How to Get Back on Board with Therapy After a Shitty Experience

A recent comment on one of my videos sparked this post. Funny how a quick interaction turns into a full-blown blog article—but honestly, that feels right. If it resonates, I’ll keep going deeper on the topic.

Let’s talk about getting back into therapy after a truly bad experience.

💭 I’ve Been There
I’ve been in therapy a lot. I’ve had therapists I instantly connected with—people who spoke my language, radiated grounded energy, and gave off the kind of vibe I wanted more of in my life.

I’ve also had the flip side. I’ve walked out of sessions feeling pathologized, confused, or like I’d just sat through a weird conversation with someone who wasn’t really listening. I’ve stared at walls decorated with “Live, Laugh, Love”-style posters that made my skin crawl, and been handed pamphlets so generic and prescriptive they felt more like a punishment than a resource.

It’s completely valid to question why the hell you’d ever go back.

But here’s what I’ve learned—and what I want you to know.

💻 Telehealth Changed the Game
When I think about the hardest therapy seasons I’ve been through, a lot of them happened while I was living in the rural area I grew up in. There were two clinics in town—you went to one or the other. That was it.

But therapy looks different now.

Telehealth has changed the game—even if you’re still living somewhere rural (bless you, truly, I need a different rhythm myself). You likely have more options than you did before. Telehealth means you can connect with providers all over Wisconsin—or the entire country—especially if you’re paying out of pocket.

Geography doesn’t have to limit you anymore. You can prioritize finding someone who actually suits you, not just someone who happens to work nearby.

🧭 Therapy Is Broader Than Ever
The therapy field has grown up—and glowed up.

Start browsing therapist directories or Instagram pages, and you’ll see what I mean. There are providers who align with all kinds of identities and experiences: spirituality, queerness, chronic illness, ADHD, grief, burnout, body liberation, and specific political views. It’s not a stretch to say you can find someone who matches you not just professionally, but personally.

Many of us are also putting ourselves out there—sharing our work, style, and values on social media or personal websites. I highly recommend finding a therapist the way you’d approach online dating. Scroll. Linger. See who feels relatable. Let yourself be choosy. Some bio or practice vibe will land just right—and when it does, you’ll feel way more invested in the process.

🔥 Modern Therapists Are Built Different
This isn’t your grandmother’s Freudian dream journal setup. This isn’t “take a pill and try meditating.”
(And if someone does hit you with that energy, send me their name so I can lightly roast them in the group chat.)

Today’s therapists are often trauma-informed, identity-affirming, and socially aware. We’re trained not just in theory but in real-world emotional survival.

We’ve survived political chaos, mass burnout, the cancellation of Warped Tour, and more than one identity crisis. We’re here to tell the truth, not sell you false hope. We’ll walk you through how to exist when things are not okay—because we get it.

And while my approach may seem inventive, trust me: this is the new norm in therapist circles.
We’re leveraging. We’re collectivizing. We’re smart as hell. And we care deeply.

🌿 So… Should You Try Again?
Short answer: maybe, yeah.

If you’re carrying a sour taste from past therapy, that’s real. But it might be time to reassess with fresh eyes. The landscape has changed, and you deserve a therapist who actually makes you feel safe, seen, and supported.

🛑 Also—Let’s Normalize Healing Without Therapy
This is a hill I will absolutely stand on:
You can heal outside of therapy.
You can regulate your nervous system, deepen self-trust, and build insight—even when therapy isn’t accessible or desirable.

I’ll be sharing some of my favorite self-help and self-regulation tools in future posts, especially for folks who are navigating insurance BS or just need something more flexible.

Do I believe therapy is for everyone? Absolutely.
Do I also recognize that systems and life circumstances can get in the way? Of course.

Let’s talk about both.

Want more bold, grounded mental health content that actually gets it? Stick around. Regulated Baddie is just getting started.