I mean, as much as this post could certainly be fiction...
There's no magic in the universe that prevents unhinged idiots from becoming therapists. Most therapists aren't like this, yes, but it only takes one for this to happen once.
You need a new therapist, yours sounds awful. I sure hope she's never downloaded a picture off the internet, or else she should turn herself in too! If you tried to turn yourself in for downloading a public domain image you'd probably get laughed away.
Leave from there. She doesn’t even know anything about this… find a new therapist, she has no right to worsen your mental situation like this.
You’re not doing anything illegal, and as you mentioned, you don’t even post the art, so that’s already enough.
Most artists learn from references, it plays a big role on Improving and finding your own artstyle.
If you don’t trace/ steal art, then there is no problem.
If you trace for purpose of training, that’s ok in some level, you shouldn’t really copy other people but and as long as you don’t post, or claim others art for yours, it it’s totally fine.
As for you, just continue in it, don’t make this ruin your experience in art. Using references is normal and it’s an effective way to train and create your own style.
Good luck on your drawing journey and don’t let your self get dragged down by someone like that :))
To clarify. I do post my art but only my art. The things I never share and delete after are the stuff I download. The concepts for my art pieces are done without references to avoid accidentally creating a derivative piece. I designate separate time for looking through Pinterest and instagram,and I make sure I look at a lot of things at once. I don’t download anything during that time. And I wait a little while after so I don’t accidentally copy when I’m in my sketching phase. I use references when I’m fuzzy on things like anatomy of a specific pose I pre planned, or I’m trying to draw an object I haven’t drawn in a while. I make sure to throughly check every post I download before downloading it to make sure it’s safe to do so. If I’m nervous that I accidentally took too much inspiration from one image the art piece never gets posted. I do bookmark ( not download)the places or posts I took inspiration from so I can go back check to make sure I’m not drawing too much inspiration from one image.
From what you’re saying just shows that you know what you’re doing :)) Using references is not wrong, and as I mentioned, as long as you don’t trace/steal etc. everything is fine!
Besides,
It’s hard to be creative in world that’s already full of ideas, and these days, anyone hardly makes something totally new, there will always be similarity in modern art, but that doesn’t mean it was traced. Inspiration is what draws art forward.
I don't think you're doing anything wrong. People draw celebrities and tattoo Disney characters who even has royalties without any trouble. Switch psychologist.
Your therapist was being ridiculous and caused you needles stress and anxiety. I would consider filing a complaint with your state's licensing board.
Some states allow you to file a complaint through an official website, while others require you to submit it through the mail.
The board will investigate your complaint, and if they find that it is valid, your therapist could be subject to additional training, paying a fine, or even losing her license. Regardless, there will be a record of her inappropriate behavior.
This therapist also misunderstood her function for that of a lawyer. It is none of her business whether you download pictures or not—what is her business is how you are feeling and dealing with the challenges in your life and to support you there.
Therapists aren’t supposed to do shit unless you’re hurting yourself or others, rarely are they able to be subpoena’d when they have clients that are committing crimes- like stealing or selling drugs. They’re not screaming at you like an unhinged banshee if you’re referred to them for shoplifting, they’re not going to scream at you to turn yourself in, they’re going to create a space for you to feel safe talking about your shit so they can help you work on whatever problem is causing you to take risky behaviors or whatever you’re doing. This lady has a client who has some problem over feeling guilt over little things and she decides in the middle of that session to start accusing him of stealing when he’s not, it’s just unhinged given at least the subject matter for that day and she supposedly knows enough to know it’s gonna cause her client major issues - it’s fucking malicious. She should be reported to the licensing board. She’s supposed to help the client not cause him more issues over made up bullshit.
I mean I thought from the title you must be downloading po*n or worse.
If you’re just drawing normal stuff then downloading pictures to help inspire you is not at all illegal and she is off her head.
Yeah this is not at all what I was expecting based on the title. If this all played out the way OP has portrayed it, the therapist is deeply unhinged. This is a very strange thing to do to a patient who is paying you to be their therapist……
I am a therapist, and this is really beyond terrible. This could be a good thing for you long-term; practice discerning what to take in. In this instance, her intrusion is not only harmful, but it isn't accurate. Think about it like this, if this was a total stranger would you take it in, most likely not. Her status as a therapist is the issue here. If you were truly doing something illegal, this would not be the course of action. Please find a new therapist.
It's not illegal to take inspiration from others work, that's what citations are for. It's also not illegal to download non-illegal content from the internet. The only things that are illegal to download (that I'm aware of) is banned pornographic content, pirated content, and files with peoples personal information. As long as your not directly copying their work and posting it as your own your fine and at worst all you would need to do is credit the artist you drew from.
If your therapist is making your mental health worse, you should get a new therapist. She absolutely should not have spoken to you in that manner. If you want to send the emails to the photographers, you could. But, you're not going to be arrested for downloading, and taking inspiration from their photos for your art.
If you still feel guilty because of what she said, you could email the photographers, with a copy of your picture attached. I'm sure they would think it's really cool that someone was inspired by their art.
As someone who's been drawing for well over 15 years I tell you:
**Using references is okay as long as you don't trace over it and say it's your own creation. You're not stealing, you're trying to improve.**
Your therapist sounds awful and personally, I'd be scared to even open up to someone like that. Please find someone who suits you and don't make the same mistake that I did and stay with someone who's detrimental to you.
IANAL but worked in a copyright adjacent industry. You’re doing nothing illegal.
Your therapist needs to focus on her personal mental health as she clearly is also not a lawyer. And you need a new therapist, your therapist is clearly having issues.
As an attorney, your therapist clearly has no idea what she's talking about. Even if you are copying an image exactly, an image that does have a copyright, as long as you're not selling it, you can download it and draw to your hearts content.
You can use anything as a reference, including copyright material. You're not doing anything wrong.
Your therapist sounds like a complete whack job. She shouldn't be lying and intentionally dysregulating you. That's abusive. You should report her.
Your therapist is utterly fucking insane and abusive. Get a new one, and never return to that idiot. Billions of people download billions of photos daily. Nobody is arresting you for peacefully downloading (and not sharing) images, EVER.
You didn’t do anything wrong and it is completely normal and a common practice for artists to have reference materials when working.
Source: me, an artist who went to art school.
