Therapy culture has made more people ask whether every difficult moment needs to become a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Jonathan Alpert argues that good therapy should help people become more capable, but it can keep people stuck when it becomes an endless routine rather than a path toward real change. Mike Vera, MS, NBC-HWC, host of the Healthy & Awake Podcast, talks with him about choosing a therapist, the difference between feeling better and getting better, and CBT tools for challenging your own thinking.

A note before you listen: this conversation covers mental health and substance use. It is shared for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you are struggling or in crisis, support is available 24/7: in the US, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline), or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). Outside the U ...