I was reading a book of case studies by various psychoanalytic therapists and one of these therapists were quoted as saying to his patients at the beginning of therapy: “I can’t promise you much but I can promise you that you’ll look better.”

What?? Several therapy sessions a week for years and the best you can do is promise people that they’ll look better?!

At first I thought it was an outrageous claim but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that I too often find myself either noticing or commenting on how well people look after a period in therapy.

Because people tend to look better when they’re less depressed, anxious, stressed, overwhelmed by grief, lonely or angry.

Which made me think that maybe psychology needs to market itself a bit differently in these times where we seem so focused on youth and appearances.

For example:

Get therapy and look years younger!

(a documented side-effect of this treatment is an improvement in psychological functioning)

Hmm…maybe a new sign for my door? 🙂