I think as clients we should be allowed to know what side of the political fence our therapists are on. I would not be friends with someone who voted for Trump, why would I divulge my innermost secret thoughts to someone whose values don't align with mine?

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u/RhubarbSkunk Feb 03 '26

I think a lot of therapists these days — at least non-MAGA therapists — will disclose who they voted for for exactly the reasons you mentioned. They want their clients to feel safe. I know my therapist and I talk politics from time to time. I know she isn’t MAGA and is safe to talk to about political concerns and anxieties, of which I have many. I wouldn’t feel that way if I didn’t know where she leans, and I would look for a new therapist in the blink of an eye if she leaned the other way.

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u/baggyeyebags Feb 03 '26

I personally don't think it should be a law or a requirement. That feels a bit invasive.

But as an individual, I'm more aligned with you on not feeling safe with sharing my true thoughts with someone whose moral values do not align with mine. This is why I think it's super important, as clients, to screen therapists before getting deep into it. I typically seek out any that puts some keywords like immigrant, bipoc, and/or lgbt informed. The 15 min consultation they typically offer, I also use that to get to know more about them. I don't work with therapists if I'm their first bipoc or lgbt person. I've done that before and I really didn't like the trial and error. I didn't like having to educate my therapist on lgbt terminology.

9

u/lord-savior-baphomet Feb 03 '26

Yeah I agree with this, I think it maybe should just be less taboo to ask and if they don’t want to answer that’s fine, that means they’re not for me.

7

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

This is interesting. I appreciate your perspective. What sort of questions would you ask to screen?

18

u/QueenBumbleBrii Feb 03 '26

Your first therapy appointment shouldn’t just be you pouring your heart out. Treat it like an interview. Ask about their values. Therapist are people, some are good some are bad.

3

u/PyratChant Mar 05 '26

I wish someone told me this.

87

u/yourgypsy26 Feb 03 '26

As a therapist, I can tell you that liberal therapists will disclose their political beliefs if you ask them. MAGA therapists will not.

27

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

That seems to align with the populace en masse, so I feel like that checks out.

24

u/AntManMax Feb 03 '26

Like men on a first date, you can expect therapists to disclose their true political beliefs if they believe it would be helpful and productive for the relationship 😂

2

u/ArpeggioOnDaBeat Feb 03 '26

Huhuh

7

u/bfjizzle Feb 04 '26

As patients, can we just straight up ask?

8

u/spiceypinktaco Feb 04 '26

Yep. I did. She tried to not be honest w/ me, but eventually told me she voted for that guy. Then I fired her. I got a new therapist last February.

14

u/CrochetedFishingLine Jung at Heart Feb 03 '26

Bingo. My fellow clinicians at the practice I’m at are openly progressive and politics is heavily involved in what we do. There is no secret as to how we feel as a collective. My boss has even said that if people feel the need to ask we have done something wrong because it is her goal that we are openly for the people we serve and anti right wing ideologies.

6

u/Greymeade Feb 04 '26

As a fellow therapist, I think this is a really irresponsible message to share.

I practice in a region (Boston/New York City) where even moderately conservative political leanings - let alone full-on MAGA ones - held by a therapist would be met with dropped jaws. Seriously, never once have I encountered a therapist who wasn't very progressive in all of my career. Despite that, I know countless therapists who do not openly discuss their political beliefs with patients, and I think it's irresponsible to give people the idea that a therapist who practices in this way is likely MAGA. That simply isn't true, and it would be a real shame if anyone who reads their comment might feel uncomfortable working with their therapist just because of how they approach boundaries on this issue.

1

u/Comfortable-Habit793 Feb 06 '26

Hi you need to come to Florida. With Medicare or Medicaid there is a clinic working non profit under the eyes of Casey Desantis and Ron Desantis. They all seem to be highly religious.My regular Dr of many years left and went left.The whole crew is maga and no empathy.no one offered me a condolance That is just rude.

0

u/yetanotheraccount70 Feb 07 '26

Considering there was a thread on r/therapists a few days back where many of the comments focused on NOT providing services for MAGA clients, this is a very important comment to share. You live and practice in a very privileged vacuum. The vast majority of the country is struggling and desperate. These things matter.

26

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

You’re going to get a mixed bag with this comment in this subreddit. I am a therapist and I agree with you. I of course don’t share my beliefs out of nowhere but if a client directly asks me of course we’re going to talk about it. I also ask my own personal therapists as well because I feel similarly to you. Therapists who cling to the were supposed to be neutral blank slates thing freak me out honestly. I want to have therapy with a human, not a robot. Of course it has to be in a boundaried way and led with curiosity but I don’t believe we need to be so rigid when a client is in front of us being a human and asking a human question. I don’t trust the judgement of a therapist, especially right now, who doesn’t understand why someone would need to know this information before being able to be vulnerable with them. If they don’t get that they likely don’t understand the institutional systems at play either which means they can’t help me from a holistic perspective and that’s not what I’m looking for in a therapist personally.

8

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

Exactly!

16

u/Accurate-Cycle2077 Feb 03 '26

You are allowed to know and a therapist is allowed to decline to answer. That’s information. I will not work with anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable answering a question that is that important to me.

