I think images like the ones above show what media and the misconceptions society have of the mentally ill has done to the art of therapy. Sadly, since mental illness is seen as a joke a lot of people might think therapy and the therapists are jokes. People call therapists "shrinks" and make jokes about laying on a couch talking to a ceiling.
These are misconceptions that therapists need to keep in mind when meeting new clients. People coming into therapy have been affected by what the media says and what their friends say about mental illness and might be overly nervous or hesitant to come to therapy.
As therapist we need to be aware of the stigma surrounding mental illness and be sensitive to how people are feeling. We also need to be strong advocates of stopping the stigma. It starts with how we act, the comments we make, and how we treat people. The jokes about mental illness are not funny and we need to help put an end to them. We can have a big impact on reducing the stigma and helping people.
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