Therapist's 'Run the Dishwasher Twice' Advice Goes Viral

A simple statement about kitchen appliances changed one woman's life and is now resonating with millions struggling through hard times.

Kate Scott was in therapy, barely able to get out of bed most days. When her therapist asked what felt overwhelming, she almost didn't answer because it seemed too trivial compared to her depression.

"The dishes," she finally admitted. She couldn't bring herself to scrub them before loading the dishwasher because her dishwasher didn't clean well enough.

His response? "Run the dishwasher twice."

Scott started to protest that you're not supposed to do that. But her therapist stopped her with words that would later help countless others: "Why the hell aren't you supposed to? Rules do not exist."

That day, Scott went home and ran her dishwasher three times without pre-scrubbing. She describes it as conquering a dragon.

The next day, she took a shower lying down. A few days later, she put her laundry wherever it fit instead of organizing it perfectly. The arbitrary rules she'd been following suddenly didn't matter anymore.

Licensed Professional Counselor Danielle Wunker shared Scott's story on Facebook, where it struck a chord with people everywhere. Thousands commented about their own "dishes" and the invisible rules keeping them stuck.

Why This Inspires

The therapist's advice taps into a powerful psychological principle: motivation often follows behavior, not the other way around. Taking one small step, even an "imperfect" one, can jumpstart your reward system and rebuild healthy routines.

For anyone who has stared at a three-minute task and thought "I can't," this lesson offers permission to do things differently. The laundry doesn't need to be sorted perfectly. The shower doesn't need to be taken standing up. The dishes don't need pre-scrubbing.

Scott notes that now, in a healthier place, she does things the "proper" way again. But when living felt like a struggle instead of a blessing, letting go of those made-up rules became the bridge from barely surviving to functioning again.

Sometimes the smallest adjustments create the biggest breakthroughs, and sometimes breaking your own rules is the most revolutionary act of self-care.