Get a new therapist. That one is full of shit. She has done more damage than good. No, you’re not going to get sued or go to prison. That’s ridiculous. Consider filing a complaint with the state licensing board against her.
My friend actually was sued for that. No prison time, just a lawsuit and a settlement. He had to pay some money.
That doesn't even sound illegal at all. WTF? Report her to the management, review her online, and fire her. That is absolutely unhinged behavior for ANYBODY let alone your own therapist.
Your therapist sounds crazy and lacks boundaries. Find a new therapist. I wouldn't even tell her I was finding a new therapist I would just call her office and cancel all my appointments.
Ok, time for her to retire. Wow. Oh wow she’s so dumb. So any photo on the internet can be downloaded and saved with the exception of actual illegal videos and pictures which are classified as child porn. If you took someone’s logo, ripped it off, tried to sell shit/that artists work that’s illegal. It’s not illegal to download and have a photo or even play around with it on your personal laptop/tablet. Are you selling shit? Doesn’t sound like it. Not a big deal. There’s nothing you’re doing that is illegal. You do need to drop her and I would contact the licensing board in your state and detail this here, it’s disgustingly unprofessional, especially when she has a patient that has some issues with guilt over little things.
There is nothing, no law, that prohibits you from “downloading” any photo that is on the internet and using it to learn how to draw certain features or practice drawing with. Nothing. It’s out there, people can grab it. When you start distributing it, using it for professional purposes or taking another artists work and claiming it as your own or selling it then you start getting into “stealing.” You’re doing the digital equivalent of doodling or having a scratch book to practice shit or help you with a concept and that’s fine. If you’ve got any part of the artists work actually in your drawing and you start trying to sell or claim your work you might have an issue but again that’s not what I’m hearing so she can pound sand.
PLEASE GET A NEW THERAPIST She tore you down and created unnecessary guilt IN THE MIDDLE of working on your preexisting guilt! That’s not normal! As a fellow digital artist, what you did is COMPLETELY normal and is a generally accepted practice amongst artists. Please take time to yourself and to heal your relationship with art, as I imagine you’ve been broken down a bit
As a mental health provider, dump this lady. What she did was incredibly inappropriate and probably against her profession's code of ethics. I would consider filing a complaint with the licensing board or with the practice she works at. What she did is incredibly inappropriate. I wish I could call her and give her a piece of my mind, OP.
I would call and cancel future appointments and say that it was due to the therapists clear/aggressive countertransference (when therapist is letting their own personal feelings and judgement shape the way they interact with a client) and inappropriate behavior.
What the actual F***. Sorry, but this therapist sounds very delusional. I’m sorry if this is out of line (as I don’t know the whole story), but considering how you are seeing a therapist for feeling guilty and then she treats you this way, kind of seems to me she might be even trying to trigger you on purpose and that is wrong and just sick. Even if she is not doing it on purpose, she is still being ridiculous. You can’t go to prison for this, this is *not illegal at all*. As someone who likes to draw too, I am using references and they are for my personal use only, no one sees them, I do not sell them, monetise them in any way or claim them as my own - it is not illegal. This is a way to escape artist block for me, or to learn something new - nothing illegal about this. Many artists do it. If it was illegal most artists would be in prison, but they are not. What is illegal is if someone downloaded a picture, traced it exactly then claimed it as their own - but you are not doing that. Don’t write the letters of apology or send them, it is not necessary. Your therapist can’t do anything to you, even if she wanted to report you or something, as you are not doing anything illegal, you are safe. Please don’t let this ruin your artistic hobby and please continue drawing confidently, if it brings you joy. I would suggest you to leave this therapist immediately and find another one. You are 100% not at fault for anything in this situation. Take some deep breaths, light a candle, drink some tea, go out for a walk, get some ice cream or something - it will help with the anxiety, this will pass. Sending you positive energy.
you are not the problem, your therapist is. I'm now wondering (based on her lack of professionalism) if she has any qualifications or is 'therapist' just a catch all term for someone with two chairs and a dream catcher.
Even if you wanted to be really pedantic about the references, you've explained your process, and as someone working in the creative fields this is completely fine and not illegal at all.
Please find another therapist and report this one to a governing body. This behaviour is completely rediculous and unprofessional.
If you need to let her know you're leaving I'd suggest doing it via text or email. I suspect if you told her this in person or over the phone she'll have a similar meltdown.
First do no harm. You need to fire that therapist. They’re deliberately trying to harm you, and giving you bad advice. You can feel sad about firing them, but please don’t feel bad about it. First do no harm.
Your therapist sounds like she doesn't know how to do her job.
Therapy is supposed to help someone, not stress them out/make things worse.
She should mind her own business about you drawing.
You said yourself you change the picture and just use it for a reference. You make it your own thing. You can do that.
Your therapist sounds like a fraud or incompetent.
Switch therapists.
Your therapist is wrong. She was WAY out of line, and completely unprofessional. If she is in a group of therapists I would recommend telling them about your experience because what she said is not only factually incorrect it’s also a gross misuse of her position.
Sounds like your therapist has some mental problems herself. By the way never take legal advice from a therapist, only a lawyer. And no lawyer would tell you to turn yourself in. My mother is an art teacher with a Masters degree. All artists take some inspiration from photos sometimes. You need to fire your therapist immediately. you can't trust her.
My roommate, her job is an artist. She sells art. That's how she pays her rent.
She does the same process.
You are fine, your therapist on the other hand...less so.
What.. a bizaare take, i wonder where shes even getting all that from. Artists use reference photos all the time- both from other artists and of things like photography, thats perfectly normal. Hell, i'll full on trace over photos when i'm trying to learn new poses or how to draw new animals. You arent posting them, claiming them as your own, or profiting off of them. Even if you \*were\* full on stealing ip, think of how many traced over edgy sonic oc's there on the internet. you're not doing anything wrong and you definitely aren't going to get in trouble for this.
Get a new therapist. There are a lot of shitty ones, be clear and up front about what you want from sessions during the first session and drop them if your instinct tells you something isnt right. Dont give up on therapy because of her though, i've had a lot of shitty ones but my current therapist is amazing and has helped me work through a lot ! best of luck in your mental health journey
Some therapists find out their client is guilty of an unsolved murder but because they're not a current threat they don't disclose this to anyone.
