My therapist made a comment about how China is a failed socialist experiment because they have 2-3 year olds working in factories. I responded “So we’ve been told.” She looks at me like I’m crazy. (Not a great look for a therapist) “I’ve not seen any evidence of that.”
“Because they’re such a closed country!”
“Which means you have no evidence to your point either?”
“Well, missionaries… anyway!”
If she is trying to be a “professional” therapist, you should really needle her on this, ask her why she keeps forcing her personal political beliefs onto you instead of being neutral. Be combative if you’re that sort of person. Make it clear that she isn’t being the “neutral and impartial” person she thinks she is being, but she is actively choosing a worldview and pressuring you to adopt that same worldview and it is making you feel uncomfortable. Make it clear that just because she frames her opinions as questions it doesn’t magically make them impartial and true.
Or maybe look for a better therapist. I don’t think I could go back to a therapist that was this comfortable with upsetting their clients like this.
She’s probably the only queer therapist I’m going to find in my area, and therefore one of the friendliest towards trans folk like me. I can put up with this, but when they’re dismissive of my queer identity I get more upset. I think she’s mostly good for me, she just has some bad takes on leftism. Which I also won’t get anything better in that spot in my area either.
Oof, I wasn’t even really thinking about it like that, it’s always unfortunate when they are the “best of the worst”. I have major trust issues, so any therapist that feels manipulative or dismissive, even unintentionally, I will not have any tolerance of them after that, but you’re obviously going for different issues than I do.
I think you could still maybe make it clear that her opinions on socialism aren’t helpful and just make you worry and make it harder to open up about everything else (if it does so), if you feel like you can’t be honest with your therapist then it probably isn’t worth going at all, though again, that’s just my personal opinion and might not be relevant to your situation. I have heard how awful therapists can be in the states, I’m sorry you have to go through so much bullshit just so you can get help with your problems.
Sorry, I feel like I’m arguing when that’s not my intention. I really do appreciate your concern!
It’s alright, you never felt combative to me, I was more going “I think I’m overstepping my bounds here and assuming too much about the situation and what I would do.” when it isn’t about me, it’s about you feeling safe and comfortable and able to discuss your problems with someone who can help.