The main character is an officer of the Public Eye (basically privatized police force), who has his family gunned down in front of him, ''and'' the perpetrator gets away without any kind of meaningful punishment due to being mega-rich. After that, he has to go through mandatory psychiatric evaluation, and the psychiatrist actually gets suspicious because he seems to be adjusting ''too well'' to the situation.
* Averted in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'', which introduces Rung, Autobot Psychologist, as a main character. There's also Froid, but he veers closer to PsychoPsychologist.

* '''Completely''' averted by ''ComicBook/DrBlinkSuperheroShrink'', which {{Lampshade}}s the fact that superheroes are almost invariably a seething bundle of psychological issues.

* ''Fanfic/AllTheRoofsOfUncertainty'': Thoroughly averted and discussed. Jason is still understandably furious at Bruce for his dying message and blows up when Bruce tries to bring up therapy. In the end, they do end up going (as seen in the epilogue) since Bruce has managed to find someone he actually trusts and who has natural defenses against PsychicPowers.

* Averted in ''Fanfic/BraigensDCUNowWithOwls'' -- [[WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse Luz]] has apparently been regularly seeing a therapist ever since the end of canon to deal with the immense amount of trauma she went through on the Boiling Isles, and when the fight with Metallo in ''An Owl in Metropolis'' triggers a flashback to her FinalBattle with Belos, she makes a point of moving up her next appointment.

* ''Fanfic/ADifferentDursleyFamily'': {{Averted|Trope}}. Petunia met one when she realized she was letting her jealousy toward Lily affect the way she treated Harry.

* ''Fanfic/ToTheStars'': Averted with the [[NGOSuperpower Mahou Shoujo Youkai]]'s Mental Health Division. As {{Magical Girl}}s' powers are linked to their emotions, and as falling into despair can destroy their [[SoulJar soul gems]], with lethal results, the MSY has a vested interest in keeping its members sane. (Not to mention the damage a rogue, insane magical girl could wreak before she was stopped.) The fact that many Mental Health Division workers have some form of {{Telepathy}} or even MindControl certainly helps their job.

* Averted in ''Fanfic/GreenTeaRescue''; as part of her plea bargain to get into UA and not be sent to jail, Himiko Toga has to go to therapy (hosted by Midnight) to curb her more violent tendencies.
* Averted in ''Fanfic/DekuIThinkHesSomePro'': after Bakugou uses an attack that he knew could kill or cripple Izuku, he's required to attend mandatory anger management sessions or face immediate expulsion from U.A.

* Averted in ''Fanfic/{{Maelstrom}}'' - Tenya ends up going to see Hound Dog after he overhears Izuku recommending that Uraraka see him.

* ''Fanfic/NumberFourteenMHA'': Averted - Bakugou ends up seeing a therapist after Izuku takes his life.
* Averted in ''Fanfic/HurricaneSuite''. Naruto is assigned a therapist to help him work through trauma from the invasion. Naruto hated talking to him but admitted how effective the sessions were. Later, when he returns to Konoha, Naruto is ordered to attend sessions with Inoichi Yamanaka. Since Inoichi [[MindProbe mind probed]] Naruto earlier to learn why he came back to Konoha after his defection, they’d normally assign a different person Naruto would find easier to trust, but the details are too highly classified to justify involving more people.
* Averted in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13823122/1/Crushed-Spirit Crushed Spirit]]''. [[WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends Percy]] is entrusted to [[OriginalCharacter Beatrice Rider]], a professional counsellor, following an incident in which he accidentally causes the death of an entire family and is traumatized by it. [[OriginalCharacter Bernard]] also seeks her help in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13887970/1/The-Brother-s-Grimm The Brother's Grimm]]'', after the stress he's gone through in the story up to that point.

* ''Fanfic/WhatItMeansToBeAHero'': Averted; multiple characters are recommended to Hound Dog, UA's therapist. Even before that, pretty much every kid in the Aldera school system is recommended therapy after [[spoiler:it turns out to be a front for a racist cult]]. However, the therapy is optional; Bakugo refuses to attend [[TherapyIsForTheWeak because he thinks only weaklings need therapy]]. After he is kidnapped by the League and is rescued, he finally agrees to therapy, because he refuses to ever let the League consider him the same as them. [[spoiler:At the end of the series, it's done enough for him that he is able to genuinely apologize to Izuku]].

* Averted with Sasuke in ''Webcomic/NaruHinaChronicles''. In Chapter 83, Tsunade mentions that she "get[s] reports from his therapist on his quaterly review."

* Averted in ''Film/TheDeadCenter'', as the main character is a psychiatrist named Dr. Forrester, and the majority of the film takes place in a realistic emergency psych ward. The entire staff is competent at their jobs. However, no one there is prepared to deal with a patient suffering from [[spoiler: DemonicPossession.]]
* ''Film/Joker2019'': [[DoubleSubversion Double-subverted]]. Arthur is seeking out mental help, but he only has access to a social worker that can periodically sign him off on medication, and with [[BeleagueredBureaucrat how visibly overworked she is]], she doesn't end up being very helpful. At the start of the third act, she informs Arthur that due to budget cuts, she's being fired and he'll be unable to get ''any'' treatment - psychological or medical. On their last meeting, [[DiscussedTrope she openly confides to Arthur how upset she is that she can't be of help]], and how [[InherentInTheSystem both of them were screwed over because the powers that be failed them]].
* Averted in ''Film/ConfessionsOfAPsychoCat''. Virginia is seeing a psychiatrist named Max who seems genuinely concerned for her welfare and is doing his best to help her. However, both Virginia and her guardian Anderson deliberately ignore him.

* Played with in every way in Bujold's ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga''. The main character is from Barrayar, a feudal militaristic culture where one is expected to go through hell and get over it without complaints and ''definitely'' without therapy, but his mother is from Beta Colony, a high-tech hyper-sophisticated and modern world where all is well-regulated and therapy is the normal response to any trauma or psychological issue. The trope is inverted in the first book for both worlds: Cordelia's awesome Betan therapists refuse to believe she is actually sane and wasn't brainwashed into falling in love with the enemy and she ends up having to run away, while it's revealed that Barrayaran therapy of the kind [[spoiler: Bothari]] went through is possibly [[MindRape worse]] [[LaserGuidedAmnesia than]] the original trauma. In later books, the trope is played straight (and lampshaded by Cordelia repeatedly), especially where Barrayar is concerned. But it is thankfully averted for [[spoiler: Mark]] after a book or two because he [[TykeBomb really]] [[MindRape REALLY]] [[SplitPersonality needs]] it.

* Averted in ''Literature/VampireAcademy''. At first, Rose, Eddie, Christian, and Mia just resume normal life after [[spoiler:watching Mason die]], but then Rose is sent to therapy after she starts seeing [[spoiler:Mason's ghost]]. She discovers that it's not PTSD, as she was told, but a side effect of being shadow-kissed.
* Averted in the ''Literature/AmberBrown'' books. After Amber's father breaks a major promise to her and she justifiably gets very upset and angry, he starts taking lessons from a counselor on how to be a better parent. They seem to work.
* Averted in ''Literature/VenusPrime'', where Sparta does see a therapist after her drug-fueled rampage in the fourth book.

* Both averted and defied in ''{{Literature/Touch 2017}}'', which not only opens on the main character receiving therapy to help with his traumas but which specifically points out that therapists play a large role in the safe management of superpowers within the community.