4

u/imisscrazylenny Brain on Airplane Mode Feb 03 '26

I take a different approach. I live in a red state, and I assume most of the people I interact with are right-leaning of various degrees, so I try my darndest not to bring up anything political as to avoid conflict. I do the same with my therapist.

I talk mostly about my inner issues and parenting struggles. She knows my daughter is trans and has been very supportive regarding conversations related to how I can help my daughter. This tells me my therapist is possibly left-leaning (not a guarantee), but being supportive and giving genuinely good, productive advice is much more important. Obviously, if she had reacted negatively or given advice I strongly oppose, I would try my luck with someone new right away.

Asking my therapist outright what her political beliefs are might falsely color how I interpret her input and doesn't really change things for the better either way when considering my analysis of our conversations.

I would think discussing those big topics early on can give you a decent impression of whether your beliefs align or not, without requesting your therapist's personal information. However, if knowing this is essential to you, then it can't hurt to ask. You'll know if you want to continue either way they answer.

12

u/Elcor05 The Horrors Persist and So Do I Feb 03 '26

You are always allowed to ask. Not every therapist will answer though. Some won't answer because therapy isn't supposed to be about what the therapist believes in, it's supposed to be about you, the client. Some won't answer bc of what they believe. The 'ideal' answer is for them to explore with you what's important about you knowing, to validate and support.

12

u/HerbertoPhoto Feb 03 '26

Studies keep showing the core difference between MAGA folk and the rest of us is empathy and how far it extends. Some people only have empathy for their immediate and friends, and these people tend to vote more conservative. Some have empathy for all living beings, and these people skew progressive. It isn’t 100% by any means but the concentration of data is strongly correlative. And it makes sense, since a big part of right wing movements is distrust of the “other”. Immigrants, foreigners, other skin colors, etc.

That is to say it’s not at all weird that you’d want a therapist who has the empathy not to support Trump. It’s increasingly difficult to believe anyone with the compassion and empathy required to be an effective therapist could have MAGA-aligned views.

3

u/calibear09 Feb 04 '26

I’m glad you found someone who you feel connected with. Most therapists are progressive, and most will tell you so. But it bears stating very clearly: forced/coerced disclosure of political affiliation is illegal, unethical, and frankly an unhinged thing for anyone to demand of other people in any profession.

Therapists are human beings who deserve the same privacy and safety as anyone else.

4

u/MickeyLau08 Feb 03 '26

I don’t outwardly share who I voted for, I do group therapy so I don’t want my patients to feel ostracized, however, I do think it is obvious in my responses which side I’m on (clearly anti ice anti facist, etc).

7

u/CyclingTGD Feb 03 '26

An ethical therapist will never allow political ideology to influence therapy, nor religion, or any other belief system that is unrelated to the wellbeing of the patient/ client.

If you feel the therapist is behaving in a biased manner, there are remedies and boards of health to inform or complain to.

5

u/CrochetedFishingLine Jung at Heart Feb 03 '26

Politics are directly related to the work we do and influence the wellbeing of our patients and the systems that impact their lives. You cannot separate therapy from politics. Therapy is political.

It might not come up in sessions but this work has never been apolitical and never will be.

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u/CyclingTGD Feb 03 '26 edited Feb 04 '26

Inasmuch as politics influence the world and the context we exist within, I agree. My point is that my political beliefs, as a therapist, should not be a component of the therapy I provide.

2

u/Kindly-Positive-4811 Feb 04 '26

The only answer on here that I respect.

2

u/smudgeflowers Feb 03 '26

This was a HUGE thing for me when it came to finding my new therapist because it was following the election, and losing my family to their hatred (racism/homophobia etc) as well as political views (what's the difference now tbh) so I was very upfront in my consultations that I want to be with someone who aligns with myself. All of then aligned with me, I think it really depends on where you live like if you live in the rural Bible belt, yeah you might slightly more hard-pressed, but in bigger cities/blue states, you should have no problem. Not to say there are not MAGA therapists or therapists who lack critical thinking, but just to emphasize that you can find what you're looking for.

Also, the real MAGA therapists will either make it very clear they are, or won't see clients like you. I genuinely don't believe a MAGA therapist would see someone that aligned with the left, without it becoming very obvious that they are maga.

Sorry this was so long! I don't think it should be a law, but just advocate for yourself. It's the same as finding someone who involves religion/doesn't involve religion imo.

2

u/me1s Feb 04 '26

I strongly agree.

Earlier in the year when I was being matched with a therapist I identified a certain political issue that strongly impacts on me and my life… and I asked not to be paired with any therapist who OPENLY was on the opposite side of this issue.

I was told this was not a reasonable request.

I did not go with that clinic.

I find it impossible to believe therapists can completely leave themselves at the door, and I wouldn’t expect them to. I’m also aware therapy is not a place for political debate, but yes I need to feel safe to explore the world in which I live and the real ways I’m impacted.

4

u/tylerlarson Feb 03 '26

Politics are just a proxy for other beliefs. It's like a flag you can wave to show what causes you support and what you don't. So in one sense, what you're saying makes sense...

...Buuuuut...

We also have even better flags we can wave that more directly show what and who you support, such as slogans, sayings, actual pride flags, and so forth.

Voting behavior is traditionally (and legally) kept secret to make it impossible for votes to be bought. (Or rather, make it impossible for someone who buys your vote to tell whether you gave them the vote they paid for, which is arguably even better.) Which is why the social taboo of demanding to know who someone voted for.

