History Main / TherapyIsForTheWeak

The characters may feel this way originally, but usually slowly realize the value of therapy and come around. If they don't accept therapy, this will probably lead to a WarpedAesop. If they do, this will likely lead to EpiphanyTherapy, and further visits are never brought up again. Another very common variation features the characters claiming this, not knowing that they're one GilliganCut away from bawling their eyes out on a couch. If it's a PoliceProcedural or military drama and the protagonist is required to see a pscyhologist before being returned to "active duty," then they'll demand that the psychologist just "sign the damn paper already."

* Fred Perry's ''GoldDigger'' has therapists, or more technically, 'balance councilors,' for helping mages and other magical beings with their problems. The Queen of Dragons T'mat, however, will have no part of them, not even for ''centuries'' after the most traumatic experience of her life (that, among other things, caused her to lose a hand, and this is among the least of the scars it left). Eventually her daughter has to go to significant lengths to get help, and deposing her is discussed.

* In ''AnalyzeThis'', mob boss Paul Vitti thinks that therapy is for pussies and homosexuals, but due to extenuating circumstances he goes to see a therapist. He has this exchange with his therapist, Ben.

->"Ha, therapy is for losers. ''({{Beat}})'' I MadeMyselfSad."

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* In ArchieComicsSonictheHedgehog'' comic, Sonic watches as Robotnik's psychosis takes hold of him, to the point that he must be put in a straitjacket. Sonic seems deeply troubled by this. He tries talking to Sally about it, but she tells him the equivalent of "Suck it up and quit being such a drag; you're harshing our mellow."

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* [[HeraldsOfValdemar Kestra'chern]] in ''The Black Gryphon'' counsel armies who are in a war that has been raging for over a generation. Unfortunately many people in said armies consider them to be nothing more than very pricy prostitutes - in fairness, [[IntimatePsychotherapy they do some of that too]], as part of helping people feel that there is more to their lives than endless fighting.

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* [[TheCorruption Chaos]] influence ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' causes a lot of people to go crazy... which is considered a sign of weakness so no one generally cares enough to do anything about it save for shooting them when they snap.

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WesternAnimation:

* In the Stephen King short story "Boogeyman" (something of a spiritual predecessor to {{IT}}), the principle character is indeed seeing a therapist. And yet, he insists that he doesn't actually ''need'' therapy and sneers disdainfully at what he imagines the doctor's other patients are like (gays, crossdressers, and people who "strut around thinking they're Napoleon").

* Jack from ''30 Rock'', good ''God.'' One of his most famous lines:

* ''{{Dragon Ball}},'' a ''lot.'' The abridged version is the TropeNamer:

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* ''{{X Factor}}'': Doc Samson is a psychologist, and the team members pretty much sneer at seeing him ... but they eventually come around.

* In ''{{Analyze This}}'', mob boss Paul Vitti thinks that therapy is for pussies and homosexuals, but due to extenuating circumstances he goes to see a therapist. He has this exchange with his therapist, Ben.

* ''{{Flowers in the Attic}}'': This recurs.
* ''{{Black Dagger Brotherhood}}'': At first Zsadist steadfastly refuses to talk about his abuse, owing at least partly to the shame and unresolved guilt and horror, but not long before his daughter is born he begins talking privately to Mary--a trained therapist--and seems to be benefitting greatly from their sessions.

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* On ''{{How I Met Your Mother}}'', Barney refuses to go to therapy and instead sneaks into Lilly's kindergarten class to participate in "Feelings Hour".

* ''{{Bones}}'': Similar to the above example. The macho man Booth decides that Gordon Gordon Wyatt should just get him back on active duty and Sweets should just leave him alone. They both bring him around.

* ''{{The Mentalist}}'': It is implied that Patrick Jane believes that from the pilot. However, it later transpires that he actually saw one for a lengthy period after shutting down once he came across the corpses of his family, and benefitted from it.

