When a client comes into my office and says “I am struggling with [insert presenting problem], the language of my response is important—it must be ethical and realistic. My obligation is not only to treat within my scope of practice, but also to formulate a realistic, achievable, and clinically-backed treatment plan in an effort to support and assist the client in the most effective way possible. There is an important reason why we shy away from terminology like “we can cure that” or “this is the exact solution for that problem.” Using this type of language can create false hope and unreasonable expectations. One of my breakthrough moments in my own therapy was when a therapist said to me, “It is impossible to completely rid yourself of anxiety.” It was a course correction that helped me learn to be more reasonable with myself and with my expectations of the therapeutic process.

I think many in the mental health profession would bristle at sweeping promises or guarantees of treatment outcomes. Leaving politics and political loyalties aside, it is important that we view recent statements by the current Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as questionable and potentially harmful to clients with serious mental health conditions. His statement that eating a ketogenic diet rich in red meat, whole milk, and animal fats has “cured........

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