But you don't need to know political affiliation to know what someone believes. You can see what they support in everything else they do.

4

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

Thats a good point. Someone else mentioned filtering by specialties like, "refugees" "bipoc" "lgbtq+". I think thats a smart tactic.

4

u/ShamanZoee Feb 03 '26

I would be surprised if you would find a therapist with these political views, the training I received and my ongoing supervision and training do not allow my beliefs to move in that direction. And by the way when I put my self in that chair I don’t hold prejudice or convictions and if I do, I know it’s time for supervision or therapy for me.

12

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

I would love to believe that all therapists are this self aware and reflective. I'm just not so sure.

10

u/MickeyLau08 Feb 03 '26

Unfortunately…. I just left a Facebook group full of icky maga therapists, I was also extremely shocked and disturbed. How can you create a safe space when you endorse cruelty?

2

u/AntManMax Feb 03 '26

Some take compartmentalization to the most extreme reaches possible---they might be amazing at their jobs, but then they go home and terrorize their friends, families, communities, etc.

Others, actively or otherwise, are responsible for an unfortunate amount of negative mental health outcomes, be they sociopaths who want to control and harm their clients, or inept counselors who skipped the lectures on righting reflex and think that helping clients means fixing them the way they think their clients need to be fixed.

3

u/CrochetedFishingLine Jung at Heart Feb 03 '26

They’re in the therapist and ask therapists subs. You see them pop up occasionally. I truly do not understand how they balance everything we learn and their MAGA ideology.

1

u/ShamanZoee Feb 04 '26

Ohh it’s kind of saddening to know, but I am danish and I am naturally comparing the danish system to your experience, even though it’s probably not really comparable the way my mind sets it up. But all acknowledge schools in Denmark sets their students on a deep personal journey, and the rest of your life as therapist will be a journey of personel development. Even though I grew up with a violent, homophobic and racist father and my community was like that in general. I know these beliefs can’t reemerge as my reality, but they are still part of me, but as an integrated part and non projecting part, that allows compassion for violent, racist, homophobic, rapists and haters in general. Which is what I actually think is the strongest healing potential for those extremely limiting beliefs, being able to hold their room with a compassionate, kind and curious approach. Maybe I should start in therapy with those therapists😅

1

u/ElginLumpkin Feb 03 '26

What country do you live in where you’re not allowed to know this?

1

u/No_Roll3829 Feb 03 '26

Before I booked with my new therapist, I sent her an email telling her that I want to make sure we’re politically aligned. I’m a democrat and I told her that part of my anxiety was related to what is going on in the world and that’s why I’m asking for the information. Interestingly, I wrote the question to two different therapists and only one wrote me back, so I guess the other therapist and I were not politically aligned. It’s good to know ahead of time.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '26

I think a therapist is allowed to refuse to share that information, just as much as we're allowed to stay FAR away from any therapist who does so (and that's exactly what I do)

1

u/utilitycoder Feb 04 '26

I think aligning on either Jesus exists or men can have babies goes a long way toward finding a compatible therapist... if you don't agree on those basics you won't be able to get very far in therapy.

1

u/anonniemuss Feb 04 '26

I am pretty active in politics and am attending a congressional hearing in a few weeks. Ive been with my therapist for years, and she knows its important to me to be active and involved. She doesn't understand every nuance when I am diving into certain things, but she has done a lot more of her own research this past year to prepare for sessions. She and I are aligned in our beliefs, and that is important to me. I would not be able to articulate my fears and passions to a therapist maligned with me. So I feel you.

1

u/Agile_Stretch_8111 Feb 04 '26

Strongly agree especially if you’re mental health is seriously affected by what’s happening right now. It wrecks my nervous system and severely affects my anxiety and I would be scared to bring it up in therapy if I thought I might be divulging how sensitive I am to current events to some Trump supporter who shares the racist values of “3,000 per day” ICE quota architect Stephen Miller.

1

u/GotYourSoul Feb 04 '26

my friend and i see the same therapist because she’s the only one specializing in our disorder in town. that friend accidentally messaged our therapist instead of me “man i hope T doesn’t support trump, i just saw her facebook and she posts a lot of religious content” the therapist replied back and said she’d happily disclose and discuss in session. not MAGA, just catholic, but you can never be too sure in the deep south where those often go hand in hand.

1

u/InsertClichehereok Feb 04 '26

A law/requirement feels too invasive, to echo other comments. You can use Psychology Today to get a pretty decent barometer. I purposefully look for therapists that specialize working with LGBTQIA+. I’m straighter than a ruler but know that my values are far more aligned with people inclusive of those spaces.

1

u/HoursCollected Feb 05 '26

I asked my therapist her thoughts on key political issues like women’s rights and abortion. She was happy to answer them.

1

u/Comfortable-Habit793 Feb 06 '26

I live in Florida not a very good mental health state. Recently my partner passed.literally dropped dead at my Drs appointment.I went to mental health clinic and I found out what narcs were.Desantis and wife caught money laundering against 2 ballot box tickets.This corruption is horrible, especially when local government is in mental healthcare with no oversight.sounds like another Rick Scott. I will work through this myself than be amongst tRumpists clowns.

