Should you talk about politics in therapy?

If politics is currently wreaking havoc on your mental health, trust us, you’re not alone. It’s hard to sum it all up as just “politics” when that actually includes: the recent election, its disastrous outcome, the potential loss of basic human rights, the fear of the collapse of democracy, and the prevailing feeling of helplessness about it all. from it.

Now is the time to lean in all the coping mechanisms you have: self-care, support groups, friends and family, and of course therapy. But if talking to your loved ones is terrifying when you don’t know which way they voted (or when you do), the same could be said for your therapist — to an even greater extent. After all, it’s normal to talk about politics with those closest to you, but therapy has stricter boundaries than friendship.

Why, ass open (or say bold) As some people now feel they share political views that were once considered extremist, there still seems to be a taboo about bringing up politics in a setting like therapy. After all, your therapist is not, strictly speaking, your friend—as much as you may have cultivated a friendly, open environment with them. But if politics and Donald Trump’s re-election to the presidency are taking a toll on your mental health, maybe need to discuss it, awkwardness be damned. So… can you talk politics with your therapist? And how?

Politics is on the table in therapy

SheKnows spoke with three experts who unanimously agreed that yes, you can definitely talk politics in therapy if it affects your mental health. “Therapy should always be a safe space,” psychologist Dr Alfiee Breland-Nobleits founder The AAKOMA project and Project Healthy Minds consultant, tells SheKnows. “Patients come to therapy to talk about their lived experiences and to process their feelings, and there should never be unreasonable limitations on what they can share in therapy.”

According to Dr. Andrew Camuslicensed clinical psychologist and faculty member at Pacific Oaks Collegediscussing politics in therapy can actually “lead to valuable self-discovery and a deeper understanding of yourself.” As much as it feels like it’s just venting, there’s a lot to learn about your own values, triggers, and boundaries from your response and feelings about this election, and therapy is a great place to work through that. the lessons.

And, at the end of the day, “the time you spend in therapy is for you and for you,” therapist Beth Brown, director of health and wellness at ComPsychsays SheKnows. “If politics is a major driver of disruption to your mental and emotional well-being, a therapy session is the perfect place to process those thoughts.”

And it’s totally understandable that you need that outlet right now. As Dr. Breland-Noble points out, therapy is a place where many of us process big feelings, “and there are a lot of big feelings about the racism, sexism, homophobia, and toxic masculinity that the male candidate has displayed in this presidency . election cycle,” he says. “Much of the language used on the international stage by the candidate (and surrogates) was extremely hurtful.”

How to talk about politics in therapy

All that being said, it may not be the easiest thing to discuss politics with your therapist if you haven’t done it before. Dr. Kami has some specific recommendations for starting this conversation, including using “I” statements “to anchor your feelings in light of others and facts,” he says. (Something like, “I’ve noticed that my anxiety and feelings of worry have increased since the election, and I’d like to explore this in therapy.”)

It might also be worth noting that while you’re working toward specific goals in treatment, “that pressing issue is something you’d want to talk about,” says Dr. Kami. This framework can help you clarify boundaries and ensure that the conversation aligns with what you hope to get out of therapy. Depending on what that goal is, “you may want to be specific about what you would like to gain, such as stress relief, improved coping skills, or an understanding of your values, to keep the focus on your growth.”

And if you’re nervous about bringing it up—or even just uncomfortable about it—being honest about it can help, too. Just try to acknowledge that “what you’re about to say is awkward and you’re not necessarily sure where to start,” says Brown. “Phrasing it that way allows [your therapist] they know you’re struggling and then they have the option to meet you with empathy and understanding.”

What if it’s still weird?

If talking about politics—or any topic, really—is still a weird thing to do with your therapist, it may be time to seek care elsewhere, if that option is available. “A culturally responsive provider must by definition create a safe healing space for all patients,” says Dr. Breland-Noble. “If a patient does not feel safe enough to bring up the issue of politics in treatment, then the provider may not have done a thorough job of creating that safe space, and no patient should be in an unsafe clinical space.” .

It’s also worth noting that, for many people, this feeling may not be new. “Patients with marginalized identities have always come to clinical encounters worried about what they can and cannot bring to treatment for fear of prejudice, lack of understanding, or dismissal/minimization,” notes Dr. Breland-Noble. Realizing this gives us an opportunity to gain empathy from this experience — the election, in general, but also just the struggle of not knowing if therapy is the place to discuss your feelings about her. “I hope we’ll allow it to give us some insights into the lived experiences of people around us with marginalized identities,” she says.

At the end of the day, Brown says, it’s to remember that “your time in treatment is about you.” Even if your feelings are complicated, you should feel comfortable and safe talking about them. And while your therapist has his or her own biases like any other person, “the goal is always to practice full acceptance of the client,” Brown emphasizes. “Your therapist may be interested in politics and have their own opinions, but when you start a session with a therapist, they’re there to care about you.”

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