* Averted in ''Literature/MagicExLibris'' where every Porter sees a therapist, and the therapist is a major character.
* Also averted in ''Literature/{{Room}}''. When Ma and Jack escape, the police take them to a private psychiatric facility and they both receive plenty of counseling. Dr. Clay, their therapist, is TheShrink version 3 and a well-developed character. This doesn't happen in the film; they just get dumped back in Ma's childhood home with nothing more to be said.
* Averted in ''Literature/CircleOfMagic''. In Will of the Empress, a character comes back from war and opens up about his traumas, and his sister firmly tells him that they'll be taking him to see a "mind healer", and recites the symptoms of PTSD at him, showing that there is at least some knowledge of mental health in the Emelan universe.
* ''Literature/AllTheTroublesOfTheWorld'': AvertedTrope for humanity, because Multivac is not only providing answers to trivial questions, it also answers questions about emotional problems, and citizens are encouraged to share their innermost feelings as if Multivac was a dear confidante. However, this is [[PlayingWithATrope played straight]] for the machine itself, because nobody can help it deal with problems. The stress of being humanity's therapist makes Multivac [[DrivenToSuicide want to be destroyed]].

* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' suffers badly from this, especially in Season 2 and ''especially'' where Fitz is involved. Despite suffering from brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation, and what seems to be a total breakdown following all the trauma he experienced during and after Season 1, Fitz appears to be receiving ''zero'' help other than having his physical ailments kept from worsening. The fact that he's clearly experiencing vivid hallucinations, having increasingly violent mood swings, and generally withdrawing into isolation and madness is viewed with helpless sadness by the rest of the team, who can apparently do nothing other than watch him wander around the base in his own little world of SanitySlippage.

** {{Averted|Trope}} for the show as a whole (though not in a way that ever directly assists the team...) when it turns out that May's ex-husband Andrew was a psychiatrist.

* Averted in ''Series/{{Castle}}''. After Beckett is shot in the season 3 finale, she visits a therapist repeatedly over the course of the next season and it actually helps her a lot.

** Averted with Diane between seasons 2 and 3, where she actually checks in to a sani- ''[[BlatantLies health spa]]'' after her particularly vicious break-up with Sam, and meets one Dr. Frasier Crane (when she loses her temper and tries to smash an old lady's head in for cheating at croquet). Later on, though, two characters who saw her at the "spa" are alarmed Diane got out so ''early''... also averted with Sam, since Frasier actually manages to help him kick his alcoholism.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E1TheEleventhHour "The Eleventh Hour"]], it's averted regarding Amy Pond: after she met the Doctor as a child, she ended up getting sent to four psychiatrists because she refused to claim that he wasn't real. And she bit all of them.

** Averted in some instances--Susan Lewis sees a therapist after losing custody of her niece to the sister who abandoned her, Doug Ross sees one (offscreen) after one of his one night stands [=ODs=] and dies in the ER, Carol Hathaway refers to seeing one after her suicide attempt (and was probably required to as a condition of returning to work).

* Averted on ''Series/{{Friends}}''. Ross sees one when he's struggling with anger issues and both [[HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood Chandler]] and Monica mention that they've been to therapists and even discuss it in one episode.
-->'''Chandler:''' I hate having to see the shrink. He's always "oh, maybe people will like you better if you like yourself better". Who needs that?\\
'''Monica:''' You do!\\
'''Chandler:''' I know.
* Partially averted in ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' when Astrid confides to Olivia that she regularly sees a shrink because no sane person could deal with all of the things they have witnessed without accepting help. Olivia is not as open to the idea, largely [[MedicateTheMedium because of trust issues.]]

* Averted in ''Series/{{Garo}}'''s first season, and justified in the sequel. When Kaoru dreams about her father's picture book at the start of the series, she regularly visits a therapist who helps her to explain these dreams and helps her with the weird things she suffers since discovering the existence of Horrors. The justified during the second season comes from the fact that [[spoiler:the therapist was actually the BigBad of the first season and tried to sacrifice Kaoru to bring the end of the world]], which explains why she may not have the desire to try therapy any time soon.

* ''Series/LukeCage2016'': Averted with Misty Knight. After roughing up Claire due to her near-death at the hands of Diamondback, Inspector Ridley makes her sit down with a competent police psychiatrist, and he gets her to admit her problems and deal with them.
* Completely averted by ''Series/{{MASH}}'', in which Sidney Freedman is a recurring Type 3.

* ''Series/TheMurders'': {{Averted|Trope}}, as Kate has to speak with a police psychiatrist to deal with the death of her partner Mike. She's "well defended" however as the doctor puts it, and doesn't ever open up much, thus it's no help at first. Kate admits to faking it later so she can just get through the process, saying the therapist will never understand. She later goes back however to get help after she's admitted it's necessary.
* ''Series/NeverHaveIEver'': Averted as Devi is getting therapy, though it does little good as she mostly ignores what her therapist says and talks largely about things other than her problems.
* Averted in ''Series/OnceUponATime'', where there have been multiple instances of characters meeting with the town therapist, Dr. Hopper (who's really Jiminy Cricket), to talk out their issues.
* ''Series/TheProfessionals''. In "Wild Justice", Bodie and Doyle are undergoing a full evaluation--both physical and psychological--to determine their fitness for duty. Their boss Cowley mentions that a [=CI5=] agent costs more time and money to train than an airline pilot; they are regarded as highly-trained specialists who must be at the peak of their condition. A dispute arises with the psychiatrist on the evaluation team who thinks that Bodie is suffering from a death wish. [[spoiler:He's not--he's planning to murder someone to avenge a former colleague.]]

* Averted on ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', where Dr. Kate Heightmeyer is Atlantis's resident counselor. Unfortunately, her involvement isn't always that helpful when whatever problem the crew are experiencing that episode turns out to be a side-effect of {{Phlebotinum}} instead of an actual psychological issue, and they're rarely seen receiving therapy for the real ones they very much do have. Ironically, [[spoiler:Dr. Heightmeyer herself is ultimately killed in her dreams by an EmotionEater that invokes people's fears]].

* Averted multiple times over in ''Series/TheWestWing''.
** Josh is by far the most notable example. He is seeing a therapist at the beginning of the series (although he stops due to the political danger of a senior aide going to weekly therapy). After he is [[spoiler: shot in the chest at the end of Season 1]], Josh is mandated by Leo to meet with Stanley, a trauma therapist, due to him [[spoiler: showing many, many significant red flags of PTSD, including yelling at the President over a minor issue]]. Josh attempts to shrug off his issues and deflect painful questions by being deliberately irritating and difficult, but Stanley is completely unfazed by his aggression and (after eight full hours of circling) gets him to admit that he didn't cut his hand on a glass as he previously claimed, but [[SelfHarm broke a window in his apartment during a flashback]]. Stanley diagnoses him with [[spoiler: PTSD]], and tells Josh that he is not and will never be 'cured', but he can get better and recover over time. Josh and Leo later have several vague conversations about Josh's PTSD, and two years after the incident, Donna calls Stanley to inform him of a [[spoiler: shooting at the White House]] because she is worried about Josh's mental health, indicating that he is recovering, but is not the same as he was before.
** Despite having both been sober for years, Leo and Hoynes continue to regularly attend AA meetings, emphasizing that addiction never goes away and has to be managed no matter how long you have been sober.
** After she is [[spoiler: seriously injured in a bombing]], Donna [[spoiler: is extremely heavily implied to have PTSD]], confirmed when Kate pulls her aside to ask how she is doing and offer to talk if Donna needs to - she doesn't force anything on her, simply volunteers her help. Donna thanks her and says that she knows she needs help but isn't ready.
* Averted on ''Series/TheXFiles''; therapists of varying kinds are seen. Scully sees a therapist at least twice to discuss her problems. Mulder sees one to be hypnotized into remembering the events of his sister's abductions and eventually takes Scully there to be hypnotized into remembering one of her own abductions.

* Averted in ''TabletopGame/SentinelsOfTheMultiverse'' in a comic strip leading up to the [=OblivAeon=] expansion. Ryan Frost, who was depressed even ''before'' his biochemistry mutated, sees a therapist and talks about how people stop thinking of heroes as people and see them only as their costumes, noting that no one calls "Gene" anything but Writhe anymore or knows that he's got a great vinyl collection, except maybe Frost himself.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''. Almost every doctor you encounter in the Mojave Wasteland seems to have at least a rudimentary grasp of clinical psychology, and several quests are about helping people get therapy to get to grips with traumatic events.
* Averted in ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder''. While it's unclear how often her skills are used, Sessyoin Kiara is a proper certified therapist.