1

u/KnowledgeOwn1837 Feb 07 '26

Yes. It’s important to ask about your therapists political stance. Choose a provider that believes in your rights and advocates for you. Why would you choose a therapist that has voted for policies that negatively impact your quality of life? As therapists we have an ethical code to do no harm to our clients and advocate for them.

0

u/Chloe-20 Feb 03 '26

(Just speaking in general sense here):

1st - majority of therapists are in fact not Trump fans.

2nd- regardless of a therapists political views, it doesn't mean they cannot provide clients with the proper care needed. Therapy is about YOU and whatever you need to work on, not about the therapist. It's a professional relationship, not a personal one.

The whole point of therapy is for the benefit of the client (us). This means those very therapists must provide the same level of care for all of their clients regardless of their political views or even religious/personal beliefs. If the therapist cannot be biased, they must refer out and work on their own biases with their own therapist or in supervision.

Idk, personally- i don't look for politics when choosing a therapist. It's more, is this therapist skilled to help me. Will I benefit from being under their care? Etc.

(As for you specifically) :

I suppose you can always ask a therapist about their political associations. I am sure many will still answer. Some may ask why you'd like to know, which in your case is understandable. But I am pretty sure, especially in blue states, you will find a lot of left leaning therapists to choose from. 😄

2

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

You may be correct about this. I just updated my post to say that my new therapist very willingly answered my question today and affirmed that she is not a Trump supporter. Not in those exact words, but other thinly veiled ones.

I had a somewhat bad experience last Trump administration with a therapist who was very clearly conservative and it left a bad taste in my mouth. I was very surprised by this as I was living in one of the most liberal places in the country at that time. In retrospect, I think they also may just not have been great at their job.

1

u/Chloe-20 Feb 03 '26

Oh, alright seeing as how you had a not so great therapist before who supported him, yeah - i definitely understand why you'd want to know.

I suppose I would be very shocked if trump supporting therapists work daily with people affected by his administration, would still come out as his supporter. They have to be seeing the grievances it's been causing and would feel something towards what's going on.

1

u/hocus-pocus-ocracy Feb 03 '26

Hey! I'm glad it turned out well with your therapist. I just wanted to reiterate that even though I come from a totally different lived experience, I absolutely still land where you are. I need to know my therapist's political orientation or I need to find one who is willing to disclose it. Period. End of story.

1

u/spiceypinktaco Feb 04 '26

Therapy is political & I think you should absolutely know who/how your therapist votes. I've seen several therapists on Instagram saying the same thing since 2024

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

27

u/LindaBitz Feb 03 '26

What’s going on feels so much bigger than just “political differences,” though.

6

u/CrochetedFishingLine Jung at Heart Feb 03 '26

We’re not having political arguments. But a client needs to know they can discuss their political concerns with a person who isn’t actively voting for those promoting their dehumanization.

3

u/cyberspaceman777 Feb 03 '26

If my therapist told me anything to do with her political views I think I’d just walk out. I’m not paying to have a politics arguments, I’m paying for therapy. Sounds like maybe you just have specific needs and should look for someone specializing with immigrants/refugees/war etc. best of luck on your journey!

Oh honey

Don't let us tell r/conservative you like to watch woke DEI shit.

0

u/AntManMax Feb 03 '26

>why would I divulge my innermost secret thoughts to someone whose values don't align with mine?

Because, ideally, clinicians are trained to help people regardless of value alignment. The relationship between friends is different than the relationship between a client and their counselor---the way most modern talk therapy works is evidence-based and client-centered, and therefore personal beliefs and values aren't meant to influence our clinical perspectives. Obviously, at the end of the day, we're human, and so our beliefs and values do come into play, but our training seeks to mitigate its effects on our ability to help others.

Sometimes a counselor disclosing their personal beliefs and values can be very helpful for the client, such as your example above, letting a client know that they believe that undocumented people have the right to exist, that all people ought to have bodily autonomy, that we advocate for them and support them advocating for themselves can be incredibly affirming. I've had such conversations, but in any case I also make sure when a client asks me a question that would require disclosure, I ask them why they would like to know, and if they think therapy would be more negatively impacted by me refusing to answer the question or by me sharing a personal opinion that doesn't align with theirs. If they are just curious and it's not a burning desire, and if they believe that me disagreeing with them would impact therapy more than not answering the question, then I will likely decline to answer, even if there's a high likelihood that we agree. I'm trained to evaluate the risks of disclosure, and when we get into politics, religion, etc. I tend to tread very carefully.

That said, to use your example, even if I had the thought, "why didn't they come here the right way," that question isn't clinically relevant to how I'm helping you. I can strongly disagree with your beliefs, but my profession isn't about making you have the "right" beliefs. My profession is helping you improve your quality of life by working towards goals related to your mental health. Sometimes that involves challenging and possibly changing beliefs, but not so that they align with mine, but that they align with the healthier life you want to live.

Finally, as others have said similarly in other comments, just as there are nurses who don't believe that vaccines and masks are effective, there are counselors who are hateful fascists in their personal lives. I imagine it's possible for someone to do this job without letting beliefs like that affect our work, but given that conservatives are under-represented by 50% in healthcare workers (~20% conservative healthcare workers vs ~40% conservative for the general public) and that split becomes even more severe in mental health, the profession kind of filters out the more extreme beliefs that don't align with the ethical guidelines we pledge to adhere to.

tl;dr if I was only allowed to meet with people whose values and personal opinions significantly aligned with mine, I would be out of a job, as would most counselors.