* ''{{Gilmore Girls}}'' features the mild humourous version. Lorelai/Rory have both dismissed therapy as unnecessary, only to end up talking for hours or bursting into to tears and spilling their guts, respectively.

* In ''{{Scrubs}}'', Turk concedes to Carla as far as attending their couples therapy, but refuses to actually say anything.
** Carla later has this attitude about getting help for her postpartum depression. Jordan, however, emphatically denies it:

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* In an episode of ''{{King of the Hill}}'', Bill tries to kill himself. Peggy suggests sending him to a therapist, but Hank only responds "He's not crazy, he's just suicidal".

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* In ''FiftyTwo'', [[GreenLantern Alan Scott]] refuses counseling after his daughter Jade's death and the Zeta Beam incident, because he thinks he must appear stronger than that for other heroes who have suffered during the same events.

* In ''FalloutNewVegas'', Corporal Betsy, one of a group of snipers, got caught and raped by a raider, and after escaping she went back to work like nothing happened. She didn't want to show any weakness to her battle buddies, so she didn't seek therapy, but convincing her that she does indeed need to seek therapy is one of the side-missions in the game.

* This is a major stigma for people with real mental health issues. Hollywood has so stigmatized therapy that the prevailing belief a lot of the time is that people who seek out therapy are just too weak to pull themselves out of it on their own.
* This generally inverted in real life, especially for those who have gone through psychological trauma of some kind or are deep in denial. It takes a lot of guts to face your own problems. [[SincerityMode Therapy is for the]] ''[[SincerityMode strong.]]''

-->'''Zack''', ''EchoChamber''

* ''{{The Mentalist}}'': It is implied that Patrick Jane believes that from the pilot.

[[DoubleStandard More prevalent among men than women.]]

The characters may feel this way originally, but frequently slowly realize the value of therapy and come around. If they don't accept therapy, this will probably lead to a WarpedAesop. If they do, this will likely lead to EpiphanyTherapy, and further visits are never brought up again. Another very common variation features the characters claiming this, not knowing that they're one GilliganCut away from bawling their eyes out on a couch.

In major examples, characters might actually say this trope word for word, and reject the idea of counceling [[TooDumbToLive despite intense psychological issues or self destruction.]] In minor examples, the characters will probably just insist that they can handle their problems, a therapist couldn't help with ''their'' super special problems, or that they're [[MarriedToTheJob just too busy.]]

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In this 'verse, the problem isn't that ThereAreNoTherapists--the characters have just decided they're too cool for therapy. The concept of counceling, therapy, or treatment is discussed or brought up, but it's rejected.

[[DoubleStandard More prevalent among men.]]

-->Paul:"If I talk to you and you turn me into a fag, I'm gonna kill ya, you understand?"
-->Ben:"Can we define "fag"? Because some feelings may come up-"
-->Paul:"I go fag, you die. Got it?"
-->Ben:"Got it"

* ''{{Black Dagger Brotherhood}}''--at first Zsadist steadfastly refuses to talk about his abuse, owing at least partly to the shame and unresolved guilt and horror, but not long before his daughter is born he begins talking privately to Mary--a trained therapist--and seems to be benefitting greatly from their sessions.

{{LiveActionTelevision}}:
* On ''{{How I Met Your Mother}}'', Barney refuses to go to therapy and instead sneaks into Lilly's kindergarten class to participate in "Feelings Hour."

* ''{{NCIS}}'': ''Also'' similar to the above example. The team finally gets some long overdue therapy. It . . . seems to help. A little.
* {{The Mentalist}}: It is implied that Patrick Jane believes that from the pilot.

* In an episode of ''{{King Of The Hill}}'', Bill tries to kill himself. Peggy suggests sending him to a therapist, but Hank only responds "He's not crazy, he's just suicidal".

* General Patton publicly called PTSD sufferers "weaklings." It was a . . . [[SocietyMarchesOn different]] [[ScienceMarchesOn era.]]