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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

I've had an idea

6 replies

ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 07/01/2023 15:23

I was reading one of the (many) Prince Harry threads and a poster wrote something that sounded, to me, quite insightful and psychologically plausible. It made me wonder whether there is scope for something within psychology/counselling around understanding other people better.

My idea is this: if you were having a hard time dealing with other people in your life, eg some kind of family conflict, there could be some kind of service where you go along, as if for therapy, and talk to someone about what the other person is doing/saying with a view to understanding that person's feelings and motivations better.

The psychologist would use their professional knowledge and insight to give you possible explanations of what might be going on in that person's head and ways of reconciling yourself or of challenging the behaviour, as appropriate.

Sort of a cross between counselling, mediation and FBI profiling, like outsourcing wisdom.

I can imagine this being incredibly useful in dealing with conflict if you could have someone expert to suggest what might be going on for the other person.

I think I would be really happy to be able to access that - it could be a phone line. Maybe called 'WTF is going on here?' or 'Why do they do that?'.

Any psychologists who want to steal and monetise my excellent concept, please go right ahead. I think I may be a genius.

OP posts:
Lairyfiquid · 07/01/2023 15:29

Second guessing the intentions of others is the absolute opposite of therapy and is where madness lies.

Tiredo · 07/01/2023 15:30

Most decent therapists will help explain the psychology of others behaviours and actions towards you to better discuss how that’s affected you, it’s pretty common in most therapy.

Allelbowsandtoes · 07/01/2023 15:39

This is a bad idea, psychologists aren't there to tell you why specific people behave in the way that they do, although they could help you consider different hypotheses about people's behaviour.

ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 07/01/2023 15:58

Oh dammit. Oh well. Another top quality idea ruined by logic. I guess what I have actually invented is books and/or advice chats with friends. Curses.

OP posts:
ManyNameChanges · 07/01/2023 16:12

Well I think access to good family counselling as a matter of fact would be great @ElizabethinherGermanGarden .

Otherwise counselling for yourself

Cheap and easy to access. Plenty available.

And maybe a emergency line like the Samaritan but for family stuff rather than suicide.

planefullofotters · 07/01/2023 16:13

Lairyfiquid · 07/01/2023 15:29

Second guessing the intentions of others is the absolute opposite of therapy and is where madness lies.

Indeed. There’s nothing ethical or helpful about trying to second-guess the behaviour of people when you haven’t even seen it for yourself!

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