Pop Psychology in the Age of Viral Advice
Is pop psychology helping or hurting the mental health crisis?
Posted May 28, 2026 | Reviewed by Margaret Foley
Social media has transformed the way we talk about mental health. Increases in the use of social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and podcasts have helped reduce stigma , increase awareness, and encourage more people to go to therapy (Turner, Jernigan-Noesi, & Metzger, 2021). As a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 15 years of experience, I have personally seen the positive impact that technology can have in promoting mental health literacy and creating conversations that once felt taboo. When I first began using social media in 2009 to discuss psychology and mental health, very few licensed psychologists were active online. Many professionals were hesitant because of concerns about ethics , misinformation, and the challenges of translating complex psychological science into short-form content. While the landscape has changed dramatically, those concerns remain highly relevant today.
It's important to acknowledge why people look to pop psychology and online personalities for support. There are significant workforce shortages in mental health care, long waitlists, financial barriers, and a lack of provider diversity. Many individuals online are simply looking for connection, validation, and guidance wherever they can find it. That is why technology and social media can still play an important role in increasing mental health literacy and connecting people with resources. The key is transparency. A recent discussion online following Cheyenne Bryant’s appearance on the Joe Budden podcast has sparked a debate about degree, credentials, and who earns the right to use the term “doctor.” The public deserves to know whether someone is providing psychoeducation, coaching , advocacy, or licensed mental health treatment. Otherwise, we blur the lines, and the potential for harm increases.
What Is Pop Psychology?
The American Psychological Association defines popular (pop) psychology as psychological knowledge geared toward the general public. The term is often used to describe how psychological concepts are used to share information in digestible formats through books, television, blog posts, and social media. For centuries, pop psychology has existed to allow individuals to apply psychology in their everyday life. While it has existed for longer than most of us have been alive, pop psychology has been much more accessible in the age of social media. Many social media influencers and trained mental health professionals use social media platforms as a way to dismantle stigma, raise awareness about trauma , and share educational content to promote well-being.
While pop psychology has benefits, there are some cautions we all need to be mindful of. First, not all mental health information you access online or through social media is accurate. It’s important to fact-check knowledge because misinformation could be harmful. Secondly, not everyone sharing information or calling themselves an “expert” has training, credentials, or expertise relevant to the topics they are discussing through media outlets. Although pop psychology is common, my concern is when it becomes problematic because people only have access to pop psychology when they actually would benefit from professional help.
Where Pop Psychology Goes Wrong
We live in a fast-paced society, where information is easily at our fingertips. One of the greatest risks of pop psychology is that it can blur the line between education , entertainment, and actual mental health treatment. Psychology concepts are now everywhere online, but psychological language is often oversimplified, misused, or stripped of context. Terms such as “trauma,” “ narcissist ,” “ gaslighting ,” and “ boundaries ” are frequently used in ways that do not reflect their clinical meaning. While increased awareness can be beneficial, misinformation can also cause harm. Particularly when individuals position themselves as mental health experts without the education, supervised clinical training, or licensure required to treat psychological disorders. The reality is that anyone can call themselves a “psychology expert” online, yet there is no universal standard for what that title means.
Many licensed professionals have spoken out on this topic via Instagram, Threads, and other platforms. In a podcast discussion, psychologist Raquel Martin spoke with Marc Lamont Hill about the dangers of misinformation. In my opinion, pop psychology can go wrong when individuals seeking help are unable to distinguish between psychoeducation, coaching, and therapy. While coaching can be helpful for many areas of life, such as goal setting, accountability, motivation , and personal development (McKelley & Rochlen, 2007), it’s important to recognize that coaching is not therapy. Coaches do not diagnose mental health conditions, treat psychological disorders, or provide evidence-based clinical interventions designed to address symptoms such as depression , anxiety , trauma, or other mental health concerns. A few years ago, I talked about this issue on an episode of The Breakdown with Dr. Earl podcast with a life coach, Pervis Taylor. While coaching is unregulated, licensed therapists have extensive graduate education, supervised clinical experience, ongoing professional development, and licensing exams designed to protect the public. Due to regulations, licensed psychologists and mental health professionals are held accountable by licensing boards to ensure ethical and evidence-based care.
What makes this conversation about licensure particularly important is the potential for harm when vulnerable individuals receive advice from someone who lacks the expertise to recognize serious mental health concerns. Recently, I watched a TikTok video with @sunnydaejones, who openly discussed how damaging it had been to receive “mental health support” from someone who lacks the proper training. Stories like this are heartbreaking because they reinforce the barriers many communities already face when seeking care. For years, many in the Black communities have struggled with inadequate access to culturally responsive mental health services, contributing to mistrust , stigma, and reluctance to seek therapy. When misinformation spreads online, it can further erode confidence in mental health treatment altogether.
Moving Beyond Pop Psychology
Ultimately, the conversation surrounding pop psychology and psychology credentials is bigger than a social media debate. It highlights a longstanding issue in how society views psychology itself. Unlike medicine, where falsely presenting oneself as a physician would immediately raise concern, psychology is often misunderstood or dismissed as less scientific. Yet psychology is a rigorous discipline grounded in research, ethics, clinical training, and evidence-based practice. My hope is that these conversations encourage people to ask more questions, become more informed consumers of mental health information, and better understand the difference between inspiration, education, and professional psychological care.
Here are a few tips on using pop psychology as a stepping stone to supporting your well-being and mental health:
Be sure to reflect on who is providing the mental health information or advice. Not everyone who is popular or has a huge following actually has the education, expertise, and training to support your mental health. If in doubt, verify the person’s credentials. In most cases, mental health providers' credentials and their professional licenses are public information.
To find a therapist, please visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
McKelley, R. A., & Rochlen, A. B. (2007). The practice of coaching: Exploring alternatives to therapy for counseling-resistant men. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 8 (1), 53–65.
Turner, E.A., Jernigan-Noesi, M., & Metzger, I. (2021). Confronting anti-Black racism and promoting social justice: Applications through social media. In K. Cokley (Ed.). Making Black Lives Matter: Confronting anti-Black racism . Cognella.
Share this post Facebook Bluesky Linkedin Email
There was a problem adding your email address. Please try again.
By submitting your information you agree to the Psychology Today Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
Erlanger “Earl” Turner, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist, tenured associate professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, the executive director of Therapy for Black Kids, and author of Raising Resilient Black Kids .
Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today.
This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.