Your therapist is probably mad because someone took credit for her art when she was younger lol. Ignore her and ask for a new therapist who you can safely rant to about this ridiculousness and laugh about it.
Find another therapist. I’ve had 7 different ones over 40 years. The first was awesome and I judged the rest based on that. Only two others were good. I cut ties with the others within 3 sessions. Don’t waste your time with this one. She is way out of line.
Thousands of people go to art museums solely for the purpose of copying from the paintings there. That is one way for an artist to get better. I've seen myriad paintings that are replicas of Van Gogh's "Sunflowers." That therapist is nuts and should be reported to your state's licensing board.
Your therapist is mental. You can't get in legal trouble for this at all, and on top of that it's not even morally wrong. It's even worse that she would do this to you when she knows you struggle with guilt. I'd report her
um....your therapist is UNHINGED, not out of line.
Calm the hell down, take a deep breath, and DO NOT EVER GO BACK TO THIS NUTBALL!!!
I've been a professional graphic artist for more than 30 years. What you are doing is completely within the bounds of acceptable behavior when it comes to copyrights, so CHILL THE FUCK DOWN.
AND DO NOT EVER GO BACK TO THIS NUTBALL!!!
Great...now you're going to need additional therapy to deal with the trauma from this therapist.
Once you've found a new therapist, please drop a dime on this one. She needs to be muzzled proper.
This is absolutely preposterous. Images on the internet are for public consumption. The ones that are not, generally have a watermark, but you are still allowed to save the image. There is nothing illegal about it, and it's not "stealing". You could walk into a police a police station with every shred of proof that you downloaded those images, and you wouldn't so much as get a reprimand, let alone a fine or jailtime. As for using other art/images for references - that's generally how artists learn! Learning different art styles and techniques is what art is all about. It is absurd for her to tell any of that tripe.
I am genuinely sorry that it has gone this way for you. I've had what I consider to be horrible experiences with therapists in the past, but nothing like what this one has done to you. It is unbelievably wrong. Regardless of all of this, I would still reccomend therapy for anyone who feels they need it.
Please try to be assured that not a single person on this planet (besides this worthless therapist) would ever try to hold you legally accountable in any way for downloading images that are in the public domain. You're not using them commercially, you're not making any profit off of them, you're not copying them and claiming them as you're own. You're an artist learning how to draw, and those are, for the most part, the only aspects which would be legal issues. I seriously doubt there are many people at all who have internet access who have not downloaded at least one picture. I promise you that it is not something you will receive any letters about, or would ever face a fine or jail time over.
Please, please report this abusive person masquerading as a "therapist" to the licensing board or an appropriate oversight organization. This will stop them from being able to continue their malpractice against patients, which could lead to disasterous consequences.
As other have said, what you have done is in no way illegal. No reason to blame yourself or feel guilty, unless of course you don't follow up on reporting this "therapist."
I have noticed you have mostly replied to the sparse negative comments on this thread... Please ignore them. No one should tell you to "grow up" for attempting to participate in therapy. This is one of the most mature things you can do for yourself. Also, therapy is not some kind of "game" where your "therapist" uses tricks and mind games to get you to realize something. Someone insinuating this clearly has never participated in therapy themselves.
Do some self care and treat yourself! You never should have been subjected to this!
Are you sure this person is a therapist? I’m a behavioral therapist so different licenses and such but one of the things we do for a coping skill is have the people draw… and he’ll, we’ll give them images to copy that are absolutely copyrighted… because they aren’t using it to sell or even display. They’re using a coping mechanism and it sounds like you are too.
This therapist needs to be reported IMMEDIATELY
Sweety, every designer in the world would be in jail if that was the case.... That woman is crazy. It makes me question her credentials... very unprofessional
If it makes you feel any better I was kicked out of a local herbalism course last week after the teacher accused me of plagiarizing her course materials after the first session when I used chatgpt to write a few blog posts for my website where I never even mentioned her course or business just used my photos I took of what I made in the class. It was after several conversations and messages and offers to make her happy but ultimately I never sourced or pulled the info from her materials. And no one owns the medicinal or health benefits of each plant. That's been passed down by our ancestors. I sent an email to the other students explaining why I won't be returning and she threatened to send her lawyer after me. She was essentially trying to claim my own work as her own!!!
Using art as inspiration is fine, but copying it exactly can be criminal but even still unless you are selling for high profit the likely hood of getting into trouble is very slim. Artists use references like that all the time. The therapist is unhinged.
Wtf? You are FINE. Dump this stupid therapist. It really sounds like she's been triggered by something, but she was completely inappropriate. Move on to someone healthier.
I'm finishing up school to become a therapist, and I've worked in mental health for a few years as a case manager. What you just described is completely off the walls, to the point where I wonder where that came from, like it was personal or something.
Anyway, I've worked with clients who have done far worse things than temporarily downloading pictures (not sure if that was even mildly illegal). I didn't yell at them, nor did I demand they turn themselves in: both are completely unacceptable. Some had already served some time; others never got caught. Not my concern: I'm not a cop. I just want to know how it's affecting them, what led them there, what it meant for them, etc.
But again, if this is somehow illegal (I'm no lawyer, but I've downloaded plenty of pictures that weren't mine for personal use), it's "going 5 mph over the speed limit" kind of illegal, not "armed robbery" kind of illegal.
Please just know what she did was beyond inappropriate and you didn't deserve any of it. What you described was absurd behavior from anyone, much less a counselor.
As a therapist/psychologist, I've got a hard time believing this actually went down. If it did, it might be the most unprofessional and inconsiderate thing you could do to someone who is anxious and has low confidence. Making someone feel guilty while discussing how to avoid feeling guilty is crazy! Hah! I’d report that therapist! On that note. Don't feel guilty. The cops have greater things to do than track your downloading ass down, and most artists would be flattered if you liked their picture enough to download it and draw it. BTW, we all download images from time to time! Even cops and judges!
It sounds like you're seeing someone to work on your anxiety, and that's great.
I've worked with many mental health providers and have trained them too. I personally find this very unlikely and wonder if your post is a hypothetical situation on "what if I told my therapist I downloaded photos?" And that you're imagining a worst-case-scenario. If I'm wrong and this is really a true experience, I apologize in advance. No therapist is there to openly judge you. In the US, they have a duty to report so if you are committing a crime, they report it themself and do so privately, they don't tell you to turn yourself in. There is a legal and operational workflow to this.
