Is Therapy Political?
Should Therapists Talk About Politics or Religion in Session? The Debate Over Neutrality vs. Taking a Stand
Should therapists stay neutral about politics and religion — or share their beliefs with clients? Explore the clinical research, ethical guidance, pros and cons, and practical recommendations for therapists and clients navigating political and spiritual topics in therapy.
Therapists and clients increasingly bring politics and religion into therapy. For some clinicians, political or religious discussion and even disclosure are important parts of building trust and meaning; for others, neutrality is essential to protect the therapeutic alliance and avoid harm. This post breaks down the evidence, ethics, pros/cons of each approach, and practical guidance for clinicians and clients.
Why this matters now
Recent years’ political polarization and renewed interest in spirituality have made political and religious topics more common in therapy rooms. Research shows that political themes occur more often in sessions than in prior years, and many clients want to discuss social or political stressors with their clinicians. At the same time, therapists’ own political and spiritual identities influence how they practice and whether they disclose. PMC+1
What professional ethics say (short)
Major professional ethics documents emphasize competence, respect for clients’ values, informed consent, and avoiding harm — but they don't give a single rule about whether to disclose political or religious beliefs. The APA Ethics Code and the ACA Code of Ethics require clinicians to avoid imposing their values and to practice within their competence; they also highlight cultural competence when addressing religion/spirituality. In practice, that means clinicians must weigh client needs, risks of harm, and their own boundaries. American Psychological Associationwww.counseling.org
What the research finds (key studies — plain English)
A multi-study survey of clinicians found that most therapists do talk about politics in-session and a majority report some degree of political self-disclosure. Therapists who perceived political similarity with their patients reported more political talk and stronger alliance when they disclosed. However, this is correlational and may reflect fit rather than disclosure causing better outcomes. PubMed
Systematic reviews on religion and spirituality indicate that addressing clients’ spiritual beliefs in ethically competent ways can benefit mental health outcomes when it’s client-led and integrated skillfully. Clinician competence in spiritual/religious issues matters. PMC
Research on therapeutic alliance repeatedly shows alliance strength predicts outcomes — and perceived value alignment (including political or moral values) can influence that alliance. That suggests both risk and benefit: sharing values may strengthen alliance for some clients and damage it for others. PMCWiley Online Library
Pros and cons — therapist neutrality (staying out of it)
Pros
Minimizes risk of alienating clients who hold different beliefs.
Helps keep focus on the client’s goals rather than the therapist’s worldview.
Reduces chance of boundary crossing or dual relationships driven by shared activism.
Follows a conservative ethical stance: avoid imposing therapist values. www.counseling.org
Cons
May feel inauthentic or invalidating to clients who want to process political or spiritual distress.
Misses opportunities to address identity-based stressors, moral injury, or values conflicts.
Can appear as silent endorsement of injustice to clients who are harmed by sociopolitical conditions. Recent commentators argue neutrality can itself be a value-laden stance. Mad In America
Pros and cons — disclosure / taking a stand (sharing therapist views or advocacy)
Pros
Can validate clients’ experiences when politics or religion are core to their distress (e.g., discrimination, moral injury, faith crises).
May strengthen alliance and trust when therapist-client values align and disclosure is done carefully. Research shows perceived political similarity sometimes correlates with stronger alliance. PubMed
Enables culturally competent, identity-affirming care when clinician is skilled in addressing political oppression or spiritual needs. PMC
Cons
Risk of alienating or retraumatizing clients who disagree with the therapist’s stance.
Potential to shift session focus to the therapist’s agenda rather than client goals.
Ethical and legal risk if a therapist’s beliefs lead to refusal of care, discriminatory practice, or failure to refer appropriately. Some jurisdictions have also debated laws protecting clinician conscience — a complex legal landscape. SELFwww.counseling.org
Practical, evidence-informed guidelines for clinicians
Make it client-centered: Let the client’s concerns lead. If they raise politics or faith, explore its meaning for them first. Use inquiry (e.g., “Tell me more about how that affects you.”) before offering personal beliefs. American Psychological Association
Assess risk and function: Ask whether political or religious content is helping the client process or is increasing dysregulation. If it’s harmful, use clinical interventions (CBT, emotion regulation, meaning-making) rather than personal advocacy. PMC
Use deliberate self-disclosure: If disclosing, do so transparently, with therapeutic purpose (to normalize, validate, or model). Research links explicit disclosure with stronger alliance in some contexts, but this is not universal. PubMed
Stay within competence: If a client requests religiously-integrated therapy or political advocacy beyond your scope, seek training, consult, or refer. Ethical codes require competence and cultural sensitivity. www.counseling.orgPMC
Informed consent & boundaries: Clarify your therapeutic approach, including limits on advocacy, referrals, and practice values during intake paperwork or early sessions. If you cannot ethically serve a client because of value conflicts, provide timely, nonjudgmental referrals. www.counseling.org
Document rationale: When political/religious content is clinically significant, document assessment, interventions used, and reasons for any disclosure or referral. This supports ethical practice and continuity of care.
Practical advice for clients
If you want to process political or religious concerns, say so: “I’d like to talk about how X is affecting me.” That helps therapists respond appropriately.
If you’re worried about therapist bias, ask about their approach: “How do you handle political or spiritual topics in therapy?”
If a therapist’s political or religious stance feels harmful, you have the right to discuss it or request a referral.
Bottom line (balanced)
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Evidence shows political and religious topics are common in therapy and that competent, client-led integration can be beneficial. At the same time, therapist neutrality protects against imposing values and reduces risk. The wisest path is a nuanced, client-centered approach: assess client needs, practice cultural and spiritual competence, disclose only with clear therapeutic intent, and prioritize the therapeutic alliance and client autonomy. PubMedPMC+1
Resources & further reading
Solomonov et al., therapists’ perspectives on political self-disclosure (survey findings). PubMed
APA Monitor: “Navigating thorny topics in therapy” — practical clinician guidance. American Psychological Association
ACA Code of Ethics (2014) — guidance on values, referrals, and competence. www.counseling.org
Vieten et al., review on religion/spirituality and mental health — integrating SRBBPs ethically. PMC
Horvath & Bedi, reviews on therapeutic alliance and outcomes. PMC
Del Re, A. C., Flückiger, C., Wampold, B. E., & Horvath, A. O. (2011). Alliance in individual psychotherapy. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 48(1), 9–16. Wikipediawai.profhorvath.com
Hefti, R. (2011). Integrating religion and spirituality into mental health … MDPI: Religions, 2(4), 611–628. MDPI
Oxhandler, H. K., & Parrish, D. E. (2021). Current mental health clients’ attitudes regarding integrating religion/spirituality in treatment. Religions, 12(6), Article 371. MDPI
Solomonov, N., & Barber, J. P. (2019). Conducting psychotherapy in the Trump era: Therapists’ perspectives on political self-disclosure, the therapeutic alliance, and politics in the therapy room. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75(9), 1508–1518. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22801 PubMedWiley Online Library
Vieten, C., & Lukoff, D. (2021). Spiritual and religious competencies in psychology. American Psychologist. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000821 Future Web Studio
Wampold, B. E., & Imel, Z. E. (2015). The great psychotherapy debate: The evidence for what makes psychotherapy work(2nd ed.). Routledge. (For general context on therapeutic alliance as a predictor of outcome). PMCclinica.ispa.pt
APA Monitor staff. (2022, March). Navigating thorny topics in therapy. APA Monitor on Psychology. American Psychological Association
Mad in America. (2019, June 14). How psychotherapists talk politics in the Trump-era. Mad in America. Mad In America
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