“Relationships are a way to diminish stereotypes.” ~ Bill Doherty
How therapists can confront polarization, expand empathy, and help repair our relationships across political differences.
Is therapy political? I keep asking, not because I don’t like the answers. I do so because there are so many* insightful responses! The more I inquire, the better I can envision a profession truly up to the task of healing the collective.
I asked Bill Doherty, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. His assessment opened the door for a challenging discussion about building relationships despite polarizing societal differences.
“Politics is the work of the people––the polis. If politics is about the work of people to solve problems and to make something of our lives, yes. Therapy is political,” Bill says, with one caveat. ”If we think of it in the way it's thought of now––partisan politics––then no, I think we should stay far away from that.”
It’s easy to set aside minor differences when working with a like-minded client. What if a cranky member of the “opposition” seeks therapy from you? Assuming you don’t refuse them, how do you navigate your biases and form a therapeutic relationship with someone whose political beliefs enrage you?
“If we engage in or are seen as doing the partisan politics thing and playing into identity politics, there will be millions of people who will not access our services because we’re seen as having taken a side politically,” Bill says. “That's a very dangerous thing for the public health and also for our profession.”
Bill jumped into the deep end of politically-minded discourse in 2016, after Trump’s first election win. That’s when he co-founded Braver Angels, a citizen initiative bringing conservatives and liberals together to counteract political polarization and restore the fraying social fabric in American society.
Therapists are at the vanguard of a cultural revolution. We must create containers where nuance and compassion for our clients can flourish despite the influence of individualism, consumerism, and entitlement. Or, as Bill so eloquently puts it, “I'm trained to humanize them even if they are an asshole.”
*Popping in here to say I’m keenly aware that truly expansive conversation requires more diverse voices. Future episodes will feature perspectives from underrepresented community members.
GUEST CONTACT & BIO
William J. Doherty, PhD., is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. As a therapist, he focuses on couples on the brink of divorce for whom he developed a clinical approach called Discernment Counseling. Following the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, he co-founded Braver Angels, a citizen initiative bringing conservatives and liberals together to counteract political polarization and restore the fraying social fabric in American society.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Psychology Networker Symposium
RECOMMENDED EPISODES
Is Social Justice Political––Or Part Of Being A Good Therapist? With Kirsten Lind Seal
The Ethics of Taking Politics into the Therapy Room with Jordan Conrad
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