* Initially averted in ''[[VideoGame/TheCompanyOfMyself Fixation]]'' with the therapist Henry providing genuine help and support to the main characters, but after his death, there doesn't seem to be anyone who replaces him and things go downhill for his former patients soon afterwards.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/GodEater1''. Despite the world being post-apocalyptic and trained professionals in any field being a precious resource, it's stated point-blank that new recruit Alisa is on a mental health regimen that includes sessions with a competent therapist. It's even stated that she's so unstable and has such a dodgy background she'd normally be rejected from the God Eater program without a second thought, but since she's compatible with New Type God Arcs it's considered worth the expense. [[spoiler:All this turns out to be a cover, her "therapist" is just maintaining her [[ManchurianAgent brainwashing]].]]

* Interestingly averted in ''VideoGame/TheLastDoor''. There's buckets of crazy MindScrew and just plain terrible things happening to the protagonist, Jeremiah, but he has a therapist who seems very concerned about him. An interesting touch considering the story takes place in the 1890s where therapy wouldn't be as accessible as it is today.

* A lot of the problems in ''VideoGame/{{OMORI}}'' might've been averted if the title character had received even a lick of professional help, though it's justified since the only "help" would come from a crazy technicolor DreamLand that's more insane than he is. [[spoiler:And then the justification goes out the window when we learn that Omori is the alter ego of Sunny, who lives in the real world and is clearly ''[[TheMentallyDisturbed not right in the head]]'' after the death of his sister four years ago. There's more to the story than it seems, but even for those not privy to the AwfulTruth, apparently someone decided that Sunny seeing his big sister dead [[HarmfulToMinors before he even turned thirteen]] was not worth counselling. Presumably, Sunny himself avoids seeing a therapist because he believes he would have to confess accidentally killing Mari and end up in jail, or he fears it would get out and his loved ones would hate him for it.]]

** Even after [[spoiler:[[PaedoHunt Kamoshida's horrifying crimes]]]] come to light, there's no sign of any sort of mental health services at the school for its students, many of whom are doubtless deeply traumatized, [[spoiler:one to the point of AttemptedSuicide]]. Averted in ''[[UpdatedRerelease Royal]]'' with [[TheShrink Takuto Maruki]], who is explicitly brought on by the school in light of the above.

* Averted in ''[[VideoGame/CorpseParty Corpse Party: Book of Shadows]]'' and ''Blood Drive'', where one character does undergo therapy for the trauma she experienced in the first game. It ends up having the opposite effect of what's intended since the person whose death traumatized her is RetGone and rather than treating her properly and exploring possible reasons as to why her personality did a complete 180 in her personal life, they try to insist she was just an imaginary friend and end up isolating her further.

* Averted in ''VisualNovel/SteinsGateZero''. [[TraumaCongaLine Okabe]] went to the therapist to help him to recover from PTSD.

* In ''Webcomic/GiftsOfWanderingIce'', it's surprisingly averted for a post-apocalyptic world, and in more than one instance:

* Averted with a vengeance in ''Webcomic/MaterialGirl''. As the story gets darker and the CerebusSyndrome kicks in, Noah's parents go from joking about taking him to a therapist to forcibly strapping him into the car and dragging him to one. However, because of the MaybeMagicMaybeMundane nature of Noah's crossdressing behavior, even the therapist is stumped.

* Averted in ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'', where a registration pamphlet explains that registered {{Magical Girl}}s all get their own therapist/counselor. However, there is no requirement to take advantage of them. In a conversation with Zoe, Undine tries to suggest speaking to the counselors about the bullying she's been experiencing. Zoe's hesitant to bother them, to which Undine's points out that being bothered by students is ''literally'' their job. In that same conversation, it comes out that Undine hasn't seen them either, despite having very recently had the rest of her [[spoiler:magical girl team either killed or BroughtDownToNormal]] in the process of saving her life. Zoe's shocked it ''isn't'' required in Undine's case. In a later conversation with Kokoro about the latter's own TragicBackstory she mentions that she, for one, ''did'' make use of their services and they really helped her find some peace.

* Averted in ''Webcomic/LsEmpire'' when Blumiere is forced to get some therapy after his [[VideoGame/SuperPaperMario second]] SuicidalCosmicTemperTantrum. [[https://ia801708.us.archive.org/26/items/smackjeeves-33751/33751/index.html#1029 Hypnotherapy, to be precise]].

* Averted in ''Webcomic/SabrinaOnline'' when Zig Zag's antics finally catch up to her and she's forced to undergo court-mandated therapy.

* Both averted and defied in ''{{Literature/Touch 2017}}'', which not only opens on the main character receiving therapy to help with his traumas but also specifically points out that therapists play a large role in the safe management of superpowers within the community.

** Averted in the spin-off Ride the Whirlwind, one of the main characters and his group of heroes is actually pretty desperate to get a very powerful Chosen,[[spoiler:Ricki]], some help after she has a mental breakdown. Too bad, she's a runaway, has a phobia of doctors, is being hunted by people with very big guns, and will create a tornado if she panics. They eventually find someone to help her.
* Averted and played straight at the same time in ''Literature/VoidDomain''. No therapists have shown up thus far, but one professor of the local WizardingSchool has offered to act as one or to find one for Eva. Presumably other characters as well.
* Averted in Literature/HeroesSaveTheWorld, where at least the kids working with PALATINATE are meeting with therapists.

* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': Averted on campus; so far three characters have been portrayed as competent therapists, two of whom are telepathic. TeenDrama is preserved because [[AwfulTruth for]] [[IdiotBall various]] [[YouWouldntBelieveMeIfIToldYou reasons]] characters often are less than cooperative with their therapist. When they work with their therapist they tend to get good help with even the oddest problems, and considering what the therapists see on a daily basis they probably would be believed, but when has an angsty teenager ''ever'' believed that ''anyone'' could understand their problems...

* Averted in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' episode "Shelter From The Storm". The Brain starts having anxiety and becomes increasingly stressed after a hurricane hits their town. His parents send him to a therapist, voiced by Creator/IdinaMenzel, to help with his issues. After the end of his session, he thinks he's "cured" but is told by his therapist that dealing with anxiety takes time, made obvious by the fact Brain is [[TraumaButton triggered by the rustling of wind]]. She teaches him techniques to deal with his anxiety and in the end, he confronts his fears.

* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017''. The second season episode "Whatever Happened to Donald Duck?" reveals that shortly after Donald found himself raising the triplets, he began attending anger management in order to keep his temper from hurting the kids.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse''.
** It's canon that Luz has ADHD, implied that she suffers from a social anxiety disorder and struggles with her mental health in general. All of which greatly impact her life. There is also no indication that anyone in her life ever thought she would benefit from professional help. Not when [[spoiler:her father dies]]. Not when she has well-documented difficulties socializing. Not when her behavior becomes increasingly disruptive and dangerous to herself and those around her. Nothing. When it is decided that something needs to be done, the only solution anyone has is to send her away to camp hoping it will "fix" her rather than try to diagnose and treat her obvious mental health issues.
** Surprisingly averted when it comes to the Boiling Isles. Despite being a CrapsackWorld under the control of a dictatorship, [[spoiler:Steve]] specifically mentions that he's been seeing a therapist and offers to recommend them to Lilith when he sees that she has some issues that she needs to work through.
* Averted in ''{{WesternAnimation/Rugrats}}'', as pop-psychologist Dr. Lipschitz and his assorted parenting manuals make frequent appearances.