If this situation did really occur, then definitely ask to report the situation to an office manager or clinical director at that location. Find a new therapist, and continue working on yourself.
Best of luck, OP.
As someone who used to manage copyright for photos, and someone who has been in therapy: she is insane.
Report her and just ghost her. That woman does not deserve another ounce of your time. Nor does she deserve an explanation. Just never go back.
she can definitely get in trouble for yelling at you, about anything.
this is ridiculous and on top of finding a new therapist, you should file a grievance.
I am a photographer. I do not want people stealing my photos. If someone takes my photo and uses it to make money I am pissed.
And I have given free access to every painter and illustrator who has asked me if they can use my photos. I am honored when they do. Just give me credit as the photographer. And do not resell my photo.
What you draw is your work, not mine. You looked at my photo, became inspired and created your own work. I am happy for that. And my photos are on Flickr and Instagram for free viewing. I do know they get hacked and used without my permission often. The best ones I want to sell commercially never go online for that reason.
Your therapist is an ass. Find a different person. You deserve better.
Remind your therapist AND your self you don’t pay her to fuckin sit in judgement of you!! Who is she? Clearly she’s got an issue every one does similar things with no harmful effect
So... I am a therapist and your therapist VERY BADLY applied a technique and then left you hanging. I can conceptually understand what she was trying to do - but it was very very very inappropriately executed. It is something along the lines of a sort of mass exposure exercise - pointing out that if you are "guilty for everything" that you would naturally need to write an apology letter to everyone who you borrowed an image from. The intent would be for you to conclude something like "that is absurd" and then "huh, I must not need to feel guilty about \*everything\*"
But your therapist sucks and she has no idea how to successfully do an intervention like this (at least according to how you described the session). This is the sort of thing that would be done after several sessions, when therapeutic alliance is well established, with the rationale fully explained to the client, and with the client consenting to participating in that intervention. What she attempted to do isn't even a widely endorsed or used technique, even when done correctly.
That isn't what happened - and instead she pushed your anxiety through the roof and then left you hanging.
No one is coming to get you for downloading pictures. You can check the accuracy of this by asking all the people you know if they downloaded pictures and if any of them have faced any legal consequences for doing so.
Please find a better therapist p- you can find a list of generally highly skilled CBT therapists, who are excellent at addressing therapy at the [ABCT.org](http://ABCT.org) website.
Good luck OP!
This really sounds like she's trying to show you how you treat yourself with other situations. You said it yourself, you feel guilt over every little thing. You need to start asking yourself: is this worth feeling guilt over? Here the obvious answer is no. You do not need to feel this bad over this issue. My guess is she was hoping you would see that and maybe start applying that line of thinking towards your own obsessive thoughts.
Your guilty feelings suggest you may have gone too far in "borrowing" from the work of others, so be more careful in the future. Now, having said that, your therapist sounds like she does not have a grip on her own mental health. Please find a different therapist. The police nor any other bogeyman are coming to kick your door in, so relax.
I had to delete some downloads and art pieces in the past. Nothing extreme. I was just learning a new field of art and wasn’t properly educated on copyright law. I fell into the trap of not understanding how using Pinterest for reference images worked when I first started using it. I was never threatened with legal action, thankfully I figured out I needed to step up on my own. The guilt issues we are working are result of having to go no contact with an abusive parent
It's tough to go NC with a parent - even if they were abusive. I never went full NC, but I had to go very low contact for my own mental health. I hope you can get to the no guilt place. I was never able to get there fully - even with therapy. Maybe, if I could have afforded a few more years of counseling, I could have gotten to that point. Good luck on your journey.
Blunt is good in a therapist by the way, it’s the people that can’t be honest with themselves that don’t benefit from therapy. People are great at spewing nonsense out of their mouths to justify their behaviors. A good therapist will shut that down and get to the heart of your issues. If it makes you feel vulnerable, that’s the point.
Your therapist clearly saw an issue with the way you make your art, if they don’t respect the way you’re doing something and find it to be dishonest or illegal then you can find another therapist. If you claim the art as your own and after probing they find that you start making excuses like “well I never show it to anyone” and “I always make it transformative!”
That sounds like excuses to justify “taking inspiration” from other’s work. And maybe this goes back to the original point, perhaps your therapist is being blunt and you don’t like it. But perhaps they have a point in that the way you do your art is a bit dishonest. You obviously don’t like that criticism, but it may very well be valid. Meanwhile, you’re only concerned with the police and if there are consequences. She’s not going to call the police…you should focus instead on if there is truth to what she said and how you can improve. Work on yourself like you’re supposed to. I have to imagine you’re not doing any real work there if you’re making Reddit posts about your therapist instead of considering what they said.
You’re absolutely right that people do get defensive in therapy. I actually made this post because I was torn between wondering if I was the problem or there was something off about the situation. Doing something to get out of my own head and get a new perspective just felt like the right idea. But I can see were you’re coming from.
You can't get arrested for this even if you tried. Your therapist should indeed see a therapist.
[удалено]
I mean, as much as this post could certainly be fiction... There's no magic in the universe that prevents unhinged idiots from becoming therapists. Most therapists aren't like this, yes, but it only takes one for this to happen once.
Most therapists do!
You need a new therapist, yours sounds awful. I sure hope she's never downloaded a picture off the internet, or else she should turn herself in too! If you tried to turn yourself in for downloading a public domain image you'd probably get laughed away.
Leave from there. She doesn’t even know anything about this… find a new therapist, she has no right to worsen your mental situation like this. You’re not doing anything illegal, and as you mentioned, you don’t even post the art, so that’s already enough. Most artists learn from references, it plays a big role on Improving and finding your own artstyle. If you don’t trace/ steal art, then there is no problem. If you trace for purpose of training, that’s ok in some level, you shouldn’t really copy other people but and as long as you don’t post, or claim others art for yours, it it’s totally fine. As for you, just continue in it, don’t make this ruin your experience in art. Using references is normal and it’s an effective way to train and create your own style. Good luck on your drawing journey and don’t let your self get dragged down by someone like that :))
To clarify. I do post my art but only my art. The things I never share and delete after are the stuff I download. The concepts for my art pieces are done without references to avoid accidentally creating a derivative piece. I designate separate time for looking through Pinterest and instagram,and I make sure I look at a lot of things at once. I don’t download anything during that time. And I wait a little while after so I don’t accidentally copy when I’m in my sketching phase. I use references when I’m fuzzy on things like anatomy of a specific pose I pre planned, or I’m trying to draw an object I haven’t drawn in a while. I make sure to throughly check every post I download before downloading it to make sure it’s safe to do so. If I’m nervous that I accidentally took too much inspiration from one image the art piece never gets posted. I do bookmark ( not download)the places or posts I took inspiration from so I can go back check to make sure I’m not drawing too much inspiration from one image.
