Valid

Earthcircle

Well-known member
A long time ago -- it was well over 20 years ago, in fact -- I had a psychodynamic psychotherapist who often used the word "valid." I'm wondering what he meant by it. He often asked me variants on a question which I would phrase like this: Do you think that I think that what you think isn't valid? I never understood that. Does anyone have any insights into this?
 

surewhynot

Well-known member
Maybe he thought that you had issues related to validation, like thinking that your opinions/thoughts don't matter or something along those lines.

As a psychotherapist he might have thought that some event in your childhood led you to feel "invalid" and he was possibly trying to explore your subconscious to better understand the root of your anxieties.

I took a few psychology classes.
 

EternalIce

Well-known member
Yes, it is to an extent viewing your thoughts and opinions as lesser in value than anyone else's. The foundation of this would be in poor self image, or the idea that you lack agency.

The height of this would be the belief where everything that comes of you, everything you think, everything you feel is somehow lower. So because of that loss of value, other's opinions and such can just override yours.

My response might be a little dramatic, but thats what I think the therapist meant by valid.
 

Earthcircle

Well-known member
What both of you say is reasonable. (By the way, I miss Canada. I'm not Canadian, but I lived there for awhile. The therapist in question practices in New York City.) Getting back to the point: it is quite possible that this is what he had in mind. On the other hand, I hate vagueness, at least when it can be avoided. All the "valid" talk miffed me a little. He also used the word "fantasy," a lot, but in a non-erotic way. "Do you have any fantasies about that?" I'm sorry that I can't recall the exact context, but it was clearly not sexual. It's funny that things I experienced in therapy so long ago keep coming back to me and often leave me feeling puzzled.
 

EternalIce

Well-known member
yeah Canada's great :D
Im not sure if it was his intention but sometimes in certain styles of therapy they operate with vagueness intentionally, this allows for them to gain insight from yet another area of your thinking based on how you interpret or react to the question.
 
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