* Ultimately averted in ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverseFuture''. Steven suffers from PTSD due to the [[TraumaCongaLine various threats he's faced throughout his life]], has been suffering an existential crisis due to no longer needing to help solve everyone's problems, and has outright forgotten how to interact with others in ways which don't involve trying to fix anything while everyone around him moves on with their lives. It becomes increasingly clear to everyone he needs help, but he's afraid of confronting it and insists that he's fine. Therapy is recommended after his first-ever visit to a medical professional. After having a meltdown so spectacular that he's forced to admit he's ''not'' fine, he finally begins to heal and starts seeing a therapist virtually.
* {{Subverted| trope}} in ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'' with Big Shot, a {{parody}} of {{nineties antihero}}es in general and ComicBook/ThePunisher in particular. In "The Tick vs The Ideamen", he is a clearly unstable maniac who riddles random things with bullets until they resemble skulls; the Tick warns him that "Guns and superheroes don't mix. Seek professional help." When he reappears in "The Tick vs The Tick", he has been to therapy and, while he still has anger issues, he has them under control and is overall a calm, stable man who even invites the other Tick to attend his group sessions to work out his own issues.

** Often, the ER doctors will try to get patients who obviously need psychiatric help admitted to the psychiatric department (or psych, as they call it) only for these patients to be turned away for various reasons. These patients inevitably either come back, having harmed themselves or others, or turn up dead. Most notably, in the episode Be Still My Heart, Lucy and Carter call for a psych consult on a schizophrenic patient but are kept waiting long enough for the patient to have a psychotic break and stab both Lucy and Carter, ultimately killing the former and permanently damaging the latter both physically and psychologically--and while he sees one while in rehab, there's never any mention of him continuing to do so.

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'' tried to avoid this somewhat by instituting the position of "Ship's Counselor", which was the role of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' main cast member Deanna Troi, but still ran into it on occasion. ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' had excuses though: Ezri Dax was still in training when she was assigned as counselor, while Captain Janeway said in an early episode that ''Voyager'' hadn't been expected to need one (being that the mission they were ''supposed'' to have took place well within shouting distance of a major starbase, Deep Space 9). Chakotay (with his VisionQuest), Neelix (as Morale Officer), and Tuvok (using Vulcan meditation techniques) usually take up the role. It's also something of a RunningGag that actually seeing a counselor ''always'' makes the situation worse.

** Josh is by far the most notable example. He is seeing a therapist at the beginning of the series (although he stops due to the political danger of a senior aide going to weekly therapy). After he is [[spoiler: shot in the chest at the end of Season 1]], Josh is mandated by Leo to meet with Stanley, a trauma therapist, due to him [[spoiler: showing many, many significant red flags of PTSD, including yelling at the President over a minor issue]]. Josh attempts to shrug off his issues and deflect painful questions by being deliberately irritating and difficult, but Stanley is completely unfazed by his aggression and (after eight full hours of circling) gets him to admit that he didn't cut his hand on a glass as he previously claimed, but [[SelfHarm broke a window in his apartment during a flashback]]. Stanley diagnoses him with [[spoiler: PTSD]], and tells Josh that he is not and will never be 'cured', but he can get better and recover over time.
*** Josh and Leo later have several vague conversations about Josh's PTSD, and two years after the incident, Donna calls Stanley to inform him of a [[spoiler: shooting at the White House]] because she is worried about Josh's mental health, indicating that he is recovering, but is not the same as he was before.

** General Taihou from the JSSDF thinks he can counteract Nerv's mentally unstable teenagers by hiring his own trio of seriously disturbed teen pilots...until Mana gleefully asks if her next mission will involve murdering someone. It turns out that she passed her psych evaluation because they do not have a base psychologist, and Taihou decides he needs to hire one to "decrazy" his pilots.

** When Shinji is showing signs of mental unbalance, Misato considers one of the Nerv's therapists...except that she does not know if they have therapists, and Ritsuko does not see a need to hire shrinks. Later, Rei explains Nerv's previous therapist was arrested for malpractice.

* [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010''. Black Canary is a trained therapist and is often shown having sessions with the superhero teens after traumatizing events, as well as mandatory routine checkups. When Arsenal begins to suffer from serious issues that have interfered with their missions more than once Nightwing benches him, which is pretty much the same as telling him he's off the Team until he can deal with his personal demons. Although this gets somewhat subverted in that no one thought to have him counseled by Black Canary ''before'' he joined the Team, despite it being clear he was still deeply traumatized over [[spoiler:getting kidnapped, having his arm chopped off, being put in cryogenic stasis, replaced with a clone, and thought to be dead by just about everyone]] to the point he actually [[spoiler:tried to murder Lex Luthor for revenge and ''came damn close to doing it'']]. She also counsels the children (and grownup driver) who were on the school bus that Klarion the Witch Boy hijacked into a journey through space and time in Season 4. Finally, she gets Beast Boy to admit that he needs help after his TraumaCongaLine throughout the previous seasons finally catches up with him and he alienates everyone around him until [[BigSisterInstinct M'gann]] strong-arms him into going to therapy.

* [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in ''ComicBook/TheWalkingDead''; so far, no member of the group past or present has been a therapist. For all we know, there might not be any therapists left. Lampshaded by Sergeant Ford in issue 61.

* Played with in the Italian remake of ''FanFic/BattleFantasiaProject'': on one hand, there's an implied lack of therapists outside Earth ([[WesternAnimation/WinxClub the planet Magix]] had exactly ''one'': [[ManipulativeBitch Darcy]]. Sure, she was professional enough to make sure she couldn't abuse of it, but still…), and for a number of reasons the {{Magical Girl}}s tend to avoid them; on the other, as soon as [[TheUnmasquedWorld the fall of the Veil]] makes it possible [[ComicBook/{{WITCH}} the Oracle]] instructs the Guardians of Kandrakar to bring Ari's autistic son to Earth for therapy, neatly solving the mess of ''W.I.T.C.H.''[='=]s third story arc before it can start.

* Discussed in ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'' fanfic ''FanFic/YourServantMistress''. It takes place in a real-life setting, so the main character can get treatment for her PTSD ... or could if she was able to trust someone with her problems. Diaval mentions having seen a therapist in the past.

* ''Fanfic/ToTheStars'': Averted with the [[NGOSuperpower Mahou Shoujo Youkai]]'s Mental Health Division. As [[MagicalGirl Magical Girls]]' powers are linked to their emotions, and as falling into despair can destroy their [[SoulJar soul gems]], with lethal results, the MSY has a vested interest in keeping its members sane. (Not to mention the damage a rogue, insane magical girl could wreak before she was stopped.) The fact that many Mental Health Division workers have some form of {{Telepathy}} or even MindControl certainly helps their job.

* Lampshaded in the ''[[WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010 Young Justice]]'' fanfic ''Fanfic/WithThisRing'' after the botched telepathic training exercise. The Team is given the chance to talk with Black Canary, but Paul[[spoiler:phidian]] points out that she doesn't have any relevant qualifications beyond being an adult.[[note]]Not so in canon; Word of Greg Weisman confirmed that Black Canary is a trained therapist as well as a florist.[[/note]]

** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral'' takes the cake for causing a hell lot of psychological damage to the parents ''and'' children from the past and future parts. Some of the villains gleefully go out of their way to make life for the heroes a living hell.

* In ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'' there are many cases of this, sometimes lampshaded, but the one that tends to stick out most is when Davan never gets help after being raped by a woman he was attracted to. Sadly this is probably TruthInTelevision for many rape victims, especially male ones, and especially when the rapist is a woman. That example is possibly justified, given [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/advantage-pt-6/ his in comic discussion]] of the subject. Sadly this attitude is also [[TruthInTelevision Truth in WebComics]] too.

* In ''[[WebComic/WalkyVerse It's Walky!]]'', while the series mostly played it for laughs, the lack of mental health treatment for the Abductees is palpable and, [[CerebusSyndrome in the end, tragic]]. The idea that the best way to help some 600-odd young adults with superhuman powers who have been repeatedly been abducted by aliens, experimented on, subjected to [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment bizarre forms of torture]], and then had most (but not quite all) of their memories of the events erased, is to separate them from friends and family, arm them with high-tech alien weaponry, give them secretive police powers, and let them loose on their abductors, should have been enough to make the original Big Boss' [[YourHeadAsplode head explode]] at the thought of the liability he'd be taking on. The subject did get a few [[LampShadeHanging lampshades hung on it]], but it really was incredibly reckless by RealLife standards.