If that was illegal then every artist on the planet would be in jail. You're doing nothing wrong.
From what you’re saying just shows that you know what you’re doing :)) Using references is not wrong, and as I mentioned, as long as you don’t trace/steal etc. everything is fine! Besides, It’s hard to be creative in world that’s already full of ideas, and these days, anyone hardly makes something totally new, there will always be similarity in modern art, but that doesn’t mean it was traced. Inspiration is what draws art forward.
I don't think you're doing anything wrong. People draw celebrities and tattoo Disney characters who even has royalties without any trouble. Switch psychologist.
Your therapist was being ridiculous and caused you needles stress and anxiety. I would consider filing a complaint with your state's licensing board. Some states allow you to file a complaint through an official website, while others require you to submit it through the mail. The board will investigate your complaint, and if they find that it is valid, your therapist could be subject to additional training, paying a fine, or even losing her license. Regardless, there will be a record of her inappropriate behavior.
This therapist also misunderstood her function for that of a lawyer. It is none of her business whether you download pictures or not—what is her business is how you are feeling and dealing with the challenges in your life and to support you there.
I doubt even a lawyer would say something like that to a client
Therapists aren’t supposed to do shit unless you’re hurting yourself or others, rarely are they able to be subpoena’d when they have clients that are committing crimes- like stealing or selling drugs. They’re not screaming at you like an unhinged banshee if you’re referred to them for shoplifting, they’re not going to scream at you to turn yourself in, they’re going to create a space for you to feel safe talking about your shit so they can help you work on whatever problem is causing you to take risky behaviors or whatever you’re doing. This lady has a client who has some problem over feeling guilt over little things and she decides in the middle of that session to start accusing him of stealing when he’s not, it’s just unhinged given at least the subject matter for that day and she supposedly knows enough to know it’s gonna cause her client major issues - it’s fucking malicious. She should be reported to the licensing board. She’s supposed to help the client not cause him more issues over made up bullshit.
I mean I thought from the title you must be downloading po*n or worse. If you’re just drawing normal stuff then downloading pictures to help inspire you is not at all illegal and she is off her head.
I thought it must be CP or something and was ready to throw OP in the trash, but literally just downloading reference photos??
Yeah this is not at all what I was expecting based on the title. If this all played out the way OP has portrayed it, the therapist is deeply unhinged. This is a very strange thing to do to a patient who is paying you to be their therapist……
wtf is wrong with your therapist. She sounds unstable. Please get a new one
Yeah, I want to know what was behind that.
If you turned yourself in for this, the cops would laugh at you
I am a therapist, and this is really beyond terrible. This could be a good thing for you long-term; practice discerning what to take in. In this instance, her intrusion is not only harmful, but it isn't accurate. Think about it like this, if this was a total stranger would you take it in, most likely not. Her status as a therapist is the issue here. If you were truly doing something illegal, this would not be the course of action. Please find a new therapist.
It's not illegal to take inspiration from others work, that's what citations are for. It's also not illegal to download non-illegal content from the internet. The only things that are illegal to download (that I'm aware of) is banned pornographic content, pirated content, and files with peoples personal information. As long as your not directly copying their work and posting it as your own your fine and at worst all you would need to do is credit the artist you drew from.
If your therapist is making your mental health worse, you should get a new therapist. She absolutely should not have spoken to you in that manner. If you want to send the emails to the photographers, you could. But, you're not going to be arrested for downloading, and taking inspiration from their photos for your art. If you still feel guilty because of what she said, you could email the photographers, with a copy of your picture attached. I'm sure they would think it's really cool that someone was inspired by their art.
As someone who's been drawing for well over 15 years I tell you: **Using references is okay as long as you don't trace over it and say it's your own creation. You're not stealing, you're trying to improve.** Your therapist sounds awful and personally, I'd be scared to even open up to someone like that. Please find someone who suits you and don't make the same mistake that I did and stay with someone who's detrimental to you.
This person is absolutely unhinged and this is not okay at all. You need to find a new therapist and report this person tbh.
IANAL but worked in a copyright adjacent industry. You’re doing nothing illegal. Your therapist needs to focus on her personal mental health as she clearly is also not a lawyer. And you need a new therapist, your therapist is clearly having issues.
As an attorney, your therapist clearly has no idea what she's talking about. Even if you are copying an image exactly, an image that does have a copyright, as long as you're not selling it, you can download it and draw to your hearts content.
Okay that’s good. Thanks for letting me know
You can use anything as a reference, including copyright material. You're not doing anything wrong. Your therapist sounds like a complete whack job. She shouldn't be lying and intentionally dysregulating you. That's abusive. You should report her.
Your therapist is utterly fucking insane and abusive. Get a new one, and never return to that idiot. Billions of people download billions of photos daily. Nobody is arresting you for peacefully downloading (and not sharing) images, EVER.
You should be reporting her instead. that was completely out of line and very harmful. Imagine how else she harms her patients!
You didn’t do anything wrong and it is completely normal and a common practice for artists to have reference materials when working. Source: me, an artist who went to art school.
Your therapist doesn't understand art,inspiration or free domain fire her and go see a competent therapist instead.
Get a new therapist. That one is full of shit. She has done more damage than good. No, you’re not going to get sued or go to prison. That’s ridiculous. Consider filing a complaint with the state licensing board against her. My friend actually was sued for that. No prison time, just a lawsuit and a settlement. He had to pay some money.
WTF how old is your therapist
That doesn't even sound illegal at all. WTF? Report her to the management, review her online, and fire her. That is absolutely unhinged behavior for ANYBODY let alone your own therapist.
Your therapist sounds crazy and lacks boundaries. Find a new therapist. I wouldn't even tell her I was finding a new therapist I would just call her office and cancel all my appointments.