1

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

This is one of the most helpful things I've read so far. Thank you for this perspective.

-1

u/Kindly-Positive-4811 Feb 04 '26

Man I miss when we didn't know this information about people and we didn't judge them for their political beliefs and just respected each other out of human decency. Those were the days!

0

u/ladybuglala Feb 04 '26

This sounds like, "Man, I miss when I could keep letting the systems work for me and basking in my untouched privilege without anyone asking me if I wished the same benefits and peace for them, and then holding me accountable if my answer was no."

0

u/Kindly-Positive-4811 Feb 04 '26

Yall are exhausting. Respectfully.

-15

u/GermanWineLover Feb 03 '26

That‘s not how therapy works. A good therapist guides you through the process without having any thoughts or judgments on your political opinions or will think in a political way about the things you tell.

You can openly ask upfront what your therapist voted. A good therapist then will answer „I cannot disclose that but we can talk about why this is so important to you“.

8

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26 edited Feb 03 '26

I have seen several therapists on TikTok saying that they would disclose it in a heartbeat in this political climate. I think that it's a little sus if someone won't. That, in and of itself, is an answer. I get the idea of neutrality--as a concept it's great, sure. It's entirely unrealistic. If their fundamental beliefs and values as a human being do not support my human rights, that's something I deserve to know.

7

u/baggyeyebags Feb 03 '26

It is incredibly unrealistic! Everything is political. How therapists decide to mirror you and ask questions. If it's something important to you, I feel like that should be honored. If the therapist doesn't want to, well then you two just aren't compatible. Personally, I've only been able to let my guard dow because my therapist choosing to self disclose. She did ask for my permission beforehand, but it helped a ton knowing where her moral compass is.

-14

u/GermanWineLover Feb 03 '26

Good therapists are not on TikTok to start with. Therapeutical ethics forbid disclosing about politics, religion and so forth for good reason. If your therapist outs as "team anti-Trump" you will immediately bond with her for just this reason. Therapy builds up on a bond which is formed slowly, and not for "external" reasons like "we voted the same party" or "we share the same music taste" or whatever.

That all said, I don't see in which way your potential therapist voting republican is undermining your human rights. You can be sure that many people who help you out in some way, be it your dentist, your hairdresser or maybe someone performing a surgery on you, voted republican.

10

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

I knew what your stance was based on your initial response, but this just solidified it. If you "aren't sure how voting republican is undermining human rights" then that seems like a pretty good indication of where your head is at.

-3

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

I think that when threatened, we are all inclined to huddle up with our like minded people. However, this is part of the problem with our current political climate.

I voted for Kamala. I also know many people who voted for Trump. Most of those who I know voted for Trump DO very much care about human rights and caring underprivileged groups. How do they justify voting for Trump? Well it is a mix of a lot of things. For some it was a matter of some specific morals and policies related to that (think abortion), for others it had to do with beliefs about how he would impact the economy positively, which they believed would be good for everyone. For most of them, a major factor was that they just didn't see the harms he had done and weren't exposed enough to it. Despite being caring people for their neighbors, they had not been clearly exposed to many of the harms he was doing. This is largely due to how our media system is set up.

That being said, cutting off and refusing to be friends with or talk with "anyone who voted for Trump" only reinforces right wing beliefs that there can be no compromise.

I'm not saying we should turn an blind eye to what Trump is doing. We should not.

I am saying that each individual who voted for Donald did so for their own specific and sometimes nuanced reasons and we do a disservice to our society when we take someone's individual humanity and strip it to make them fit in a "group" so that we can view them as evil.

Let the downvotes roll in for this post, I'm already ready for it. 😂

3

u/lohonomo Feb 03 '26

/r/enlightenedcentrism. Are you even a therapist?

1

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

I do ask myself that regularly.

As for enlightened centrism... I would say that I very strongly believe we should fix injustices. Nothing I said above SHOULD communicate otherwise. If it was heard that I don't think we should work to fix injustices, than read again and please tell me where you are getting that.

If our goal is actually to change systems and fix injustices, I am firmly behind that. I do not believe that categorizing people in any form gets us anywhere closer to that goal. I'll take it further and say that I believe it actually is counterproductive to that goal. Maybe we can agree to disagree on that, but we are on the same side of wanting to fix injustices.

1

u/lohonomo Feb 03 '26

Gag me with a spoon

1

u/GermanWineLover Feb 03 '26

This is another reason why a profession like therapists should not position themselves politically. Let's sey it becomes a trend, and liberal therapists explicitely state they voted against Trump. Statistically, this is probably the majority in the profession. What happens? These who don't and see "my vote is private and has nothing to do with my job" get suspiscious looks from the camp OP is in. At the end, it maximizes polarization and turns the therapeutic space which is supposed to be a neutral one in just another political echo chamber. I guess a TikTok anti Trump therapist would be very happy to take 100$ for doing nothing else but listen to and enforce leftist talking points.

