Pet phrase – Therapy Tales #111

Yes, slightly lame but I kind of like it.

This one is inspired by an article on Psychology Today by Ryan Howes entitled “Therapists and their pet phrases” which is well worth a read.

Ryan’s blog is also listed on the Top 10 Psychoanalysis blogs that Freud and Jung would read. As.. ahem.. is TT :) With ongoing thanks and Snoopy-based dancing to La Belette Rouge for the inclusion therein.

Mugs, Greetings cards, Journals etc.

And I’ve now added t-shirts to the mix!

MORE CARTOONS

 


 

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Comments

  • James  On November 17, 2010 at 11:37 am

    Inspired! :D

    Brilliant as always. Now, let’s see if the therapist can get it to sit, teach it quiet obedience and manage to get through a conversation with strangers without mentioning gushing about their freakin’ “adowable wickle baby! Yes he is! He’s my bestest wickle baby!”

    I think “And How Does That Make You Feel?” needs to meet Headley… ;)

    • WG  On November 17, 2010 at 12:49 pm

      I really do hope its potty trained.. wouldnt want a load of vowels running out over the carpet ;)

      I shall certainly think on how the menagerie can be best cared for :)

  • Kate Anthony  On November 17, 2010 at 12:04 pm

    Hahahahahaha! I want one!

    • WG  On November 17, 2010 at 12:08 pm

      ha! alas Cafepress has not yet provided me with options for genetic engineering but as soon as they do.. I’ll let you know :) I’m sure its only a matter of time.

  • Stephen  On November 17, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    ROFL! I love that – lame? only the phrase! It is so easy to fall back on stock things to say leaving origniality and genuineness lagging somewhere behind!

    And the pets meeting each other? What a brilliant idea – what does T do with the creatures when they go on holiday? Is there a kennel for therapeutic cliches?

    Thanks for another laugh this am WG.

    • WG  On November 17, 2010 at 12:48 pm

      oh now I LOVE that idea :)
      Perhaps there’s a new business idea in there Stephen! a niche in the market?

    • Campbell  On November 17, 2010 at 7:12 pm

      Snort! I love this response as much as I love the cartoon. Kennel for therapeutic cliches? OMG!

      I love the catch phrase puppy. Brilliant!

  • lostinmentalhealth  On November 17, 2010 at 12:17 pm

    I like this one!

    • WG  On November 17, 2010 at 12:47 pm

      :)

  • Mommasita  On November 17, 2010 at 12:57 pm

    awesome!
    I need a version where the pet is “So, what’s on the agenda for today?”, want to send it to my exT…

    • WG  On November 17, 2010 at 1:00 pm

      now that would seriously tempt me to come up with a series of new and innovative responses… one for each week

      • Claire  On November 17, 2010 at 2:44 pm

        I like that idea! Maybe a swap shop for new swanky phrases/responses?

        I will trade ‘I am wondering’ for….

  • Splinteredonss  On November 17, 2010 at 1:38 pm

    HAH! Goid one hon

  • Peggikaye  On November 17, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    BINGO!!! Love it!

  • Kayden  On November 17, 2010 at 4:32 pm

    hahaha, it took me a second to get it! The words in the dog are perfect… My T’s phrase lately has been “there is no should.”

    • WG  On November 17, 2010 at 7:23 pm

      Ha! It’s no fun if I make it easy… ;)

  • La Belette Rouge  On November 17, 2010 at 5:50 pm

    I hate “and how does that make you feel”. I never say it to clients. But I do ask them if an event makes them want to Snoopy dance. I find it much more clinically useful.;-)

    • WG  On November 17, 2010 at 7:23 pm

      Lmao! The snoopy dance is highly underrated.. :)

  • lostinamaze  On November 18, 2010 at 5:38 am

    This is great! It took me a minute to get it as well. I think this is perfect, not lame at all. In fact the phrase tends to make me grow fangs. grrr…

  • WG  On November 18, 2010 at 12:10 pm

    As I was clearly *not* falling asleep last night I did manage to
    a) have a stupendous idea for a follow up cartoon
    b) plan it out in detail in my tiny mind
    c) not fall asleep immediately and therefore not forget all about it

    Stay tuned… thanks to you all for your input. :)

    • Duckie  On November 20, 2010 at 8:11 pm

      can’t wait to see it! :)

  • AKAMemily  On November 18, 2010 at 5:19 pm

    Too funny – I think I’ve been in therapy too long because now my therapist knows MY pet phrases: “It’s all good” and “It is what it is.” Both of these phrases essentially mean, things are crappy, but there’s nothing that can be done about it and lets move on. For example, My therapist will say, “Your mother’s need to continually comment about your weight stems from her narcissistic need for your to be perfect and conform to her standards of beauty.” To which I reply, “Yeah, it’s all good.”

    • WG  On November 18, 2010 at 5:20 pm

      LOL! I love that phrase.. will have to use it in a toon one day.
      I think if your T knows your phrases (or your games) then you’ve been there the right amount of time.
      Good work! :)

  • WG  On November 19, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    I think I need to create an exchange-and-mart.

    All therapists are required to exchange their pet phrases, and all clients are required to exchange their dismissive responses between themselves.
    This would result in lots of very surprising therapeutic interchanges and, possibly, the negation of all existence.

  • sue  On November 19, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    My pet phrase I use “If those tears had words what would they be saying” maybe an idea for cartoon???

  • Duckie  On November 20, 2010 at 8:09 pm

    lmao @ the comments
    great post WG

  • Ryan Howes  On November 21, 2010 at 12:40 am

    How does it make me feel? Well, I’ve never had a blog immortalized in cartoon form, and I must say it feels pretty good. Thanks, and please keep the much-needed humor coming!

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