* Justified in ''VideoGame/WolfensteinIITheNewColossus''. Even though quite a few of the Resistance are in serious need of therapy, including (but by all means not limited to) B.J, Grace, and Wyatt, they are also wanted fugitives in a world dominated by ThoseWackyNazis, [[TruthInTelevision who in real life]] considered mental illness and physical disabilities to be executable offences. If the Nazis of ''Wolfenstein'' are anything like the historical ones, they'd prefer to [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim Just Shoot 'Em]] rather than provide treatment.

%% Please add only lampshaded, discussed or conversed examples.

%% Please add only lampshaded, discussed or conversed examples.

* Many HumongousMecha series feature characters who clearly have flagrant psychological issues that are inexplicably overlooked so long as they are good pilots, which naturally never lasts for long. ''Franchise/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' uses it as a jumping-off point for its own story about depression and abuse. In this case, the therapists don't exist because nobody who would create an organisation like NERV is either (a) particularly concerned with the well being of their employees, or (b) particularly sane themselves (the fact that the actions of people who worked for NERV or its predecessor organizations -- most notably Gendo, its commanding officer -- are the ''cause'' of many of the pilot's problems in the first place doesn't help). {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' when [[OnlySaneMan Kaji]] comments "Those kids are our last hope, who knows what they're going through?"

** After the death of her daughter Ryousuke's mom has been in poor mental health. To help her Ryou began dressing up as his sister. Eventually, his girlfriend catches him and gets him to explain why he's crossdressing. When she learns the truth she tells her parents who get Ryousuke's mom care for her problems. Ryou is sent to live with his dad but later he sees his mom in the hospital, who is recovering well.

** ''Literature/SwordArtOnlineAlternativeGunGaleOnline'': Karen could probably use a therapist due to her body image issues, but the big one is Pito. She is a DeathSeeker who is ''upset'' that she missed getting trapped in the SAO death game, and is obsessed with having real consequences to the games she plays. For a while, she was mostly fine since she had found a masochist to exercise her sadism on but eventually she relapsed and decided she'd kill herself if she died in the game. Karen even lampshades that if Goshi thinks she's going to kill herself he should go to the police or a therapist, but he brushes it off.

** Izuku Midoriya grew up Quirkless, had a FriendlessBackground, was mercilessly bullied by [[ItsAllAboutMe Bakugou]] for ten years (and continued to do so upon entering UA), was told to ''kill himself'' if he was desperate for a Quirk, yet desperately wants to be a hero to prove his worth to the world. It gets worse when he inherits One For All as his new power results in his limbs becoming broken to the point of paralysis. His DarkAndTroubledPast has led to him developing low self-esteem, intense anxiety and self-destructive tendencies. And not once has he ever stepped foot in a therapist's office.

** A lot of the adult Pro Heroes have their own set of issues but have yet to seek therapeutic support. The main examples would be [[BigGood All Might]] who's dedicated more then thirty years as being Japan's Number One Hero. This has led to Toshinori working non-stop maintaining the peace which has destroyed his internal organs due to various villain attacks, stifled any close relationships, and he now suffers from Imposter Syndrome as everyone and everything is tied to his hero duty. There's also Aizawa Shouta who was traumatized after [[spoiler:witnessing the brutal death of his high school friend Oboro Shirakumo]] which led to him becoming a sadistic SinkOrSwimMentor who's willing to put his own students through literal hell, or even expulsion, just so they won't suffer the same trauma he did.
** [[InformedAttribute Supposedly]], UA has Hound Dog who serves as the school's guidance counselor. Lamentably, none of the protagonists go to him for counseling and all of his screentime is spent acting like a literal security dog while scaring everyone with his unintelligible speech.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': It is utter nonsense that no one, not even his closest loved ones, has recommended (or forced) Peter Parker/Spider-Man go to a psychologist to finally end his obsessive-compulsive need for self-sabotage.

* Characters/BlackCanary: Averted. After she was tortured, she went through counseling to help overcome the trauma, and the fact she's undergone therapy first-hand sometimes comes up when dealing with other troubled heroes.

** Harry Osborn is seen in therapy in "Return of the Goblin", after previously having seen his dad burn his mom to death after becoming the Green Goblin. Unfortunately for Harry, the therapist is brainwashing him to believe his dad loves him, [[spoiler:and to plant post-hypnotic suggestions that eventually make Harry turn himself into the Hobgoblin]].

* Nicely averted in ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass'', where the heroic Decepticons have several psychologists on hand to help others and often run group therapy sessions. Granted, they're still really eccentric, but they still seem to be more mentally stable compared to the Autobots, who probably don't have any therapists of their own (and probably don't even want any) and are no doubt AxCrazy, megalomaniacal or just plain nuts as a result.

* ''Fanfic/AllTheRoofsOfUncertainty'': Thoroughly averted and discussed. Jason is still understandably furious at Bruce for his dying message and blows up when Bruce tries to bring up therapy. In the end they do end up going (as seen in the epilogue) since Bruce has managed to find someone he actually trusts and who has natural defenses against PsychicPowers.

* ''Fanfic/ConsequencesOfUnoriginality'' subverts this. Therapists do exist and Emeris is in desperate need of professional help. However the Mane Six are worried about the very real possibility of a therapist sabotaging his recovery out of spite, so they’re forced to try to handle the issue themselves while leaving professional therapy as a back-up plan.

* ''Fanfic/ADifferentDursleyFamily'': {{Averted|Trope}}. Petunia met one when she realized she was letting her jealousy towards Lily affect the way she treated Harry.

** General Taihou from the JSSDF thinks he can counteract Nerv's mentally unstable teenagers by hiring his own trio of seriously disturbed teen pilots...until Mana gleefully asks if her next mission will involve murdering someone. It turns out that she passed her psych evaluation because they have not a base psychologist, and Taihou decides he needs to hire one to "decrazy" his pilots.
* ''Fanfic/RosarioVampireBrightestDarkness'': Both Kokoa and OriginalCharacter Arial have ''[[HairTriggerTemper very]]'' [[HairTriggerTemper severe anger issues]], to the point that they've nearly killed other people during {{Unstoppable Rage}}s, Felucia even lampshades it in the case of the former, telling Kokoa point blank she needs professional help.

** Izuku suffers from [=PTSD=] from all the bullying he faced growing due to the systematic discrimination against Quirkless and [[TheBully Bakugou's]] [[BullyBrutality treatment of him.]] And the fic started with him having suicidal ideation considering he tried faking a suicide attempt to scare Bakugou.[[ThePowerOfFriendship His friends]] manage to help him deal with his inferiority complex and problems with accepting people and does become valued for his skills. But despite working with several teachers and going to a better school, no one has to see a therapist.

* Averted in ''Fanfic/HurricaneSuite''. Naruto is assigned a therapist to help him work through trauma from the invasion. Naruto hated talking to him, but admitted how effective the sessions were. Later, when he returns to Konoha, Naruto is ordered to attend sessions with Inoichi Yamanaka. Since Inoichi [[MindProbe mind probed]] Naruto earlier to learn why he came back to Konoha after his defection, they’d normally assign a different person Naruto would find easier to trust, but the details are too highly classified to justify involving more people.

