Our company has a therapist • Hacker News Board

Post by Tenhundfeld » Tue, May 05, 2015, 5:41 PM UTC

Tenhundfeld wrote: post #27

penprogg wrote: post #6

I would never go to a company therapist. Go out and pay for one yourself. There is a clear conflict of interest for the therapist and while they may seem to be nice it's not worth the risk.

I disagree. It depends on many factors. There've been numerous times in my life, and in the lives of close friends, where having a few sessions with a therapist could have been beneficial. But the situation didn't seem extreme enough to go through the hassle of finding a decent therapist and making an appointment – probably for weeks in the future with a good one. Sure, I could be proactive and find one before I need…

BTW, I don't mean to disparage the general idea of a life coach. I know some people who have used them with highly positive effects. They can be a more affordable way to get impartial feedback and help accomplishing goals, like the mental equivalent of getting a trainer to help with physical health.

It's just that I wouldn't be too concerned about the possible conflict of interest with a healthcare professional where I am officially a patient and have HIPAA protections. However, I would be concerned about possible motives and conflict of interest with a company-provided life coach, who is not necessarily bound by any privacy rules.