Do Political Conversations Belong in Therapy?

Photo Credit: Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

After what has felt like the longest political race to ever occur in America, I have been asked this question frequently enough that I think it’s time to talk about it. 

The short answer: Yes, you can. You can talk about anything you want in therapy sessions. It’s literally an entire hour dedicated to your needs. 

However...

There are some important things to consider before going down this road.

1. Is it important to you that your therapist’s political views align with your own?

If so, it’s a good idea to name this as soon as you recognize it. It’s totally reasonable to say, “Politics are important to me. I want a therapist who aligns with my political views. Where do you stand on politics?” Here’s the thing: an ethical therapist will not discriminate on the basis of political views. You will be able to see any therapist even if you have differing ideals. However, if you choose a therapist with a different political leaning despite your needs, then it will leave you and your therapist in an awkward and uncomfortable position throughout sessions. The therapist likely will have difficulty listening to you without judgment for long, and constructively challenging your experience will prove ineffective if you are not open to hearing a different viewpoint. If you want a therapist who agrees with you, it is important to name this need.

2. Are you open to discourse with a therapist who has a different perspective?

If so, then you have an opportunity to find a therapist who has differing political ideology. After all, therapists are trained in the art of conversation. In therapy, it is possible to have a discourse about opposing viewpoints without throwing our hands up in the air. Your therapist can model this for you. It will absolutely be uncomfortable, but as Anais Nin says, “The day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”  Isn’t it an exciting prospect to learn how to have those difficult conversations? If you have an open mind about understanding other people’s worldview, then your therapy will likely be incredibly nourishing because you can have your opinions and expand your perspective at the same time.

3. Be mindful that not all therapists think alike when it comes to political conversations.

Some therapists are quite private about their political opinions and believe that it’s not appropriate for therapy. Personally, I think that the era of politics being separate from our core beliefs, emotions, and behaviors is over. (To be frank, I don’t think it ever really existed.) Most people coming to therapy are experiencing distress about their thoughts, feelings, and actions, which unfortunately cannot be removed from politics in some situations. I use disclosure to support individuals who are struggling due to the recent political climate because I believe it would be unethical to avoid any subject due to my own discomfort.

This is not to say that I go out of my way to share my political views with clients or that other therapists fight really hard to keep their beliefs private. Therapists are human too, and we are also learning how to navigate through messy political conversations. The key takeaway is that it doesn’t really matter what a therapist thinks about your political views. It matters what YOU think about your political views, and what you expect from a therapist when talking about politics. If it is important to you that you agree politically with your therapist, then it is crucial to factor this in while assessing the goodness of fit between you and your therapist. The same is true for choosing a therapist who has differing ideals if you know that politics will come up in conversation frequently. In the end, counseling should be about fulfilling your needs, and in order to do that, it’s crucial to first understand and articulate your needs.

Did this blog fix all your problems? Darn. Let’s talk! I am a licensed psychotherapist in private practice and would love to meet you for a free 30 minute consultation.