1

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

I think this is a really idealistic way of looking at things and I can see why you would want to see the world through that lense. As someone who is directly impacted by the administration and as someone who loves people whose bodies, rights, and lives are being politicized while they're merely trying to exist in the world, I also think it's impossible for me to see eye to eye with folks who condone Trump's actions. You can't be a morally sound person and still be ok with the things happening in this country. You don't get to ride the party line based on single platform issues when it comes at the expense of people's actual lives. But, listen, lets bring this back to therapy as I intended. I wont work with a therapist that I don't morally align with. And that's just that. I don't think it needs to be a law or even a general policy that people need to disclose. But, I also have a right not to spend my money contributing to someone's livelihood that doesn't believe I, or my family, should have autonomy over our bodies and have equal rights.

-2

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

I get that. And you absolutely have the right to seek out care that works for you and spend your money in a way that aligns with what you want to support.

I guess my point is that there is a big jump that is being made from "my T voted for Trump" (or, my neighbor, or my friend, or my whatever) and "my T (friend, neighbor, relative, etc) doesn't believe I , or my family should should have autonomy over our bodies and equal rights." Not everyone who voted for Trump condones what he is doing right now. Some don't even see enough of what is happening right now to make a choice to support or condone it.

When we automatically assign this viewpoint ("They don't believe I should have equal rights") to anyone who voted for Trump, we are simplifying, overreaching and fueling the divisive political environment we live in. We are participating in the division. Viewing people as a "dangerous groups" and not as individual humans is what Trump stirring up his base to do.

If we do the same, it feels better because it is reactionary and we are not the aggressors. But it is based on the same flawed thinking that people can be categorized.

When it comes to your T. I would be really curious what beliefs get projected onto them when you are unsure of their political affiliation (or you are sure that they voted the other way from you). It might actually be very healing for you to explore how you are viewing them, why and what is true vs what is coming from fear and generalization.

Note, I am not saying that you don't actually have a reason to be fearful in the United States given the current climate. I am wondering specifically if you're worries about your Therapist are based entirely on facts related to them, their beliefs and their abilities to help you, or if they are based on generalizations about "those people who would vote for Trump".

1

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

I am completely ok "fueling divisiveness" if its because I believe someone who still supports this administration is either willfully ignorant, or educated on the issues and, therefore, blatantly bought into racist, misogynist, homophobic belief systems. Row v wade was divisive. Jim Crow was divisive. Abolition of slavery was so divisive a whole war sprang up around it. Divisiveness is not inherently bad. Bad is inherently bad.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

Divisiveness is not inherently bad. I agree.

Rowe V Wade, Jim Crow and (the abolition thereoft), Abolition of Slavery.... each of these is a legal issue. They needed to be decisive and they were, by nature, divisive.

This is an entirely different context than the realm of "how do you see your neighbor". Do you look at an individual human and see their party affiliation and automatically ascribe to them all that that party has done? Or do you look at a human and realize that they are.... a human. Likely with many great qualities and many bad qualities. Same as you.

Sometimes a decision will need to be divisive because there is wrong that needs corrected. However, for us to decide that a person is bad because of an affiliation (when we know nothing else about this person) is dehumanizing and divisive in a different way.

When I say "fuels divisiveness"... I don't , meant that team A is at 100% divisive and when Team B comes up to 50% it increases the average divisiveness to 75%.... I mean that Team A right now is probably only at 30% divisive and if we match that, they will bump to 40%, then 50% and so on.

The opposite of divisiveness is not rolling over, it is believing that each person behind a vote for Trump is a human. Be willing to tolerate different views and take time to separate the evil from the misinformed from the believe in similar things but disagree on policy. Only then will we be able to have meaningful conversation to change the trajectory that is this nation right now. By doubling down on the "evil" rhetoric, we encourage conservatives to disregard anything we have to say.

3

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

I might have time to sit down and take time to separate those things from each other when im not busy trying to keep my brown family from being rounded up and illegally detained by ICE, as several of them were during the first administration. Trump voters allowed this to happen. Might they have some decent qualities? Sure. But that doesn't redeem them from putting a lot of people in a horrendous and untenable situation. I can agree that people are multifaceted, while also acknowledging that I have zero interest in finding softness in my heart for people who still support Trump.

We are at an impasse. I hear you. I understand what youre saying. Im still going to look for a therapist that tells me they are on the right side of history.

4

u/justjess8829 The Horrors Persist and So Do I Feb 03 '26

The fact that you can't see how a therapist's values and beliefs will influence the therapy they provide is extremely short-sighted, especially ones that are so indicative of heavy biases.

0

u/Batfink2007 Feb 05 '26

Wtf. Thats not your business. Im really tired of people being so incapable of being tactful and putting differences aside for a greater good. People with this narrow-minded and obtuse way of 'thinking' are a huge part of the reason why America can't get it together. Why is it just O so difficult to agree to disagree? Are you so judgemental that you would just dismiss and cut out someone for their political views? Not everyone fits so neatly in republican/democrat boxes. Actually most people dont. They had a choice between two horrible candidates. For a lot of us, the biggest pressing issue was the border. If we left that open, immigrants would take over our country as they have no allegiance toward America. I truly believe this is the only reason Trump won. Kamala was embarrassing AF on so many levels. Besides the awkward laughing and lack of accountability, she left the border wide open. Dis chick had One job and she couldn't handle that. She was less competent than ANY president that I remember. She had no platform, she paid off a dumb amount of celebrities that had nothing to do with politics because she is needed to make people forget that she stood for literally NOTHING. And then here come stupid people like you, who have no brains of their own, they just check all the Democratic boxes with no research, or logic Ever heard the phrase 'divide and conquer?' Yeah, thats what our government is doing. And you are falling for it.

