I had planned on posting something about boundaries and communication today, but I decided to put off that post to another time, and instead say something about a topic which has been on my mind, and the minds of many others, this week--the presidential election in the USA.
As you'll see elsewhere on my site, I'm from the USA, though I currently live in the UK. Despite living outside my home country, of course, I'm still affected by what happens there, and given the outsized influence the USA has on the rest of the world, it's safe to say many people outside the USA's borders have watched this election very carefully.
I believe that the practice of psychotherapy sits at the intersection between the "personal" and the "political", in the sense that it is concerned with how people live their lives as individuals, but those individual lives are influenced by the culture and society around them, which are themselves products of politics. It could be argued that a therapist should keep their political views out of their therapeutic practice, and I can see the reasoning there, since my political views are an aspect of my personal life, which I don't always share with clients. However, since I believe therapeutic work is influenced by political realities, I also believe that my political views are relevant to how I practice as a therapist, since they shape how I view the political realities within which both myself and my clients live.
I've made it clear in other posts that my therapeutic approach is informed by social justice. That's a political statement right there, in some ways, and someone reading that could probably make a guess as to my political opinions based on that alone. In light of the 2024 presidential election, and the return of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States, I feel it's necessary to be even more direct and clear about my political stance and what I mean when I say my practice is based on social justice values.
It is my position that Donald Trump, because of the rhetoric used by himself and his followers, poses a threat to the wellbeing of the vulnerable people that mental health services are meant to support. Trump has spoken openly and publicly in negative terms about immigrants, the trans and nonbinary communities, disabled people, and women. Unsurprisingly, when people hear themselves spoken of negatively in the media, it can have a negative impact on their mental health, as has been well-documented; what's even more concerning is that when a major public figure such as Donald Trump speaks negatively about groups of people, it sends a message to others that speaking this way is acceptable and normal, which makes it more likely that this type of speech will become more common. Indeed, not only will negative speech become more common, but hate crimes and acts of violence towards vulnerable communities also increase when these kind of public statements are made, which has also been documented.
I feel that the election of Donald Trump means that people in vulnerable communities may be in more danger, not just within the borders of the USA, but everywhere in the world where his negative statements are repeated and amplified by the media and by other political figures who hope to mimic his success. This increased risk will naturally be accompanied by increased feelings of anxiety, fear, and vulnerability, all of which have their own negative effects on mental health. In short, I feel that another Trump presidency represents a crisis of mental and emotional wellbeing amongst the vulnerable people of the world.
As a therapist whose work emphasises principles of social justice, it is my intention to do everything I can to oppose the forces driving this crisis and provide support to the people hurt by Trump's rhetoric. My desire is to provide a service that uplifts and celebrates the people Trump and his followers are trying to tear down, and to create a safe space where the people suffering because of his words and actions can express themselves, and be themselves, without fear of judgment. If you are one of those people, regardless of what Trump or the people like him have said about you, know that you are seen and valued. No matter what happens, no matter who is in power, there will always be people who care about you and want you to be safe.
The election of Trump was disheartening to many, myself included. I fear that, as the world sees his negativity rewarded with even more wealth, fame, and power, many will want to echo and imitate him, and we will see an increase in hateful, hurtful speech and actions, in our media and in our personal lives. But while there may be nothing more we can do to stop him from taking power, now that the election is over, there is a great deal we can do to support one another and help one another get through this difficult time. By treating the people we love with kindness and letting them know they matter, we push back against the negativity in the world and give people shelter from it.
I want my practice to be one of those sources of shelter. If you're looking for a place safe from the negative messages of the media and those in power, please reach out and let me know how I can support you. I offer this promise: no matter who holds political power or what they say, you will not find judgment or rejection here. You matter, your needs are real and valid, and help is available.
Thank you for reading and I hope that, even if you don't find your shelter here, you find it somewhere. Together, we can care for one another and get through whatever comes. None of us is alone if we reach out to those who are reaching out to us.
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