Should Therapy be Political?
Gwyneth Hodgins, MSW RSW
Psychotherapy / Social Work
Should Therapy be Political?
You may have heard that therapy is supposed to be “neutral”; I certainly grew up with the image of the therapist being someone who sits quietly, nodding and taking notes – a blank slate. But the reality is, your mental health does not exist in a bubble. And in times like these, insisting that therapy remain “neutral” often means silently siding with the very systems that are harming so many individuals and families.
You Are Not “Too Sensitive” for Being Affected
Many people come to therapy right now feeling anxious, exhausted, angry, numb, or scared, and wonder if something is wrong with them for feeling that way.
There often isn’t.
If your rights feel uncertain, if your identity is debated in the news, if violence or discrimination affects people like you, if you’re struggling to survive financially, or if the future feels unstable, your nervous system is responding to real threats.
That’s not weakness. That’s a human response to inhumane conditions.
I often refer to the meme of the dog sitting in the burning house, saying “This is fine.”
We don’t want to be that dog. When the house is on fire, it is ESSENTIAL that we react.
Talking About Politics in Therapy Isn’t About Convincing You of Anything
When I say therapy can be political, I don’t mean telling you how to vote or pushing beliefs onto you. What I do mean is that if laws, policies, or current news stories are affecting your sense of safety, your relationships, your body, or your future, they belong in the room. We can talk about how those forces shape your stress, your fear, your anger, and your grief.
You’re Not a Problem to be Fixed
A lot of people come to therapy thinking they need to be “fixed”; that if they were stronger, calmer, more resilient, they wouldn’t be struggling.
But sometimes your distress is a reasonable response to an unreasonable situation.
Therapy shouldn’t just teach you how to tolerate what hurts. It should help you understand why something hurts, and help you decide how you want to respond, emotionally, relationally, and practically.
That includes naming when systems or structures, not personal failures, are contributing to your pain.
What This Means for You as a Client
In my therapy room, you don’t have to censor yourself about what’s happening in the world. You don’t have to turn your fear or anger into a “thinking error”. And you don’t have to separate your mental health from your lived reality.
We’ll still focus on you – your needs, your boundaries, your healing, your agency. But we’ll do it in a way that acknowledges the deep impact of the context you’re living in. And we’ll consider ways to participate in creating the kind of world where shared humanity and empathy are prioritized – a world in which we’re all free.
Especially Now
When the world feels unstable or hostile, therapy can be a place where your experiences are named, your reactions make sense, and you’re not asked to minimize what you’re going through.
For many people, being supported doesn’t mean escaping reality. It means being met inside it.
That’s the kind of therapy I believe in.
Gwyneth Hodgins, MSW RSW
Over my 7 years of experience, I’ve worked with individuals across the lifespan, from young children to senior adults. Currently, I specialize in working individually with teens and young adults, though I also work with individual adults, parents, and families as needed. My approach is a mix of several therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Emotion-Focused (Family) Therapy (EFT; EFFT), Mindfulness-Based, Attachment-Based, and Trauma-Informed therapy. I also strive to provide an anti-racist, anti-oppressive practice. I believe that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are, in large part, a product of our experiences. Feel free to book a 15-min phone consult to learn more about my services and how I can help you.