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Therapy vs. Talking to Your Dog: Which One Listens Better?

So, you’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed by life lately. Maybe your job is stressing you out, or your personal life is more tangled than a pair of headphones in your pocket. You’re considering a therapy session but, you know, you’re also wondering if talking to your dog might be a more effective (and less expensive) solution. Let's dive deep into the age-old question: Therapy vs. Talking to Your Dog: Which One Listens Better?

The Setting: You vs. Your Dog

First, let’s set the scene. You’ve got two options:

Option 1: The therapist’s office. The cozy chair. The calming aroma of essential oils. Maybe a Zen fountain gurgles in the background (that’s the sound of peace, or at least $200 an hour). Your therapist is well-trained, professional, and equipped with a degree in psychology. The first 30 minutes are all about you—your feelings, your past, your baggage. You’re ready to open up.

Option 2: Your living room. You’re sitting on the couch, talking to your dog, who’s enthusiastically wagging its tail as if it understands the complexities of your emotional state. Your dog has been with you through thick and thin. It’s the only one who’s seen you binge-watch an entire season of a show and then eat an entire pizza at 2 a.m. Your dog is a great listener—it doesn’t interrupt, judge, or give unsolicited advice. Instead, it stares at you, probably thinking, “Is this the part where I get a treat?”

Now, let's break it down.

1. Confidentiality

In therapy, confidentiality is paramount. Whatever you say in that office stays in that office. No one’s going to hear about your childhood trauma or your latest obsession with collecting spoons from random thrift shops (it’s a thing, okay?). The therapist is ethically bound to keep your secrets. That’s their job.

But with your dog? Well… let’s just say the confidentiality clause is a bit... gray. While your dog won’t actively spill your secrets to anyone, it might give away some of your vulnerabilities. Imagine you’ve just told your dog about that embarrassing moment at work. The next time you’re out in public, your dog might do something entirely inappropriate—like barking loudly at your boss or, even worse, peeing on their shoes. Subtle? No. Confidential? Eh, not exactly.

Verdict: Therapy wins. Your dog might be a loyal confidant, but that one time it barks during your Zoom meeting is not the kind of secret-keeping you need.

2. Empathy

Your therapist has been trained to offer empathy. They’re experienced in validating your feelings, understanding your struggles, and guiding you through your emotional journey. They don’t judge, they don’t interrupt, and they don’t offer unsolicited advice (unless it’s really helpful). They’ve got an empathy toolkit that could rival a Swiss army knife.

Now, let’s talk about your dog. Does your dog understand your pain? Well, sort of. Your dog definitely knows when you're sad because it will come and snuggle next to you (or, if you're lucky, curl up at your feet like a fluffy emotional support animal). But does your dog truly empathize? Nope. It’s more like, “You’re sad? Okay, but I’m just here for the treats.” The empathy is there, but it’s mostly about the belly rubs.

Your dog will never give you a thoughtful, “Wow, that sounds really hard. I’m so sorry you’re going through that” response. Instead, it’ll just nudge its head into your lap and look at you like it’s the world’s best therapist, only it’s not really sure what a “boundary” is. But hey, the snuggles are real.

Verdict: Therapy wins. Your therapist will cry with you—your dog will just lick your tears off your face. Both are sweet, but only one is mature about it.

3. Advice

In therapy, you get advice. But it’s good advice. The kind that’s backed by years of research, training, and understanding of human behavior. Your therapist will offer strategies for coping, will help you see things from a different perspective, and will gently guide you toward solutions (with a few homework assignments, of course). Therapy might not always have a quick fix, but it’s generally pretty solid.

Your dog, on the other hand? Well, its advice is... questionable at best. “Feeling down? Here, have a toy!” Perfect, right? The dog’s advice boils down to “Eat some treats and take a nap,” which, while therapeutic in its own right, isn’t exactly going to help you process that complex, existential crisis you’re dealing with. It might get you to feel better temporarily (who doesn’t love a good nap?), but it’s not going to give you the tools to handle life’s emotional curveballs.

Verdict: Therapy wins again. Your dog will recommend taking a nap, while your therapist will recommend deep breathing exercises... or, at the very least, journaling. (Is journaling a "thing"? We’re still figuring that one out.)

4. Cost

Let’s talk about the big one: money. Therapy isn’t cheap, and unless you’ve got a therapy budget that rivals your Netflix subscription, you’re probably paying a pretty penny for it. On average, a therapy session can cost anywhere from $100 to $250 per hour (depending on where you live and whether your therapist has a PhD in making you feel seen).

Your dog, on the other hand, is free—well, sort of. You’ve probably spent more on treats, toys, and trips to the vet than you’d like to admit, but when it comes to emotional support, your dog’s services come at no extra charge. Your dog doesn’t ask for compensation (except for that occasional belly rub), and honestly, that’s a pretty great deal. The most expensive part of your dog’s support is the emotional investment, and let’s be real, your dog is probably more invested in the next walk than in your inner turmoil.

Verdict: Your dog wins. It’s free therapy, minus the professional advice. And it’s probably worth every penny.

5. Endings

Therapy sessions have a beginning, middle, and end. At the end of your session, your therapist will usually summarize the key takeaways, give you something to think about, and send you on your way with a smile (and possibly a homework assignment). It’s a professional wrap-up.

Your dog? The ending is always the same: “Cool, we’re done? I guess I’ll take a nap now.” Dogs have no concept of “closure,” and you’ll never leave a conversation with your dog feeling like it’s “officially” over. There’s no neat little bow at the end of a dog therapy session—there’s just more wagging of the tail. But sometimes, maybe that’s all we need. No conclusions. No demands. Just unconditional love.

Verdict: Your dog wins. No matter how messy your emotions are, your dog will love you anyway.

Conclusion

So, which one listens better: therapy or talking to your dog?

In the end, both have their merits. Therapy gives you structure, professional guidance, and a chance to unpack your emotional baggage in a safe space. But your dog? Your dog gives you unconditional love, a listening ear that doesn’t judge, and the type of emotional support that feels like a hug on four legs.

It’s not so much about “which one is better” as it is about how you use both. Therapy helps you understand your emotions and gives you strategies to navigate life. Your dog? Well, your dog reminds you that sometimes, all you really need is someone (or something) to sit by you and be there—no matter how crazy life gets.

And who knows? Maybe next time, you’ll have a therapy session that ends with you and your dog snuggling on the couch together. Now that’s the best kind of therapy.

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