--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Twenty years ago I might have hired a…" description: "\"Twenty years ago I might have hired a professional listener, but somewhere along the way I had lost faith in the talking cure. A genteel fraud in my vi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/ian-mcewan-494_cures_twenty-years-ago-i-might-have-hired-a-pr_478807.png" --- # Twenty years ago I might have hired a professional… ![“Twenty years ago I might have hired a professional listener, but somewhere along the way I had lost faith in the talking cure. A genteel fraud in my view.” quote by Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/ian-mcewan-494_cures_twenty-years-ago-i-might-have-hired-a-pr_478807.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/ian-mcewan-494_cures_twenty-years-ago-i-might-have-hired-a-pr_478807.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/ian-mcewan-494_cures_twenty-years-ago-i-might-have-hired-a-pr_478807.png) > “Twenty years ago I might have hired a professional listener, but somewhere along the way I had lost faith in the talking cure. A genteel fraud in my view.” [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker lost trust in psychotherapy, seeing it as ineffective and deceptive. **In simple terms:** Lost faith in therapy. Key Takeaway Question the value of talk therapy. Themes skepticism mental health trust Mood cynical reflective Type critical personal When to use this quote - seeking help - self‑reflection - alternative coping Key Concepts psychotherapy placebo effect Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives could replace talk therapy? - Can skepticism hinder recovery? A Different Perspective Therapy can still help some people despite doubts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fraud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fraud/) [Lost faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-faith/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [Accessing a "professional listener" such as a psychologist or counselor can be useful if the loved one wants to use this form of support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-carey/accessing-a-professional-listener-such-as-a-psychologist-or-counselor/) [Timothy Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-carey/) > [“Psychotherapy works by going deep into the brain and its neurons and changing their structure by turning on the right genes. Psychiatrist Dr. Susan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-doidge/psychotherapy-works-by-going-deep-into-the-brain-and-its-neurons-and/) [Norman Doidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-doidge/) > [Out of the ashes of misanthropy benevolence rises again; we find many virtues where we had imagined all was vice, many acts of disinterested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/out-of-the-ashes-of-misanthropy-benevolence-rises-again-we-find-many/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [I haven't really lost faith in my work - other than for quite short periods when the work is harder than usual - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-abel/i-haven-t-really-lost-faith-in-my-work-other-than-for-quite-short/) [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) > [We have lost faith in ourselves. Therefore to preach the Advaita aspect of the Vedanta is necessary to rouse up the hearts of men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-have-lost-faith-in-ourselves-therefore-to-preach-the-advaita/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [You say you've lost your faith But that's not where it's at You have no faith to lose and you know it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/you-say-you-ve-lost-your-faith-but-that-s-not-where-it-s-at-you-have/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [For what is faith unless it is to believe what you do not see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-what-is-faith-unless-it-is-to-believe-what-you-do-not-see/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [I remember when I was a freshman in college, I was still somewhat bothered by... worried... about religion. I remember going to this professor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/i-remember-when-i-was-a-freshman-in-college-i-was-still-somewhat/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [I've completely lost faith in the Democratic Party to truly serve the disadvantaged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-rauner/i-ve-completely-lost-faith-in-the-democratic-party-to-truly-serve-the/) [Bruce Rauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-rauner/) > [If you've lost your faith in love and music, Oh the end won't be long...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-ve-lost-your-faith-in-love-and-music-oh-the-end-won-t-be-long/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you've lost your faith in love and music then the end won't be long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/if-you-ve-lost-your-faith-in-love-and-music-then-the-end-won-t-be-long/) [Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [We could have lost faith and just let this battle with cancer get the best of us, or I could give my daughter's battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-still/we-could-have-lost-faith-and-just-let-this-battle-with-cancer-get-the/) Devon Still > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [If You lost your hope. Not a big issue. Timewheels rebuild it. If you loss your money. Not a big issue. You may earn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/if-you-lost-your-hope-not-a-big-issue-timewheels-rebuild-it-if-you/) Mak\_786 ## More by Ian Mcewan > [“As you will see, we do not believe that artists have an obligation to strike up attitudes to the war. Indeed, they are wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/as-you-will-see-we-do-not-believe-that-artists-have-an-obligation-to/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [You could say that all novels are spy novels and all novelists are spy masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/you-could-say-that-all-novels-are-spy-novels-and-all-novelists-are/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I've never had a moment's doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-ve-never-had-a-moment-s-doubt-i-love-you-i-believe-in-you/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“It is shaming sometimes, how the body will not, or cannot, lie about emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-is-shaming-sometimes-how-the-body-will-not-or-cannot-lie-about/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“While my friends struggled and calculated, I reached a solution by a set of floating steps that were partly visual, partly just a feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/while-my-friends-struggled-and-calculated-i-reached-a-solution-by-a/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Once, on a walk by a river- Eskdale in low reddish sunlight, with a dusting of snow- his daughter quoted to him an opening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/once-on-a-walk-by-a-river-eskdale-in-low-reddish-sunlight-with-a/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Perhaps it's one of those cases of a microcosm giving you the whole world. Like a spode dinner plate. Or a single cell. Or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/perhaps-it-s-one-of-those-cases-of-a-microcosm-giving-you-the-whole/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Who you get, and how it works out- there's so much luck involved, as well as the million branching consequences of your conscious choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/who-you-get-and-how-it-works-out-there-s-so-much-luck-involved-as/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“On Chesil Beach he could have called out to Florence, he could have gone after her. He did not know, or would not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/on-chesil-beach-he-could-have-called-out-to-florence-he-could-have/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [It was always the view of my parents...that hot weather encouraged loose morals among young people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-was-always-the-view-of-my-parents-that-hot-weather-encouraged/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I apologize for being obvious, but every time I watch the curtain come down on even a halfway decent production of a Shakespeare play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-apologize-for-being-obvious-but-every-time-i-watch-the-curtain-come/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I would rather be physically disabled obviously than mentally. I would rather be paraplegic than nuts. And it is a terrifying prospect and actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-would-rather-be-physically-disabled-obviously-than-mentally-i-would/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Words, as I'm beginning to appreciate, can make things true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/words-as-i-m-beginning-to-appreciate-can-make-things-true/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I couldn't think about novels at all. It seemed the only writing that was appropriate to that horrendous event was journalism, reportage. And, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-couldn-t-think-about-novels-at-all-it-seemed-the-only-writing-that/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I did not kill my father, but I sometimes felt I had helped him on his way. And but for the fact that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-did-not-kill-my-father-but-i-sometimes-felt-i-had-helped-him-on-his/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) [Explore all 496 Ian Mcewan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) ## More Cures quotes > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [One of the most powerful concepts, one which is a sure cure for lack of confidence, is the thought that God is with you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/one-of-the-most-powerful-concepts-one-which-is-a-sure-cure-for-lack/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [We are all potentially such sick men. The sanest and best of us are of one clay with lunatics and prison-inmates. And whenever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-all-potentially-such-sick-men-the-sanest-and-best-of-us-are-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-never-met-a-disease-he-could-not-cure-a-birth-defect-he-could/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [It is some alleviation to ills we cannot cure to speak of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-some-alleviation-to-ills-we-cannot-cure-to-speak-of-them/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Being single isnt the cause of loneliness, and marriage is not necessarily the cure. There are many lonely married people as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-jones/being-single-isnt-the-cause-of-loneliness-and-marriage-is-not/) Renee Jones > [We know nothing of the principle of health, the positive of which pathology is the negative, except from observation and experience. And nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/we-know-nothing-of-the-principle-of-health-the-positive-of-which/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [One day I was running around playing with my son Connor when afterwards I was sweating, tired and out of breath. I was embarrassed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-carey/one-day-i-was-running-around-playing-with-my-son-connor-when/) [Drew Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-carey/) > [Arise Evans had a fungous nose, and said, it was revealed to him, that the King's hand would cure him, and at the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-aubrey/arise-evans-had-a-fungous-nose-and-said-it-was-revealed-to-him-that/) [John Aubrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-aubrey/) > [In the history of man it has been very generally the case that when evils have grown insufferable they have touched the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/in-the-history-of-man-it-has-been-very-generally-the-case-that-when/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [A lean purse is easier to cure than to endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-clason/a-lean-purse-is-easier-to-cure-than-to-endure/) [George S. Clason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-clason/) > [Physicians, when the cause of disease is discovered, consider that the cure is discovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/physicians-when-the-cause-of-disease-is-discovered-consider-that-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I think self-deprecation is such a disease, and I want to cure everybody of it and so that's my contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-self-deprecation-is-such-a-disease-and-i-want-to-cure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Care is no cure, but rather corrosive, For things that are not to be remedied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/care-is-no-cure-but-rather-corrosive-for-things-that-are-not-to-be/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) Browse all 1,511 Cures quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Twenty years ago I might have hired a professional listener, but somewhere along the way I had lost faith in the talking cure. 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