Therapy is Political
Neutrality is complicity. Therapy is political by nature. Therapists no longer have the luxury of being the blank slate we are taught to be in graduate school. When I was in training, I was often told that it does not matter if I have conflicting beliefs or identities with my client. I call BS. I will not spend my time, resources, and energy on people who are actively harming myself of others. I will not pretend to be silent and use the therapeutic “unconditional positive regard” to condone the ways they misuse their privilege in the world. How disingenuous of me if I were to in one session support and validate someone being currently oppressed and actively targeted by political movement in our country and in the next moment hold space for someone who actively supports that harm. True safety for myself and clients involves me exercising my integrity even if it is at the cost of my palatability and income. Politics and religion that actively harm others is not beneficial to the mental health or wellbeing of my clients and myself. I cannot support this harm by holding empathetic space.
Neutrality is not an option when so much is at stake. The work we do as therapists is not isolated from the world around us; it is intricately tied to the political, social, and cultural climate we live in. To be neutral, to remain silent, is to allow harm to continue unchecked. And in a world where the stakes are high—where people's lives are being disrupted, oppressed, and destroyed by harmful ideologies and practices—it’s unethical for me to pretend that "neutrality" is the way forward.
Some may argue that therapy is supposed to be a space for clients to explore their own beliefs, regardless of whether those beliefs align with my own. Yes, therapy is a space for exploration, for self-awareness, for growth. But there is a difference between supporting someone in their journey of self-discovery and endorsing harm that they are perpetuating. When clients walk into my office, I have a responsibility to ensure that the space is safe—not just in terms of physical comfort but emotionally and ethically safe for everyone involved. This means acknowledging the power dynamics at play and the real-world impact of harmful ideologies on the mental and emotional health of others.
To be clear, this doesn’t mean that I reject clients who hold harmful views outright. It means I cannot sit in a session and passively affirm someone’s harmful political beliefs, religious dogma, or social values when they are actively working to undermine the dignity and rights of others. It is not about rejecting individuals but about rejecting harm and upholding a standard of integrity that affirms the dignity of all people.
Therapists have an ethical obligation to advocate for the well-being of their clients, and this is where the tension lies. A therapist’s job is not just to help individuals work through their personal issues—it’s to understand how systemic oppression, societal structures, and politics affect the way we all live, love, and interact. Ignoring this reality is to deny the very real struggles that clients face every day due to political, social, and economic systems that are built to keep them marginalized.
It's also important to recognize that our work doesn't happen in a vacuum. We are not immune to the systems of oppression we critique, and while we provide a space for healing, we must also create a space for accountability. For me, this means using my position to stand against harmful practices, ideologies, and movements. To stay silent is to allow these harmful forces to continue, unchecked, while the clients we serve suffer.
It’s not always easy to draw a line. Some may even say it’s an impossible task to balance empathy with accountability. But for me, the choice is clear: I cannot be complicit. If I am to truly honor my role as a healer and advocate, I must speak out, I must act, and I must refuse to allow harmful ideologies to thrive within the space I create for my clients.
Therapy is political. Healing is political. Our well-being as individuals, communities, and a society is inseparable from the political and social movements that shape our reality. And as a therapist, I refuse to ignore that. I will stand for healing that fosters justice, equality, and genuine safety—not for neutrality that supports the status quo of harm.