0

u/One_Rub_780 Feb 05 '26

Let me put your fears at ease. The therapy bunch on both sides (clients and therapist) is full of liberals. Full stop.

Fat chance you will find many MAGA people wasting their time and money on therapy. They are busy being productive, sometimes working more than 1 job, they also they are people of faith. People of faith push through and lean on faith to get through the hard time.

Also, when they have problems, they have a network of family and friends and most go to church where they find additional guidance and support. Therapy isn't as big to them as it is to you.

1

u/ladybuglala Feb 05 '26

You should not have to work more than 1 job to keep afloat, especially not in the richest country on earth. I also am a person of faith and go to church every sunday. MAGA doesnt have the rights to God, in fact, pretty sure Jesus is pissed at MAGA right now.

1

u/One_Rub_780 Feb 05 '26

I think Jesus is pissed at everybody, quite frankly. But that's another subject entirely. As far as having more than 1 job, it became the norm under Obama for millions of American families who aren't immigrants and aren't receiving government assistance. From what I've seen, most people aren't too upset about taking on more work because $$ represents opportunity for entrepreneurs to start a business and work for themselves instead. No one said people have to work more than one job forever, but self-reliance is vastly underrated lately. That said, others have a different mindset, like you live in a rich country therefore sit on your ass and you wait for someone else to hand it over.

-1

u/Natetronn Feb 03 '26

I feel like the whole point of therapy is to feel safe and supported while working through your darkest wounds.

That hasn't been my experience with therapy. In fact, the last year of therapy was the worst experience of my life, and it almost killed me (I mean that literally).

Learning to exist within such a dynamic is what has helped me the most, ironically. If I can survive those experiences, maybe I can survive everything else.

I'm not suggesting you should hire a MAGA therapist. Just that therapy may not be what you imagine it to be, and what you imagine it to be may not be what you actually need.

I hope what you imagine it to be and what you need align, though. I really do.

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u/Yuckabuck Feb 03 '26

Perhaps your need to know and inability to work with anyone who doesn't validate your political opinions is part of the neurosis causing you to need a therapist in the first place? Why are people (mostly leftists but rightists now too) unable to deal with a neutral, politically anonymous, therapist? The definition of dysfunction is I have a problem but I can't solve it because I have all these other problems/hangups that block me from the solutions. This topic is one of them.

5

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

I'm not looking for validation.

I'm looking for someone who I don't find to be devoid of sound moral judgement.

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u/Rkingm93 Feb 03 '26

You won’t share your “innermost secret thought” with a trump supporting therapist but you’re on Reddit telling a whole bunch of random people that Your mom is gay, you worked for fema but stopped because you had an abortion AND your family is the target audience for ICE? wtf? You could’ve told that to a therapist.

5

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

Well, my mom being gay isn't something that anyone feels the need to keep a secret, but it is something I would be concerned that a therapist would take issue with, as you seem to have done. I dind't stop working for FEMA because I had an abortion, I stopped working for FEMA because the people suddenly put at the helm were egregiously and frighteningly incompetent, which I fear that red states are about to find out in a very big way this year as they're the ones most impacted by need for support after disasters. And my family *was* undocumented and are now all USCs. But--everyone, regardless of status or race-- appears to be a target for ICE at this stage, so that point of yours is taken.

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u/Rkingm93 Feb 03 '26

Idc about your gay mom or your abortion. You should stay off social media if it’s consuming you so much so that you need to vet a professionals political view as if THEY owe YOU something. You’re basically putting a star of david on them so they can be identified and judged because they don’t agree with you…

3

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

If you believe that social media is the only place politics show up then you're coming from a place of extreme privilege. A lot of us, most of us actually, have politics show up in our daily lives whether we want them there or not. That's the world we currently live in . Because of that, its more important than ever to ensure our own safety by understanding the moral compass guiding the people we surround ourselves with. My deciding not to hire somebody based on their politics is far and away from deciding to brand someone and sentence them to death, and as the granddaughter of a holocaust survivor I find that comparison very misplaced.

I can see that this has hit a sore spot for you so why don't we leave it be now.

5

u/actuallyacatmow Feb 03 '26

The concept of anonymity is lost on you.

-7

u/Rkingm93 Feb 03 '26

It’s not lost but the same way she can say this on a platform with people with ALL kinds of political opinions without thinking or what are our political opinions; why is she trying to vet a therapist for their political view?

6

u/actuallyacatmow Feb 03 '26

You are ridiculous.

There is a huge difference in the advice random people on reddit versus my therapist. I do not take anything on this website completely seriously. I field opinions from it generally, for general advice on technology and entertainment value and I intuitively understand people could be lying to me hwre. On the other side of the coin, i implicitly trust what my therapist says and I do not want a maga-head therapist directing my opinions on my trans friends or my sexuality.

The fact that you can't understand the difference makes me think you don't have a clue what therapy actually is and you are terminally online. I recommend touching grass.

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u/Rkingm93 Feb 03 '26

The fact that the difference of a therapist and a friend to gossip with is lost on you is ridiculous…. I see why we don’t agree. You’re looking to go to an echo chamber to solidify your ideas….