* ''Fanfic/TheDesertStorm'': Played both ways. Obi-wan Kenobi was never able to get enough time off to see the Jedi Temple's "Soul Healers" (a Jedi Medicorps branch specialising in mental health issues) during the Clone Wars because he was deemed too valuable to be off active duty for long enough, contributing to the ''spectacularly'' poor state of health he's in before he [[PeggySue finds himself back before the Separatists were even a rumour]]. When "Ben Naasade" shows up at the Temple and talks his way into an audience with the Council it's obvious to everyone that he's been through the wringer, but the full extent of his issues don't come to light until a combination of bad luck, bad timing and bad decisions cause several of his {{Trauma Button}}s to be punched simultaneously. After nearly killing a fellow Jedi during the resulting PTSD flashback, Ben is placed on mandatory medical leave and assigned a Soul Healer, kicking off a very long but cathartic MentalHealthRecoveryArc.
* ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomverse'': The trope is played with, depending on the story and the protagonist. For Chloe Cerise and Goh, for example, their problems are exacberated by the parents not even noticing (or actively ''caring'') to see what is wrong with them or too busy with work to consider therapy. Professor Cerise was actually advised to take his daughter to a therapist...and refused, deciding it's better if she was stuck in the Cerise Institute where her problems festered and ultimately lead her onto the train and the destruction left in her wake. Whoops.

%%* ''Film/CloudAtlas'': Frobisher has the bad luck of being a manic-depressive in 1931.

* ''Film/IronMan3'': Tony Stark is unambiguously suffering from PTSD after nearly dying during ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', and J.A.R.V.I.S. flat out tells him that he is having a panic attack. TheStinger shows that he ''is'' seeing a doctor about it... [[NotThatKindOfDoctor Bruce Banner]]. And beyond that, the scene is decidedly PlayedForLaughs, and there is no indication in the film or any subsequent MCU films that Tony ever seeks out professional help from a qualified source. The only character who gives him any kind of advice whatsoever is Harley, who tells him to "build something" to help him focus. While this could be an effective short term solution to helping someone through a panic attack, it does essentially ''nothing'' to address the underlying causes of his PTSD. However, the movie treats it as a moment of EpiphanyTherapy, as Tony doesn't have trouble through the rest of the film, [[UnfortunateImplications the implication being he is completely cured]]. [[FridgeHorror Actually]], if Tony is suffering from undiagnosed PTSD, this puts a lot of what happens in [[Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron later]] [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar films]] into a quite different context...

* ''Film/TheRageCarrie2'': Subverted. Sue Snell is one of the main characters and also a survivor from Carrie's rampage in the original, who works as a school counselor. She attempts to stop Rachel from doing the same thing Carrie did. [[spoiler:She doesn't survive the sequel, though.]]

* ''Film/TheyThem2022'': Played with. The setting is a gay conversion therapy camp, where there is a therapist, Cora, but there might as well be none. Cora is hinted to even take sadistic pleasure into tearing down the queer kids at the camp, she goes through their belongings when they're out to find ways to tear them down, and [[spoiler:cooperates with the "forbidden fruit" practice where they place a mole among the campers to see which ones gets seduced and subsequently subjected to shock therapy]].

* Played with in every way in Bujold's ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga''. The main character is from Barrayar, a feudal militaristic culture where one is expected to go through hell and get over it without complaints and ''definitely'' without therapy, but his mother is from Beta Colony, a high-tech hyper-sophisticated and modern world where all is well-regulated and therapy is the normal response to any trauma or psychological issue. The trope is inverted in the first book for both worlds: Cordelia's awesome Betan therapists refuse to believe she is actually sane and wasn't brainwashed into falling in love with the enemy and she ends up having to run away, while it's revealed that Barrayaran therapy of the kind [[spoiler: Bothari]] went through is possibly [[MindRape worse]] [[LaserGuidedAmnesia than]] the original trauma. In later books, the trope is played straight (and lampshaded by Cordelia repeatedly), especially where Barrayar is concerned. But it is thankfully averted for [[spoiler: Mark]] after a book or two, because he [[TykeBomb really]] [[MindRape REALLY]] [[SplitPersonality needs]] it.

** Big brother Steve also clearly needs one. Anyone so hung up on the memories of a long-dead girlfriend that he can't bring himself to enter a new relationship is need of help.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': There is no indication that Hogwarts, unlike the vast majority of real-life educational institutes these days, has any paid therapists on its staff. Hogwarts students are also exposed to a great deal more traumatic crap on a yearly basis than the vast majority of real-life students are. The school's go-to strategy when a character (at least Harry) suffers some kind of trauma or is upset or afraid about something seems to be the OncePerEpisode heart-to-heart with Dumbledore at the end of each book. Dumbledore, it should be noted, while generally a cool guy, is not a licensed therapist, and the wisdom he dispenses, while generally sound, is not based in any tradition of psychotherapy. Just look at Harry, who learns that an evil wizard murdered his parents and is still out to get him, is constantly antagonized and demeaned by one of his professors, fights a troll, is attacked by a mysterious hooded figure in the woods at night, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking suffers a serious sports injury,]] witnesses one of his best friends nearly die, and is almost killed by the evil wizard who is possessing a professor Harry liked and respected, and is forced to kill the wizard's mortal host in self-defense. And oh yeah, [[TraumaCongaLine that's only his first year]]. [[CerebusSyndrome Things get much, much worse.]] He never is shown receiving help in any professional capacity for any of these events, nor for any of the general stresses of academic life, adolescence, and the additional stressors that come with everyone around him thinking that he is TheChosenOne.
* ''Literature/TheLaundryFiles'': Played painfully straight. The Laundry clearly shows concern towards the mental health of its employees, but the attitude of upper management is that alcohol and talking it out with one's peers is a better way of handling things than actual treatment. Some noise is made about the need for secrecy, but seeing as the Laundry has managed to hoover up people who have seen [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow things man was not know]] from nearly every walk of life, it seems strange that no psychiatrist ever came in contact with a survivor of an EldritchAbomination attack. When Pete TheVicar joins up, it is ostensibly to do comparative theology, but his solid grounding in disaster psychology and experience dealing with people in various stages of distress leads to his becoming the Laundry's unofficial therapist, and his results are treated as an earth-shattering revelation by the higher-ups.

** Tolkien wrote the Legendarium during a time where the mentally ill were sent away to not really be seen or heard from, so it's likely that he had no real frame of reference on how to address subjects like post traumatic stress and other mental health issues. For his part though, as a veteran of World War 1, he did understand the concept of shellshock and how people who have fought in massive, terrible battles will still have trouble explaining how they feel to others.

* Defied by Jin and Meiling in ''Literature/BewareOfChicken''. Although there's no actual profession of therapy in [[SpiritCultivationGenre magical psuedo-ancient China]], Jin as an [[TrappedInAnotherWorld Isekai protagonist]] from [[GivingRadioToTheRomans 21st century Canada]] understands the value of talking out your mental issues and seeking advice; and Meiling is simply a practical person with wisdom beyond her years. Most people in the setting believe that [[TherapyIsForTheWeak you face the heavens alone]]; they deliberately encourage their friends and disciples to open up to them and as a result their whole social group has much better mental health than average.

* In a rare aversion for a UK soap opera, ''Series/{{Brookside}}'' featured the Simpsons going for family therapy when they discover their fully blood related children Nat and Georgia are [[SiblingIncest in a consensual incestuous relationship]]. The session ends in chaos when dad Ollie thinks the therapist is accusing him of having abused his children, and then it comes out that Georgia had an abortion and didn't tell Nat.

** When [[spoiler:Joyce dies of a aneurysm]] in Season 5, Buffy's younger sister Dawn, who's still in high school, doesn't receive any counseling either. The only time she's called to see a guidance counselor is in one episode of Season 6, and the counselor is a vengeance demon in disguise who's there to manipulate Dawn into making a vengeance wish against her parental figures.

** Finally in Season 10 (in [[ComicBook/BuffyTheVampireSlayer the comics]]), Xander starts seeing a therapist who helps him immensely letting go of his anger issues, SurvivorGuilt, and the effects of his AbusiveParents. Of course, by that point it's become TheUnmasquedWorld thanks to the events of Season 8, so he doesn't have to omit anything in their sessions.

