June 22, 2019
There’s a lot going on right now on Instagram.
From celebrity drama, to vintage shopping, the platform has turned into a one-stop-shop when it comes to keeping up with pop culture and trends. But as of late, it’s turned into something beyond just a surface level distraction—and it’s all thanks to the therapists who are uploading transformational content to the ‘gram.
Yup, right in between vacation photos of your co-workers and your favorite band’s shenanigans are nuggets of wisdom, straight from a therapist to your feed.
Depending on who you follow, posts range from how to dissect your vulnerability to how to create boundaries. Sometimes, they’re a harsh reminder to rethink relationships in your life (important, but not always the most fun). Others are full of wisdom and rooted in affirmations.
They’re beautiful, nuggets of wisdom—and while they don’t necessarily replace therapy (treating Instagram as a sole source of therapy has its own set of problems), they'll definitely get you thinking.
As popular therapist Lisa Olivera explains in a Medium post, therapists aren't providing therapy on Instagram, but using the platform as a tool to help “provide resources, tools, insights, reminders, community, and support for people who are not in therapy, for people figuring out how to access therapy, and for people in therapy.”
These accounts help normalize therapy and serve as an accessible reminder that self-reflection and self-growth take work—but there are resources to help you along the way.
These accounts help normalize therapy and serve as an accessible reminder that self-reflection and self-growth take work.
There are a lot of accounts that give you an opportunity to slow down your scroll and reflect, have a moment of gratitude, and kick off some self-care.
Here are some of our favorites:
@LisaOliveraTherapy
You’ve probably come across one of Lisa Olivera’s posts online before. They’re shareable nuggets of wisdom that affirm and challenge you to reflect on what it means to be human.
@NotesFromYourTherapist
If you’re a fan of handwritten notes, you’ll probably be a fan of this account. In her comforting script, therapist Allyson Dinneen pens her thoughts “on being human” on various scraps of paper. They feel personal and powerful, and might help you unlock patterns in your life.
@NedraTawwab
Nedra Tawwab is a pro when it comes to navigating relationships, and her Instagram provides great insights on just that. Whether it’s regarding boundaries or parent/child woes, these posts will help you reframe thoughts you might carry about yourself and the ones around you.
@SitWithWhit
Whitney Hawkin’s account is full of dense information—which sometimes is really refreshing to stop and read when scrolling through Instagram. If you’re looking to unpack things like building “relationship culture” with those you love or answer hard hitting questions, this is the account for you.
@The.Holistic.Psychologist
Dr. Nicole LePera’s Instagram account is full of lists—all specific to problems you might be hoping to solve or learn more about. It’s a feed full of nuanced takes, from understanding how trauma manifests in your body, to examining what codependency may look like in your life.
Share today's article with someone who'd like these Insta-follows.
@LizListens
Need a reminder about pleasing people and asserting yourself? Elizabeth Earnshaw’s Instagram account can help. The therapist shares tips on dealing with anxiety, and reminders of what it means to set up boundaries.
Read next: Shine's Guide to Mental Health Days
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