Believe Quote by Katha Pollitt
“funny how ready people are to believe that counseling, which even when voluntary takes years to modify garden-variety neuroses, can work wonders in months with resistant patients who hate each other.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Myth of the Quick Fix” in The Nation, 2015
Counseling often requires long‑term effort, yet some claim rapid results even with resistant clients.
In simple terms: Therapy takes time, not instant miracles.
Key Takeaway
Expect gradual progress, not overnight cures.
Themes
therapyapy
realism
patient expectations
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- marriage counseling
- addiction recovery
- workplace conflict resolution
Key Concepts
behavior change
resistance
therapeutic alliance
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do people seek instant solutions?
- How can realistic timelines improve outcomes?
A Different Perspective
Quick fixes can undermine trust and realistic goals.
![“That's part of what I touch on in my [UN] speech - when assaults happen on women and girls in these fragile countries, in these places of crisis, there isn't the psychosocial support. There aren't counseling services. It's not in a lot of cultures to explicitly talk about things that maybe have…” quote by Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d44/natalie-dormer-2190_assault_that-s-part-of-what-i-touch-on-in-my-un_200448.jpg)
![“The overall goal [of counseling] is to help family members become 'systems experts' who could know [their] family system so well that the family could readjust itself without the help of an expert.” quote by Murray Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/608/murray-bowen-68499_counseling_the-overall-goal-of-counseling-is-to-hel_173705.jpg)
