Therapist and mental health advocate Raquel Hopkins is making waves with her bold critique of the modern mental health industry.
Hopkins has called out the industry for normalized victimization rather than encouraging true healing and growth.
In a recent Instagram post and video, Hopkins challenged the widespread notion that emotional validation alone is enough.
“Validation isn’t supposed to be the final destination. It’s meant to be the starting point for growth,”she said.
Hopkins believes that while therapy has done a great job of raising awareness about struggles such as trauma and systemic barriers, it has also created a culture where people feel more comfortable identifying with struggle than overcoming it.
When Does Validation Become a Crutch?
In her viral video, Hopkins addressed a growing issue in therapy culture—the idea that recognizing struggles is enough, without taking steps toward resilience.
“Healing isn’t about removing every trigger. It’s about building the capacity to navigate life without crumbling,”she shared.
She questioned whether society has prioritized victimhood over empowerment, making people fear challenge and discomfort instead of embracing them as catalysts for personal development.
Hopkins also called out the way systemic barriers, gender roles, and trauma narratives can sometimes trap people in a cycle of helplessness, rather than fostering strength and independence. Citing herself as an example, she said:
“I’m Black, so I already know there are systemic barriers. But when did your entire existence become a reaction to oppression? Strength isn’t about proving your worth through suffering—it’s about knowing when to stop performing and start demanding.”
Resilience Over Avoidance
Hopkins’ message struck a nerve, sparking discussion in the comment section of her post about the need for therapy and self-care to focus on building resilience, rather than simply offering safe spaces.
“If you only feel safe in controlled environments, you haven’t healed—you’ve just rearranged your world to avoid discomfort,”she added.
