Politics in Therapy

When training to become a mental health provider, there was little discussion on how to handle political conversations in session. In theory, maintaining a blank slate sounds ideal, but in today’s political climate, providers are feeling the weight of these discussions more than ever.

I’m sure this comes down to personal preference, but my style as a therapist has always been to lean in and be transparent when a client asks for it. Now more than ever, I believe mental health care is inherently political. While I would never impose my own views in session, if a client directly asks where I lean politically, I do not lie. Given my approach to therapy, this rarely comes as a surprise to my clients. I also understand their desire for confirmation—that the space is safe and that we share fundamental values.

Often, the fears and anxieties my clients express are ones I feel, too. I normalize this and have found that honesty about the uncertainty of our times can be validating. Rather than minimizing their emotions, I encourage leaning into them with awareness and self-compassion. That doesn’t mean spiraling or feeding into helplessness. It can mean reducing doom-scrolling, engaging in hobbies that limit media consumption, or using exercise to release built-up stress. But when a client needs to unload unfiltered emotions about politics, I encourage it. Unfortunately, many people don’t have a space where they can express their fears without being told they’re overreacting—which, in my experience, is deeply unhelpful.

As therapists, we are tasked with holding space for the emotional weight our clients carry. In a world that often dismisses those feelings, validating them can be one of the most powerful things we do.