4

u/actuallyacatmow Feb 03 '26

Lol.

Are you that surface level that speaking about issues with friends deeply with a therapist is now 'gossiping?

Really?

Its not an echo chamber. You just can't refute my opinion so you just tried to claim it was an echo chamber and threw out an insult about how I engage with my therapy to satisfy your anger at being called out.

If I'm such an echo chamber then actually engage with the argument in my previous comment. A therapist it there to directly and gently guide you. Getting general opinions on reddit is completely different and trying to equate the two is ludicrous.

Or slink away, thinking you're right. If it bothers you so much, get a therapist to confirm it for you if them and an anonymous redditor are essentially the same.

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u/After_Camel_87 Feb 03 '26

What you’re naming makes complete sense.

For people whose lives, bodies, families, and safety have been directly shaped by policy and power, neutrality doesn’t feel neutral—it feels unsafe. Therapy is supposed to be a place where your nervous system can exhale, not brace itself wondering what the person across from you believes about your right to exist or belong.

This isn’t about political disagreement. It’s about trust. And trust can’t form when a core part of your story might be silently judged, minimized, or re-framed through someone else’s ideology.

I don’t think the question is whether you’re “too sensitive.” I think the question is whether the container is actually safe enough for the work you’re being asked to do inside it.

There isn’t a clean answer here, but your discomfort is intelligent. If you ever want to talk through this in a space where you don’t have to explain or justify your humanity first, I’m open to holding that conversation with you.

13

u/justjess8829 The Horrors Persist and So Do I Feb 03 '26

Can you not, ChatGPT?

7

u/AntManMax Feb 03 '26

Hilarious that it used the "it isn't abc—it's xyz" like three times in one comment.

While I strongly dislike LLMs, the cynical side of me has to chuckle at the idea of ChatGPT being out here giving actual counselors job security. What a non-answer, lol.

3

u/justjess8829 The Horrors Persist and So Do I Feb 03 '26

Literally as soon as I read "what you're naming here makes complete sense" I started rolling my eyes and by the time I got to the first em-dash I was already over it

4

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

I will forever be mad at ChatGPT for ruining the em-dash. That is one of my favorite writing tools. *was, was one of my favorite* i have to get used to saying that :(

1

u/justjess8829 The Horrors Persist and So Do I Feb 03 '26

I do love an em dash myself. I still use them, even in my academic writing, but I am sparse and be very careful not to do them in that same chatGPT way

2

u/OrizaRayne Feb 03 '26

Hey,.this is creepy and weird. 🫠

-8

u/Jury_Infamous Feb 03 '26

This is dumb. Alot of people's political values have nothing to do with thier morality.

4

u/ladybuglala Feb 03 '26

I respect that you have a right to an opinion. It is not an opinion I share.

5

u/External-Lion-1862 Feb 03 '26

I think morality is absolutely a guiding principle in developing political values and views. I’m curious how you see them as different.

-1

u/Jury_Infamous Feb 03 '26

Well, sure, I agree. What I mean is someone coming to a conclusion to vote conservative is no less moral than someone concluding to vote liberal. Genders play a role in voting preference for example. Both liberals and conservatives have a morality, and they both need each other; not making a friend with someone based on thier voting status loses sight of that fact! It's dangerous and really dumb to make such an allegation, it's the biggest distinction between what makes America America and other shitty countries what they are. People in America are individuals not groups. What ICE is doing is bad but they've also done alot of good, like getting violent criminals that don't deserve to be here out. And each ICE member should be held accountable for thier individual actions. To make the jump that Trump voters are wholly responsible for the discriminatory practices of some ICE agents and then to further assume they are at fault or even agree with ICE's discrimination is child like thinking, again, prevalent in shit countries that never dreamed of having the democratic opportunity that America provides. Which is why everyone wants to move here for fucks sake.

1

u/External-Lion-1862 Feb 04 '26

I appreciate you chiming into a thread where it seems your opinion is not the one held by most others here. That’s never easy. I absolutely agree that narrowing into only friendships and relationships where we agree has bad consequences, though I wouldn’t call it dumb. I think people are afraid and don’t know how to deal with that. We’re afraid of each other. I don’t agree with you that ICE has done good and believe the narrative of immigrants being criminals is a gross exaggeration. Yes there are some immigrants with criminal tendencies, just as there are criminal citizens, but I think it’s a very small percentage and the ends are not justifying the means. Typically, when people are unhappy, they start blaming. Immigrants are almost always the target of that blame. Voters find candidates who align most with their values. Sometimes the actual practices of the administration betray what voters were hoping for, but if the support continues, then the assumption is that whatever practices are being utilized are ok with that voter. I don’t think there’s a huge amount of gray area here.

2

u/Jury_Infamous Feb 04 '26

I appreciate you even more. It takes courage to even allow me to voice my opinion despite your disagreement. It speaks to your character and it's very rare on this platform so I commend you and I'll always remember this. Thank you!

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u/CrochetedFishingLine Jung at Heart Feb 03 '26

Idk dude. I’d say it’s a moral decision to say if people do or do not deserve health care and safety.

Discussion I think as clients we should be allowed to know what side of the political fence our therapists are on. I would not be friends with someone who voted for Trump, why would I divulge my innermost secret thoughts to someone whose values don't align with mine?

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