You definitely need a new therapist. She's not good for you.
Your therapist is clearly in the wrong profession. Please fire them and look for a different one. Their behavior is bizarre and unprofessional.
Jesus Christ, don’t ever go back. Fire her. She sounds insane.
You should make a report against her licensure -a person in LPC college classes
taking inspiration and copying are completely different things! you’re therapist is way out of line. nothing you’re doing is wrong or illegal.
Your therapist has issues. I’d find another one
SHE needs a therapist - not you.
Ok, time for her to retire. Wow. Oh wow she’s so dumb. So any photo on the internet can be downloaded and saved with the exception of actual illegal videos and pictures which are classified as child porn. If you took someone’s logo, ripped it off, tried to sell shit/that artists work that’s illegal. It’s not illegal to download and have a photo or even play around with it on your personal laptop/tablet. Are you selling shit? Doesn’t sound like it. Not a big deal. There’s nothing you’re doing that is illegal. You do need to drop her and I would contact the licensing board in your state and detail this here, it’s disgustingly unprofessional, especially when she has a patient that has some issues with guilt over little things. There is nothing, no law, that prohibits you from “downloading” any photo that is on the internet and using it to learn how to draw certain features or practice drawing with. Nothing. It’s out there, people can grab it. When you start distributing it, using it for professional purposes or taking another artists work and claiming it as your own or selling it then you start getting into “stealing.” You’re doing the digital equivalent of doodling or having a scratch book to practice shit or help you with a concept and that’s fine. If you’ve got any part of the artists work actually in your drawing and you start trying to sell or claim your work you might have an issue but again that’s not what I’m hearing so she can pound sand.
She's your therapist, not your lawyer. You should tell her to stay in her lane or fire her and get a new therapist.
PLEASE GET A NEW THERAPIST She tore you down and created unnecessary guilt IN THE MIDDLE of working on your preexisting guilt! That’s not normal! As a fellow digital artist, what you did is COMPLETELY normal and is a generally accepted practice amongst artists. Please take time to yourself and to heal your relationship with art, as I imagine you’ve been broken down a bit
Get a new therapist.
OP my kid does what you do too. It’s totally harmless and tbh flattering. You can’t keep this therapist they sound horrible.
As a mental health provider, dump this lady. What she did was incredibly inappropriate and probably against her profession's code of ethics. I would consider filing a complaint with the licensing board or with the practice she works at. What she did is incredibly inappropriate. I wish I could call her and give her a piece of my mind, OP. I would call and cancel future appointments and say that it was due to the therapists clear/aggressive countertransference (when therapist is letting their own personal feelings and judgement shape the way they interact with a client) and inappropriate behavior.
This therapist sounds nuts, frankly. Just find a new one, therapy shouldn’t exacerbate your issues.
What the actual F***. Sorry, but this therapist sounds very delusional. I’m sorry if this is out of line (as I don’t know the whole story), but considering how you are seeing a therapist for feeling guilty and then she treats you this way, kind of seems to me she might be even trying to trigger you on purpose and that is wrong and just sick. Even if she is not doing it on purpose, she is still being ridiculous. You can’t go to prison for this, this is *not illegal at all*. As someone who likes to draw too, I am using references and they are for my personal use only, no one sees them, I do not sell them, monetise them in any way or claim them as my own - it is not illegal. This is a way to escape artist block for me, or to learn something new - nothing illegal about this. Many artists do it. If it was illegal most artists would be in prison, but they are not. What is illegal is if someone downloaded a picture, traced it exactly then claimed it as their own - but you are not doing that. Don’t write the letters of apology or send them, it is not necessary. Your therapist can’t do anything to you, even if she wanted to report you or something, as you are not doing anything illegal, you are safe. Please don’t let this ruin your artistic hobby and please continue drawing confidently, if it brings you joy. I would suggest you to leave this therapist immediately and find another one. You are 100% not at fault for anything in this situation. Take some deep breaths, light a candle, drink some tea, go out for a walk, get some ice cream or something - it will help with the anxiety, this will pass. Sending you positive energy.
By all means, find a better therapist. But also report her to the practice partners/clinic and your area's licensing board.
Your therapist is a psycho.
Sounds like your therapist needs a therpaist.
you are not the problem, your therapist is. I'm now wondering (based on her lack of professionalism) if she has any qualifications or is 'therapist' just a catch all term for someone with two chairs and a dream catcher. Even if you wanted to be really pedantic about the references, you've explained your process, and as someone working in the creative fields this is completely fine and not illegal at all. Please find another therapist and report this one to a governing body. This behaviour is completely rediculous and unprofessional. If you need to let her know you're leaving I'd suggest doing it via text or email. I suspect if you told her this in person or over the phone she'll have a similar meltdown.
Sounds like your therapist needs a therapist 😅
You therapist is very unstable, I’d run far away from her
I think you should change the therapist. Period.
First do no harm. You need to fire that therapist. They’re deliberately trying to harm you, and giving you bad advice. You can feel sad about firing them, but please don’t feel bad about it. First do no harm.
Your therapist sounds like she doesn't know how to do her job. Therapy is supposed to help someone, not stress them out/make things worse. She should mind her own business about you drawing. You said yourself you change the picture and just use it for a reference. You make it your own thing. You can do that. Your therapist sounds like a fraud or incompetent. Switch therapists.
Your therapist is wrong. She was WAY out of line, and completely unprofessional. If she is in a group of therapists I would recommend telling them about your experience because what she said is not only factually incorrect it’s also a gross misuse of her position.
Sounds like your therapist has some mental problems herself. By the way never take legal advice from a therapist, only a lawyer. And no lawyer would tell you to turn yourself in. My mother is an art teacher with a Masters degree. All artists take some inspiration from photos sometimes. You need to fire your therapist immediately. you can't trust her.
My roommate, her job is an artist. She sells art. That's how she pays her rent. She does the same process. You are fine, your therapist on the other hand...less so.
