---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: funny how ready people are to believe…"
description: "\"funny how ready people are to believe that counseling, which even when voluntary takes years to modify garden-variety neuroses, can work wonders in mon..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/katha-pollitt-16599_believe_funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-th_371123.png"
---

#  funny how ready people are to believe that counseling…

![“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.” quote by Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/katha-pollitt-16599_believe_funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-th_371123.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/katha-pollitt-16599_believe_funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-th_371123.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/katha-pollitt-16599_believe_funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-th_371123.png)

> “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.”

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

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.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Counseling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-counseling-3385375/) [Counseling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counseling/) [Counseling Voluntary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counseling-voluntary-3385376/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Neuroses Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neuroses-work-3385374/) [Neurosis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neurosis/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Patient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patient/) [Patients Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patients-hate-3385378/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) [Variety Neuroses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety-neuroses-3385377/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [There are two things panic patients hate to do. They hate to take medication - and they hate to go to doctors. They hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-campbell/there-are-two-things-panic-patients-hate-to-do-they-hate-to-take/)

[Earl Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-campbell/)

> [Preaching is personal counseling on a group basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/preaching-is-personal-counseling-on-a-group-basis/)

[Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/)

> [“Being divorced does not necessarily make one’s advice on marriage useless … or useful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/being-divorced-does-not-necessarily-make-one-s-advice-on-marriage/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [I went to a counselor for years, and it wasn't the kind of counseling to help you - it was the 'Let's make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-mua/i-went-to-a-counselor-for-years-and-it-wasn-t-the-kind-of-counseling/)

[Manny MUA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-mua/)

> [“It wasn't uncommon to hear rationalizations of this sort--the longing to transform bad deeds into good ones. No one ever wanted to hear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/min-jin-lee/it-wasn-t-uncommon-to-hear-rationalizations-of-this-sort-the-longing/)

[Min Jin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/min-jin-lee/)

> [“ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) Counseling can break the cycle in your family. Did you parent your parents? Chaos seem normal? Unhappiness is expected?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiritual-healing/acoa-adult-children-of-alcoholics-counseling-can-break-the-cycle-in/)

[Spiritual Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiritual-healing/)

> [ That's part of what I touch on in my \[UN\] speech - when assaults happen on women and girls in these fragile countries, in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/that-s-part-of-what-i-touch-on-in-my-un-speech-when-assaults-happen/)

[Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/)

> [“Meditation is better than counseling. It keeps me sane in this crazy world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandt-legg/meditation-is-better-than-counseling-it-keeps-me-sane-in-this-crazy/)

[Brandt Legg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandt-legg/)

> [ The overall goal \[of counseling\] is to help family members become 'systems experts' who could know \[their\] family system so well that the family… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bowen/the-overall-goal-of-counseling-is-to-help-family-members-become/)

[Murray Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bowen/)

> [“To establish a Scriptural counseling relationship, the speaker says we must know the person to the level that they feel like they are known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-welch/to-establish-a-scriptural-counseling-relationship-the-speaker-says-we/)

[Ed Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-welch/)

> [“Nouthetic counseling, then, necessarily embodies involvement of the deepest sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/nouthetic-counseling-then-necessarily-embodies-involvement-of-the/)

[Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/)

> [The state of Indiana has also sought to make sure we expand alternatives in healthcare counseling for women, non-abortion alternatives, and I'm also very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-state-of-indiana-has-also-sought-to-make-sure-we-expand/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [“The Crucified is the One most traumatized. He has borne the World Trade Center. He has carried the Iraq war, the destruction in Syria,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-langberg/the-crucified-is-the-one-most-traumatized-he-has-borne-the-world/)

[Diane Langberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-langberg/)

> [The American people intuitively understand this, which is why the majority of Catholics practice birth control and some of those opposed to gay marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-american-people-intuitively-understand-this-which-is-why-the/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [“Author says her father was so diplomatic that when people came to him for solutions, people not only accepted them, but they believed they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immaculee-ilibagiza/author-says-her-father-was-so-diplomatic-that-when-people-came-to-him/)

[Immaculee Ilibagiza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immaculee-ilibagiza/)

## More by Katha Pollitt

> [“I should say that it was only for me that Marxism seemed over. Surely, I would tell G. at least once a week, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/i-should-say-that-it-was-only-for-me-that-marxism-seemed-over-surely/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [One of the very important ideas of feminism for me has always been women helping and supporting each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/one-of-the-very-important-ideas-of-feminism-for-me-has-always-been/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [Misogyny runs deeper than religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/misogyny-runs-deeper-than-religion/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [Why must the woman apologize for not having a baby just because she happened to get pregnant? It's as if we think motherhood is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/why-must-the-woman-apologize-for-not-having-a-baby-just-because-she/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [“Maybe I’m not cut out for monogamy,” G. had said to me early on. “Maybe I should just live in a room by myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/maybe-i-m-not-cut-out-for-monogamy-g-had-said-to-me-early-on-maybe-i/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [For many people, feminism is one of those words of which, as St. Augustine said about time, they know the meaning as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/for-many-people-feminism-is-one-of-those-words-of-which-as-st/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [When it comes to ideas - and religions are, among other things, ideas - there is no right not to be offended. ... In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/when-it-comes-to-ideas-and-religions-are-among-other-things-ideas/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [In a better world, science teachers would teach creationism along with evolution as an exercise in critical thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/in-a-better-world-science-teachers-would-teach-creationism-along-with/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [We need to say that women have sex, have abortions, are at peace with the decision and move on with their lives. We need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/we-need-to-say-that-women-have-sex-have-abortions-are-at-peace-with/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [“I’m a writer; I can float for hours on a word like “amethyst” or “broom” or the way so many words sound like what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/i-m-a-writer-i-can-float-for-hours-on-a-word-like-amethyst-or-broom/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [A feminist is a person who answers 'yes' to the question 'Are women human?' Feminism is not about whether women are better than, worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/a-feminist-is-a-person-who-answers-yes-to-the-question-are-women/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [If you run into trouble doing what's expected, people sympathize with you, while if you try something else and flop everyone says, You see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/if-you-run-into-trouble-doing-what-s-expected-people-sympathize-with/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [ When you consider that God could have commanded anything he wanted--anything!--the Ten \[Commandments\] have got to rank as one of the great missed moral… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/when-you-consider-that-god-could-have-commanded-anything-he-wanted/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [While woman sheds the Blood of Life each moon at menstruation, man can only shed the blood of death through warfare and killing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/while-woman-sheds-the-blood-of-life-each-moon-at-menstruation-man-can/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

> [Thanks to feminism, women can now acquire status in two ways: through marriage or their own achievements. Cure cancer or marry the man who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/thanks-to-feminism-women-can-now-acquire-status-in-two-ways-through/)

[Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

[Explore all 39 Katha Pollitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

[Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "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.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Katha Pollitt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-that-counseling-which-even-when/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-that-counseling-which-even-when/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/katha-pollitt-16599_believe_funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-th_371123.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/katha-pollitt-16599_believe_funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-th_371123.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/katha-pollitt-16599_believe_funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-th_371123.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“funny how ready people are to believe that counseling, which even when voluntary takes years to modify…” — Katha Pollitt",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Katha Pollitt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "funny how ready people are to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-that-counseling-which-even-when/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-that-counseling-which-even-when/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
