Friday, October 10th marked World Mental Health Day, a global effort to shine a spotlight on emotional well-being. This focus should continue, not just on one earmarked day, but every day. I was grateful for the chance to discuss World Mental Health Day on our local morning news show, Good Day DC, both last year and this year.

I am heartened to see emotional health gaining public attention. Therapy has existed in some form since the late 1800s, but for much of that time, stigma made it difficult—or even taboo—to speak about emotional struggles openly.

The word therapy itself holds insight into its purpose. It stems from the Greek therapeuein, meaning “to minister to” or “to treat medically,” and the Latin therapeia, meaning “healing.” Together, these definitions point to the transformative potential of deliberate conversation. While the roots sound hierarchical, reflecting the field’s early structure, modern therapy is far more collaborative.

Psychotherapy as we know it began to take shape when Sigmund Freud engaged with patients suffering from unexplained physical symptoms, simply listening. Through careful curiosity and discussion, he noticed that some symptoms improved. The revolutionary idea that reflective dialogue could itself be therapeutic laid the groundwork for a field that continues to evolve into diverse, research-backed approaches aimed at fostering insight, healing, and meaningful connection.

At its best, therapy offers more than insight—it provides a rehearsal space for authentic communication. Within the therapeutic relationship, new ways of listening, speaking, and connecting take root. These shifts........

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