A recent study found that a one-week social media reduction among young adults led to decreases in anxiety (16.1%), depression (24.8%), and insomnia (14.5%) symptoms. For the most part, I view social media as an unnecessary evil, and getting off it was one inspiration for this newsletter.

But…

Once in a while, a viral trend goes more than screen-deep and brings humanity to our feeds. The recent “in your 20s…” trend (second story below) is a reminder of the warm bodies on the other side of the scroll and the moments that give our lives meaning.

That’s something we’d do well to remember as we chart the murky waters of AI agents (first story below). Learning from what came before, we as therapists are well-positioned to guide a more mindful adoption for ourselves and our clients.

Here’s to you in your 20s…potentially social media-free and contemplating becoming a therapist 🧐

With care,
Enid

📬 [email protected]

The battle for provenance between OpenAI, Gemini, etcetera continues to escalate. Competition may fuel ingenuity, but it’s also a perfect set up for user-baiting and pushing out products that aren’t ready. New research shows that 13.1% of U.S. youth—about 5.4 million teens—use generative AI for mental-health advice. Last month, a well-reported New York Times piece uncovered nearly 50 cases of people having mental health crises during conversations with ChatGPT. Nine were hospitalized; three died. One factor: desire to drive user engagement caused a premature model launch. OpenAI’s response, in part, has been to integrate a crisis helpline prompt into their services. It leaves much to be desired (as does their age prediction model). I highly recommend reading the Times article and Therapist Brief’s take on the crisis line, here.

Clients—especially teens—are already consulting AI for emotional regulation, validation, and anonymity. This raises questions about dependency, accuracy, and crisis ethics. Rather than wholly denouncing AI, therapists would do well to understand it’s benefits and shortcomings, and to explore its role in our clients’ lives.

AI is an imperfect psychological first responder, but we’ll inevitably see it in that role regardless. As providers, it’s a reality we can’t ignore.

“In your 20s there will be a dog. It’s very important that you get that dog.” Try not to feel something as you watch a furry best friend change someone’s life forever. That’s one example of the viral “in your 20s…” trend on socials that’s spawned riffs that are everything from heartwarming to snarky, as people share life changing moments big and small. 

The end of the year breeds nostalgia and reflection, and this viral version is as heartwarming as TikTok trends can be. It invites reflection on the moments that we realize only in retrospect changed our life for good.

Things in the rear-view mirror are much more impactful than they appear at the time. This is a rare example of a TikTok trend I think does belong in the therapy room.

“I got a true glimpse of my inner soul.” That’s what one creator wrote of their YouTube Recap, a new Spotify-style review that YouTube just launched along with its overall report of 2025 trends. There are the predictable hits—Squid Game, Labubu, Charlie Kirk, KPop Demon Hunters, Roblox UGC, and Joe Rogan—but also the occasional wildcard. This year’s surprise: Connie Francis’ 1962 “Pretty Little Baby” went from unknown to viral, giving the 87-year-old the flash of much-delayed fame.

With 2.7 billion monthly active users, including around 84% of adults in the US, YouTube’s Recap acts like a mirror—sometimes flattering, sometimes not—reflecting desires, cultural identities, and the emotional self-soothing rituals clients might not articulate out loud. What we see? Dystopian spectacle, maximalist cuteness, culture warriors, and hyper-fantasy.

YouTube didn’t just recap your year, it reflected your psyche and priorities back to you. It’s not just entertainment—it’s autobiography, mood board, and unconscious diary all at once.

This newsletter is free, ad-free, and sponsor-free ✌️ but when I see something that could be useful, I’d like to share.

The Insight Timer App recently launched a Therapist Hub that allows providers to access and curate free resources in 50 languages. Full disclosure: I just started my therapist account—so no endorsement or review of it yet, but it looks promising. If you’d like to give it a try, you can sign up and build your profile here.

In next week’s issue, we’ll look at men written by women and men reading women. Stay tuned for a psychotherapeutic look at the High Lord of the Night Court and “performative males” drinking matcha.

As always, my inbox is open. Have feedback, and idea to share, or want to collab? [email protected].