From ‘What I’m Hearing You Say’ to ‘Where Do You Feel That?’ with Travis Heath

In this Therapist Confidential short, Travis Heath takes a playful (and affectionate) look at therapist language—the phrases that show up in sessions, supervision, and training rooms so often they’ve become a dialect. From “holding space” and “what I’m hearing you say is…” to “let’s sit with that” and “where do you feel that in your body,” Travis roasts the clichés many of us rely on—himself included. This mini-episode isn’t a takedown of therapy skills. It’s a reminder that cliché phrases often start as useful training wheels—slowing things down, conveying presence, and creating safety—but over time can lose flavor and drift into autopilot. In an era where clients increasingly recognize therapy-speak (thanks to social media and mental health content), Travis invites clinicians to get curious about their own language: why we say what we say, when it helps, and how repeating scripts can sometimes get in the way of real human contact. Warm, self-deprecating, and practical—this one’s for therapists, students, and anyone who’s ever heard “that makes so much sense.”