Everyone Got Their PhD from TikTok University, and Nobody is Getting Better

Photo by Jason Grant on Unsplash.

I read a piece by Emily Oberg, the founder of Sporty & Rich, on why she would never start a brand today (if she didn't have her brand already) and found it absolutely refreshing. Finally, someone with a point of view commenting on how truly nothing is original anymore because of the obstacles created by algorithms and upfront costs in launching a brand. Constantly being fed "buy this now" crap in get ready with me videos also doesn't help, and kind of has killed the meaning of originality and creativity when it comes to making a brand.

I couldn't agree more and see how this extends to pretty much the entire wellness industry, be it mental health or physical health related. Mental health has been commercialized, and the art of quality therapy itself has been traded in for quick fixes and buzzwords like "nervous system regulation" and "boundaries" or my favorite… "trigger." It seems as though overnight, everyone got their PhD from TikTok university and is somehow qualified to comment on ways to "heal" your mind.

I miss the days when people treated therapy more personally. When they weren't looking for quick fixes, and understood the value in processing and learning to relate to themselves in a different way rather than speeding through the process. I think that's what's truly missing in all of these "courses." You buy the course expecting it to change your life, but the promise quickly becomes tarnished in the absence of that human connection.

This is an area that is becoming studied more closely. A 2025 study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research showed that when comparing therapist-assisted programs vs. self-guided versions, the presence of a therapist showed consistently and significantly lower dropout rates of clients in treatment. This clearly suggests that human involvement may be necessary for adherence to treatment.

Another study, published in 2020 in Clinical Psychology Review, looked at 37 studies on whether therapeutic alliance actually drives change. They found that the therapeutic relationship actively drives change, and mediates 70.3% of outcomes across all therapeutic modalities studied. This suggests that the therapeutic relationship is what actively drives change.

Clearly, it's the human connection that actually drives us towards change, making us motivated, creative, and original. Without it, are we even growing as a society?

xx, Yana

Sources

Baier, Allison L., et al. "Therapeutic Alliance as a Mediator of Change: A Systematic Review and Evaluation of Research." Clinical Psychology Review, vol. 82, 2020, article 101921.

"Therapists' Role in Patient Adherence to Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Qualitative Study." Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 27, 2025, e71852.

This piece was originally published in Little Notes from Your Therapist.

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This post is written for educational purposes and is not medical or mental health advice, nor a substitute for care from a licensed provider. Reading it does not create a therapist-client relationship. If you are in crisis or need urgent support, call or text 988 in the United States, or call 911.