** Frasier himself, and his girlfriend then wife Lilith Sternin are a walking aversion of this, though Frasier does grumble about the others trying to scull psychological advice from him, and whatever help Lilith usually gives is in the form of BrutalHonesty. Of course, later on in the series it's shown Frasier has his own issues he's not dealing with regarding his dead mom. Another running gag is Frasier dropping with varying levels of subtlety hints to Cliff Clavin that he see a shrink, either for his morass of mommy issues or his conspiracy theories.

* Averted in ''Series/{{Garo}}'''s first season, and justified in the sequel. When Kaoru dreams about her father's picture book at the start of the series, she regularly visits a therapist who helps her to explain these dreams, and helps her with the weird things she suffers since discovering the existence of Horrors. The justified during the second season comes from the fact that [[spoiler:the therapist was actually the BigBad of the first season and tried to sacrifice Kaoru to bring the end of the world]], which explains why she may not have the desire to try therapy any time soon.

** Despite having both been sober for years, Leo and Hoynes continue to regularly attend AA meetings, emphasizing that addiction never goes away and has to be managed no matter how long you have been sober for.

* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' ultimately invokes the question of whether the world's professional therapists chose to have their 2194 Christmas Ball in Ibukido, as the cast is largely a DysfunctionJunction with their own issues tormenting them. Even Kagura Mutsuki, the most well-adjusted of them, is a veteran of the Ikaruga Civil War with some mental stigma left over, and that's if [[HandsomeLech his crotch rocket isn't hogging the blood]]. Even worse, of the characters who can actually dispense functional therapy, all of them have their own problems: Litchi is weighed down by her GuiltComplex regarding Roy Carmine (who we know as Arakune) and has gone so far as to mimic his corruption in an attempt to cure him herself; Makoto is trying to keep her personal Pandora's Box of racism issues shut; and Celica is utterly naive and has a bit of a martyr complex to go with it. And that is not to speak of Yuuki Terumi and Relius Clover, who not only are [[TheSociopath mentally unsound]] (Terumi moreso), but go around making everything ''worse''. [[FridgeBrilliance This might have]] [[JustifiedTrope the justifications]] in the way that compared to its predecessor ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' (which draws heavy influence in American music), Blazblue is ''very'' Japanese-themed, not only its anime influence but also Japan's real-life cultural aversion on psychology.
* Deconstructed in ''VideoGame/BlazeUnion''. We learn very early on that its BrokenHero, Gulcasa, has a lot of serious issues due to having been abused and abandoned by his parents, and he's only able to function because his childhood friends (who are also pretty much his adoptive parents) [[LivingEmotionalCrutch are there to act as amateur counselors for him]]. During the canon route of the game, Siskier dies, and [[TraumaCongaLine this is really only just the start]]. Gulcasa blames himself for everything, and winds up with a raging case of PTSD which [[FailureKnight makes him so terrified of failure]] that he stops hesitating altogether and starts acting much more stoically. His remaining childhood friend and mentor mistake his symptoms for Gulcasa losing his humanity, as [[FantasticRacism it was conveniently revealed that he's part demon]]. [[EtTuBrute And they try to kill him]], leaving Gulcasa a complete psychological wreck. The only people who even bother to try to help him have their own agendas, not to mention their own festering cesspools of mental-emotional trauma. In all likelihood, things wouldn't have gone quite so badly for Gulcasa and company [[VideoGame/YggdraUnion three years later]] if someone had just gotten the poor kid a competent grief counselor.

*** Despite how much of ThePollyanna he is, Sylvain hides some dark secrets: [[spoiler:he absolutely abhors how women only care about eloping with him because of his Crest giving them a chance to become royalty and have influence by having a child with his Crest. Corruption runs deep in Fodlan that he hasn't had a real relationship with the random women he wooes on a daily basis]].
* Initially averted in ''[[VideoGame/TheCompanyOfMyself Fixation]]'' with the therapist Henry providing genuine help and support to the main characters, but after his death there doesn't seem to be anyone who replaces him and things go downhill for his former patients soon afterwards.

* Most of the plot of ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' could've been avoided if Kratos and the Olympians bothered to sit down and discuss their grievances instead of answering to every slight with cataclysmically DisproportionateRetribution. Zeus, in particular, cannot stop himself from taunting, insulting and belittling Kratos and overall making him suffer as much as possible at every turn [[SelfFulfillingProphecy over a prophecy that he's unwittingly steering Kratos towards fulfilling.]] Hell, [[VideoGame/GodOfWarI the first game alone]] starts because Kratos would rather have the gods magically remove his nightmares of himself killing his wife and daughter than talk to someone about it.

* ''VideoGame/TwistedWonderland'': It's become something of a fandom joke that [[PlayerCharacter Yuu]] is basically Night Raven College's resident therapist, because everyone there has issues and there doesn't seem to be an official school psychologist.

* Justified in ''VideoGame/WolfensteinIITheNewColossus''. Even though quite a few of the Resistance are in serious need of therapy, including (but by all means not limited to) B.J, Grace and Wyatt, they are also wanted fugitives in a world dominated by ThoseWackyNazis, [[TruthInTelevision who in real life]] considered mental illness and physical disabilities to be executable offences. If the Nazis of ''Wolfenstein'' are anything like the historical ones, they'd prefer to [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim Just Shoot 'Em]] rather than provide treatment.
* For the residents of Keves and Agnus in ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3'', this is {{justified|trope}}, since they're artificially aged up in stasis tubes to fight in wars and only have a lifespan of 10 years, meaning there would be little time for them to vent their issues, especially after [[spoiler:it's revealed that the characters are reincarnated every time they die with no old memories]]. However, therapy would've really helped a member of the City, who ''does'' have a natural human lifespan, that being [[spoiler:Shania]]. Aside from Hollis, who only specializes in physical treatment and maternity, the City has no known medical professionals, much less mental health professionals, and [[spoiler:because Shania's mother viewed her as a failure child for wanting to create artistic projects and not help with Aionios' ForeverWar, she grew to be self-resenting and see life as [[StrawNihilist inherently worthless]]. Sena comes ''close'' to setting Shania on the straight and narrow thanks to her [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre rousing speeches]] to her, but one manipulation from Moebius later, and Shania's nihilism and self-hatred comes to a boiling point when she comes within a hair's breadth of destroying the City, and successfully manages to [[DrivenToSuicide kill herself]]]].

** Rita, Lara, and all members of the hunters' tribe [[spoiler: with a [[TheSociopath sociopathic brain type]] are taught to [[http://mildegard.ru/Gifts_of_wandering_ice/English/page325_eng.html recognize emotions in others]] and gain control over their own emotions -- developing "cognitive empathy" in lieu of the emotional empathy they lack -- in order to function properly in society]]. Years of this therapy [[spoiler: instill a subpersonality [[labelnote:Note]]From an author's note on [[http://mildegard.ru/Gifts_of_wandering_ice/English/page323_eng.html page 323]], a subpersonality is a personality mode that kicks in (appears on a temporary basis) to allow a person to cope with certain types of psychosocial situations.[[/labelnote]] that "controls" the sociopath's violent nature, molding natural born killers into guardians and leaders]].

* Played with in ''Webcomic/FreakAngels'' comics. Sirkka is the local equivalent of a psychologist and helps abuse victims and people [[MindRape mind raped]] by Mark. Her own love life, on the other hand, is a total mess. Other Freakangels [[DysfunctionJunction are not much better]] with the group consisting of TheOphelia, an IneffectualLoner, a KnightTemplar, a guy [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone driven crazy by his own guilt]], AGodAmI wannabe and a few other dysfunctional personality types. Some hide it better than others. In the end they all get a quick therapy from [[spoiler:Arkady]] of all people and [[spoiler: Luke]] is [[HeelFaceBrainwashing fixed]] on his own request. Even [[spoiler:Mark]] seems to be much more sane. It is implied that their problems [[EpiphanyTherapy didn't magically disappear]], but they will eventually get over their issues with some [[ThePowerOfLove love]] and hard work. They are TrueCompanions after all.