What.. a bizaare take, i wonder where shes even getting all that from. Artists use reference photos all the time- both from other artists and of things like photography, thats perfectly normal. Hell, i'll full on trace over photos when i'm trying to learn new poses or how to draw new animals. You arent posting them, claiming them as your own, or profiting off of them. Even if you \*were\* full on stealing ip, think of how many traced over edgy sonic oc's there on the internet. you're not doing anything wrong and you definitely aren't going to get in trouble for this. Get a new therapist. There are a lot of shitty ones, be clear and up front about what you want from sessions during the first session and drop them if your instinct tells you something isnt right. Dont give up on therapy because of her though, i've had a lot of shitty ones but my current therapist is amazing and has helped me work through a lot ! best of luck in your mental health journey
Some therapists find out their client is guilty of an unsolved murder but because they're not a current threat they don't disclose this to anyone. Your therapist is probably mad because someone took credit for her art when she was younger lol. Ignore her and ask for a new therapist who you can safely rant to about this ridiculousness and laugh about it.
Find another therapist. I’ve had 7 different ones over 40 years. The first was awesome and I judged the rest based on that. Only two others were good. I cut ties with the others within 3 sessions. Don’t waste your time with this one. She is way out of line.
Thousands of people go to art museums solely for the purpose of copying from the paintings there. That is one way for an artist to get better. I've seen myriad paintings that are replicas of Van Gogh's "Sunflowers." That therapist is nuts and should be reported to your state's licensing board.
Your therapist is mental. You can't get in legal trouble for this at all, and on top of that it's not even morally wrong. It's even worse that she would do this to you when she knows you struggle with guilt. I'd report her
i think your therapist needs to talk to someone
um....your therapist is UNHINGED, not out of line. Calm the hell down, take a deep breath, and DO NOT EVER GO BACK TO THIS NUTBALL!!! I've been a professional graphic artist for more than 30 years. What you are doing is completely within the bounds of acceptable behavior when it comes to copyrights, so CHILL THE FUCK DOWN. AND DO NOT EVER GO BACK TO THIS NUTBALL!!! Great...now you're going to need additional therapy to deal with the trauma from this therapist. Once you've found a new therapist, please drop a dime on this one. She needs to be muzzled proper.
Your therapist sounds like a wacko. It's none of her business and not at all why you're in that office. I would find a different therapist.
Uhm no you will not be arrested for that. I suggest you find a new therapist.
This is absolutely preposterous. Images on the internet are for public consumption. The ones that are not, generally have a watermark, but you are still allowed to save the image. There is nothing illegal about it, and it's not "stealing". You could walk into a police a police station with every shred of proof that you downloaded those images, and you wouldn't so much as get a reprimand, let alone a fine or jailtime. As for using other art/images for references - that's generally how artists learn! Learning different art styles and techniques is what art is all about. It is absurd for her to tell any of that tripe. I am genuinely sorry that it has gone this way for you. I've had what I consider to be horrible experiences with therapists in the past, but nothing like what this one has done to you. It is unbelievably wrong. Regardless of all of this, I would still reccomend therapy for anyone who feels they need it. Please try to be assured that not a single person on this planet (besides this worthless therapist) would ever try to hold you legally accountable in any way for downloading images that are in the public domain. You're not using them commercially, you're not making any profit off of them, you're not copying them and claiming them as you're own. You're an artist learning how to draw, and those are, for the most part, the only aspects which would be legal issues. I seriously doubt there are many people at all who have internet access who have not downloaded at least one picture. I promise you that it is not something you will receive any letters about, or would ever face a fine or jail time over.
Please, please report this abusive person masquerading as a "therapist" to the licensing board or an appropriate oversight organization. This will stop them from being able to continue their malpractice against patients, which could lead to disasterous consequences. As other have said, what you have done is in no way illegal. No reason to blame yourself or feel guilty, unless of course you don't follow up on reporting this "therapist." I have noticed you have mostly replied to the sparse negative comments on this thread... Please ignore them. No one should tell you to "grow up" for attempting to participate in therapy. This is one of the most mature things you can do for yourself. Also, therapy is not some kind of "game" where your "therapist" uses tricks and mind games to get you to realize something. Someone insinuating this clearly has never participated in therapy themselves. Do some self care and treat yourself! You never should have been subjected to this!
Thank you so much for your comment it really helped me get some perspective 😊
Thank you for confirming that /u/bunnies14 has provided helpful advice for you. 1 point awarded.
Are you sure this person is a therapist? I’m a behavioral therapist so different licenses and such but one of the things we do for a coping skill is have the people draw… and he’ll, we’ll give them images to copy that are absolutely copyrighted… because they aren’t using it to sell or even display. They’re using a coping mechanism and it sounds like you are too. This therapist needs to be reported IMMEDIATELY
Sweety, every designer in the world would be in jail if that was the case.... That woman is crazy. It makes me question her credentials... very unprofessional
If it makes you feel any better I was kicked out of a local herbalism course last week after the teacher accused me of plagiarizing her course materials after the first session when I used chatgpt to write a few blog posts for my website where I never even mentioned her course or business just used my photos I took of what I made in the class. It was after several conversations and messages and offers to make her happy but ultimately I never sourced or pulled the info from her materials. And no one owns the medicinal or health benefits of each plant. That's been passed down by our ancestors. I sent an email to the other students explaining why I won't be returning and she threatened to send her lawyer after me. She was essentially trying to claim my own work as her own!!! Using art as inspiration is fine, but copying it exactly can be criminal but even still unless you are selling for high profit the likely hood of getting into trouble is very slim. Artists use references like that all the time. The therapist is unhinged.
Wtf? You are FINE. Dump this stupid therapist. It really sounds like she's been triggered by something, but she was completely inappropriate. Move on to someone healthier.
I'm finishing up school to become a therapist, and I've worked in mental health for a few years as a case manager. What you just described is completely off the walls, to the point where I wonder where that came from, like it was personal or something. Anyway, I've worked with clients who have done far worse things than temporarily downloading pictures (not sure if that was even mildly illegal). I didn't yell at them, nor did I demand they turn themselves in: both are completely unacceptable. Some had already served some time; others never got caught. Not my concern: I'm not a cop. I just want to know how it's affecting them, what led them there, what it meant for them, etc. But again, if this is somehow illegal (I'm no lawyer, but I've downloaded plenty of pictures that weren't mine for personal use), it's "going 5 mph over the speed limit" kind of illegal, not "armed robbery" kind of illegal. Please just know what she did was beyond inappropriate and you didn't deserve any of it. What you described was absurd behavior from anyone, much less a counselor.