** Averted in the spin-off Ride the Whirlwind, one of the main characters and his group of heroes is actually pretty desperate to get a very powerful Chosen,[[spoiler:Ricki]], some help after she has a mental breakdown. Too bad, she's a runaway, has a phobia doctors, is being hunted by people with very big guns, and will create a tornado if she panics. They eventually find someone to help her.

* [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]] discusses this in his review of ''ComicBook/HouseOfM'', disgusted by the fact that a deeply troubled and hurting Characters/ScarletWitch is instead sent away to Xavier and Magneto's care where six months of psychic powers doesn't help her at all and the only recourse seems to be to put her down. While he agrees that that may be a last resort, he can't stand the fact that there doesn't seem to be any kind of doctor -- heroic or muggle -- who could help people out, though he quickly points out Doc Samson and asks why he wasn't brought in, either. He does it again with ''ComicBook/HeroesInCrisis'', which he rips apart the fact that, instead of actual doctors, therapists and psychiatrists, Sanctuary is ran by an AI that ''supposedly'' has the "best traits" of Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman.

* Averted in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' episode "Shelter From The Storm". The Brain starts having anxiety and becomes increasingly stressed after a hurricane hits their town. His parents send him to a therapist, voiced by Creator/IdinaMenzel, to help his issues. After the end of his session he thinks he's "cured" but is told by his therapist that dealing with anxiety takes time, made obvious by the fact Brain is [[TraumaButton triggered by the rustling of wind]]. She teaches him techniques to deal with his anxiety and in the end, he confronts his fears.

* In ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'', a person gets into the Train if they're going through some sort of trauma which can range from grief of losing a loved one, going through a divorce or the death of a pet lizard. And yet there's no signs of actual therapy in that universe that could easily fix these problems instead of stranding people in a DeathWorld for months or even ''years'' on end.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': At first characters would go through one-episode events caused by old traumas or mistakes and not have it commented on, to the point that several villains had {{Freudian Excuse}}s that only got so bad because there was no one to help them. However, mental health improves over the course of the series. [[BigGood Princess Celestia]] tasked one of the main characters with reforming a villain, [[LoveGoddess Princess Cadance]] is known to reignite couple's love, and Twilight Sparkle helped to rehabilitate a former cult leader. Even the B-plot Cutie Mark Crusaders have moved into the field of cutie mark advice -- and given that ponies consider cutie marks a huge part of their identity, that can be considered some form of therapy. Perhaps most importantly, [[TheSacredDarkness Princess Luna]] [[DreamWalker visits ponies in their dreams]] ([[FriendToAllChildren especially foals]]) and helps them work through whatever problems are giving them nightmares. Note that the villains with {{Freudian Excuse}}s all suffered their trauma long before Luna [[HeelFaceTurn was freed from being Nightmare Moon]], and we see several foals who could have easily gone in the same direction without her help.
* Zig-zagged in ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes''. Although initially mistaken for a SuperpoweredEvilSide, over the course of the series, it becomes more and more clear that TKO is born not of evil, but of psychological problems, and is essentially an embodiment of things which KO refuses to accept about himself. Nobody comments on the fact that the kid has multiple identities, nor do they suggest that he get help - KO instead deals with this on his own, with mixed results. The repressed anger issues which are a major part of what TKO resulted from ''are'', to some extent, addressed - his mother tried to teach him ways to deal with said anger when he was younger, [[spoiler:and his disregarding those methods is more-or-less the reason why TKO exists]] - but nobody helps with or talks about his issues much beyond that. [[spoiler:Ultimately, KO manages to figure things out on his own and undergo a SplitPersonalityMerge at the end of the series.]]

** It's canon that Luz has ADHD, implied that she suffers from a social anxiety disorder and struggles with her mental health in general. All of which greatly impact her life. There is also no indication that anyone in her life ever thought she would benefit from profesional help. Not when [[spoiler:her father dies]]. Not when she has well documented difficulties socializing. Not when her behavior becomes increasingly disruptive and dangerous to herself and those around her. Nothing. When it is decided that something needs to be done, the only solution anyone has is to send her away to camp hoping it will "fix" her rather than try to diagnose and treat her obvious mental health issues.

* Ultimately averted in ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverseFuture''. Steven suffers from PTSD due to the [[TraumaCongaLine various threats he's faced throughout his life]], has been suffering an existential crisis due to no longer needing to help solve everyone's problems, and has outright forgotten how to interact with others in ways which don't involve trying to fix anything while everyone around him moves on with their lives. It becomes increasingly clear to everyone he needs help, but he's afraid of confronting it and insists that he's fine. Therapy is recommended after his first ever visit to a medical professional. After having a meltdown so spectacular that he's forced to admit he's ''not'' fine, he finally begins to heal, and starts seeing a therapist virtually.

* Played with in ''Webcomic/FreakAngels'' comics. Sirkka is the local equivalent of a psychologist and helps abuse victims and people [[MindRape mind raped]] by Mark. Her own love life, on the other hand, is a total mess. Other Freakangels [[DysfunctionJunction are not much better]] with the group consisting of TheOphelia, an IneffectualLoner, a KnightTemplar, a guy [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone driven crazy by his own guilt]], AGodAmI wannabe and a few other dysfunctional personality types. Some hide it better than others. In the end they all get a quick therapy from [[spoiler:Arkady]] of all people and [[spoiler: Luke]] is [[HeelFaceBrainwashing fixed]] on his own request. Even [[spoiler:Mark]] seems to be much more sane. It is implied that their problems [[EpiphanyTherapy didn't magically disappear]], but they will eventually get over their issues with some [[ThePowerOfLove love]] and hard work. Webcomic/FreakAngels are TrueCompanions after all.

* Strikingly averted in ''LightNovel/KyoKaraMaoh'', in which Ken Murata was sent to therapy as a child to help him [[spoiler:cope with his PastLifeMemories and assert his own personal identity]]. He comes out of it reasonably well-adjusted, considering, and remains friends with his therapist.

* ''Manga/GunslingerGirl''. Subverted with Dr. Bianchi, whose job is to keep the cyborg girls functioning and advise their handlers how to handle them, but not to help the girls re-enter society.
* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'':

** ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnlineAlternativeGunGaleOnline'': Karen could probably use a therapist due to her body image issues, but the big one is Pito. She is a DeathSeeker who is ''upset'' that she missed getting trapped in the SAO death game, and is obsessed with having real consequences to the games she plays. For a while, she was mostly fine since she had found a masochist to exercise her sadism on but eventually she relapsed and decided she'd kill herself if she died in the game. Karen even lampshades that if Goshi thinks she's going to kill herself he should go to the police or a therapist, but he brushes it off.

* ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' heavily implies that Sousuke has severe PTSD at the root of his more troubling behavior, which is eventually confirmed in "A Voice From the North Pole." Unfortunately, his legal guardian is a disillusioned FormerRegimePersonnel who's used to watching {{Shell Shocked Veteran}}s get worse treatment after getting diagnosed and fail miserably at reintegration, so while Kalinin immediately recognizes Sousuke's case for what it is, he's at a loss for what to actually do for him. [[spoiler:Which is partly why he betrays Mithril and aligns with Leonard--he wants to save Sousuke and GiveHimANormalLife, [[NecessarilyEvil even if he has to kill him first]].]]

** Kirei Kotomine qualifies as this. He feels no empathy for people (including his "loved" ones, such as his father and wife), except that he [[{{Sadist}} enjoys bringing pain and death to them]] (including [[KillTheOnesYouLove people who love him]])... and he [[IAmAMonster hates]] it. In the prequel ''LightNovel/FateZero'', Gilgamesh exploits this by telling Kotomine to embrace it, leading to where he is in the present. Considering his father was somewhat aware he had issues and his wife was aware of it, you'd think that he'd have seen a therapist sooner or later.