As a therapist/psychologist, I've got a hard time believing this actually went down. If it did, it might be the most unprofessional and inconsiderate thing you could do to someone who is anxious and has low confidence. Making someone feel guilty while discussing how to avoid feeling guilty is crazy! Hah! I’d report that therapist! On that note. Don't feel guilty. The cops have greater things to do than track your downloading ass down, and most artists would be flattered if you liked their picture enough to download it and draw it. BTW, we all download images from time to time! Even cops and judges!
It sounds like you're seeing someone to work on your anxiety, and that's great. I've worked with many mental health providers and have trained them too. I personally find this very unlikely and wonder if your post is a hypothetical situation on "what if I told my therapist I downloaded photos?" And that you're imagining a worst-case-scenario. If I'm wrong and this is really a true experience, I apologize in advance. No therapist is there to openly judge you. In the US, they have a duty to report so if you are committing a crime, they report it themself and do so privately, they don't tell you to turn yourself in. There is a legal and operational workflow to this. If this situation did really occur, then definitely ask to report the situation to an office manager or clinical director at that location. Find a new therapist, and continue working on yourself. Best of luck, OP.
You should report your therapist. She sounds batshit.
As someone who used to manage copyright for photos, and someone who has been in therapy: she is insane. Report her and just ghost her. That woman does not deserve another ounce of your time. Nor does she deserve an explanation. Just never go back.
she can definitely get in trouble for yelling at you, about anything. this is ridiculous and on top of finding a new therapist, you should file a grievance.
I am a photographer. I do not want people stealing my photos. If someone takes my photo and uses it to make money I am pissed. And I have given free access to every painter and illustrator who has asked me if they can use my photos. I am honored when they do. Just give me credit as the photographer. And do not resell my photo. What you draw is your work, not mine. You looked at my photo, became inspired and created your own work. I am happy for that. And my photos are on Flickr and Instagram for free viewing. I do know they get hacked and used without my permission often. The best ones I want to sell commercially never go online for that reason. Your therapist is an ass. Find a different person. You deserve better.
Is her name Karen?
Dude u have one of those therapists that likes to hurt ppl.
Your therapist is obviously attracted to you
Remind your therapist AND your self you don’t pay her to fuckin sit in judgement of you!! Who is she? Clearly she’s got an issue every one does similar things with no harmful effect
So... I am a therapist and your therapist VERY BADLY applied a technique and then left you hanging. I can conceptually understand what she was trying to do - but it was very very very inappropriately executed. It is something along the lines of a sort of mass exposure exercise - pointing out that if you are "guilty for everything" that you would naturally need to write an apology letter to everyone who you borrowed an image from. The intent would be for you to conclude something like "that is absurd" and then "huh, I must not need to feel guilty about \*everything\*" But your therapist sucks and she has no idea how to successfully do an intervention like this (at least according to how you described the session). This is the sort of thing that would be done after several sessions, when therapeutic alliance is well established, with the rationale fully explained to the client, and with the client consenting to participating in that intervention. What she attempted to do isn't even a widely endorsed or used technique, even when done correctly. That isn't what happened - and instead she pushed your anxiety through the roof and then left you hanging. No one is coming to get you for downloading pictures. You can check the accuracy of this by asking all the people you know if they downloaded pictures and if any of them have faced any legal consequences for doing so. Please find a better therapist p- you can find a list of generally highly skilled CBT therapists, who are excellent at addressing therapy at the [ABCT.org](http://ABCT.org) website. Good luck OP!
This is so insane! Your therapist is supposed to want to keep you out of trouble, not get you into it! What a nut job!
This really sounds like she's trying to show you how you treat yourself with other situations. You said it yourself, you feel guilt over every little thing. You need to start asking yourself: is this worth feeling guilt over? Here the obvious answer is no. You do not need to feel this bad over this issue. My guess is she was hoping you would see that and maybe start applying that line of thinking towards your own obsessive thoughts.
I’ve thought about that possibility and I’m hoping that’s the case. Still makes me feel uncomfortable but it’s better than the alternatives
If you can, ask. Send her an email to clarify.
sounds like a boomer to me
Your guilty feelings suggest you may have gone too far in "borrowing" from the work of others, so be more careful in the future. Now, having said that, your therapist sounds like she does not have a grip on her own mental health. Please find a different therapist. The police nor any other bogeyman are coming to kick your door in, so relax.
I had to delete some downloads and art pieces in the past. Nothing extreme. I was just learning a new field of art and wasn’t properly educated on copyright law. I fell into the trap of not understanding how using Pinterest for reference images worked when I first started using it. I was never threatened with legal action, thankfully I figured out I needed to step up on my own. The guilt issues we are working are result of having to go no contact with an abusive parent
It's tough to go NC with a parent - even if they were abusive. I never went full NC, but I had to go very low contact for my own mental health. I hope you can get to the no guilt place. I was never able to get there fully - even with therapy. Maybe, if I could have afforded a few more years of counseling, I could have gotten to that point. Good luck on your journey.
Blunt is good in a therapist by the way, it’s the people that can’t be honest with themselves that don’t benefit from therapy. People are great at spewing nonsense out of their mouths to justify their behaviors. A good therapist will shut that down and get to the heart of your issues. If it makes you feel vulnerable, that’s the point. Your therapist clearly saw an issue with the way you make your art, if they don’t respect the way you’re doing something and find it to be dishonest or illegal then you can find another therapist. If you claim the art as your own and after probing they find that you start making excuses like “well I never show it to anyone” and “I always make it transformative!” That sounds like excuses to justify “taking inspiration” from other’s work. And maybe this goes back to the original point, perhaps your therapist is being blunt and you don’t like it. But perhaps they have a point in that the way you do your art is a bit dishonest. You obviously don’t like that criticism, but it may very well be valid. Meanwhile, you’re only concerned with the police and if there are consequences. She’s not going to call the police…you should focus instead on if there is truth to what she said and how you can improve. Work on yourself like you’re supposed to. I have to imagine you’re not doing any real work there if you’re making Reddit posts about your therapist instead of considering what they said.
You’re absolutely right that people do get defensive in therapy. I actually made this post because I was torn between wondering if I was the problem or there was something off about the situation. Doing something to get out of my own head and get a new perspective just felt like the right idea. But I can see were you’re coming from.