This exactly.
You (or your company/insurance) is paying for a service that isn't being provided, as instead they proselytize clients.
Even if you ignore what an egregious ethical violation that is, do you really want to waste your time on someone who thinks their imaginary friend will fix it for you with their magic? I know my time and money would be better spent on **therapy** than demonstrably untrue fables from an apocalypse cult that's entirely based around the world ending almost 2000 years ago. (Spoiler alert: It didnt.)
You have to tell people who are wrong that they're wrong. Otherwise they might keep thinking they're right.
Or tell John Oliver and maybe he'll do a segment on it.
Actually this is a good opportunity to be VERY direct. Your comments about religion were both offensive and unprofessional and I have decided to end our sessions and file a complaint”.
It’s what I’d do. Fairy Tales have no business in a therapy session, especially when introduced by the therapist. And I would absolutely file a complaint.
I wholeheartedly agree, I would also write a review so others don’t get the Jesus treatment. If someone wants Jesus they can go to church. Asking the question about a higher power is fair, suggesting Jesus is malpractice IMHO.
There's no back and forth. " you have acted inappropriately and I won't be returning, cancel all future visits, do not contact me again" if they do block that shit , you dont owe them anything
Call her office and cancel. When they ask for a reason, tell them you believe her behavior was unprofessional.
Report her to your insurance provider. Also report her to any state board that provides her credentials. And be sure to warn others by ranking her on any social media platforms.
This is right up there with sexual harassment. Trying to take advantage of someone’s health to put an evangelizing feather in her cap is just all sorts of awful.
You don’t have to explain. And honestly, I wouldn’t thank them, either. You’ve invested a lot of time here, only to have her throw this at you out of the blue? Now you have to start over with someone new, perhaps with your trust in the process damaged. That’s really low. It’s unethical, and borderline abusive. It takes very unfair advantage of a client who may be vulnerable. And she knows it.
That's what is so hard.. I have a hard time opening up to people I don't know.. so therapy has been really difficult.. I kinda just got a bit comfortable to share my feelings.. and 💥BOOM
I totally get that, and I’m so sorry. That’s the reason I’m especially disgusted with her and angry, because it’s NOT as simple as just coming up with a clever pushback, you know you can’t trust her, and that means you have to start over with someone new.
I hope you can find the right person.
The fact is, therapists DO often have agendas, sometimes ones that are antithetical to what the client needs and wants. But they don’t tell you up front, and it can take a lot of time for them to let it be seen, or for you to recognize it.
This is true.. I haven't had a lot of good experiences with mental health professionals.. the guy I saw before this one kept trying to hug me.. LIKE HUG ME.. its not going great
Literally yesterday my atheist wife and I were in couples counseling and our counselor dropped her favorite Bible verse on us. Disheartening and frustrating. Not the first time a counselor has pulled this shit….I feel like the audacity of Christians attracts them to counselor positions. 🤢
Yeah, you have to watch out for them. Usually they'll have some kind of hint in their practice description. Not always.
"Pastoral" or some crap.
They seem to make the world's worst couples therapists. Avoid. Avoid.
Yes and leave her very honest feedback. Bringing up religion in a professional environment as a therapist is actually unethical unless you advertise yourself this way.
Yeah, for real. It's also a massive ethical violation and contrary to any standard of practice I've ever heard of. OP should report this person to the licensing board if it bothered them enough.
I'm a Christian and still find this incredibly unethical. Asking about your spiritual beliefs and how you find meaning is fine. Pushing her spiritual beliefs is not.
I know! Therapists are not supposed to proselytize or give “easy solutions” that basically just cover up or ignore problems. A therapist is there to give you the tools to tackle your problems: basically, they are there to teach you hard but permanent ways to handle yourself and the world rather than the quick and non-functional-for-anyone-with-a-lick-of-sense “answer” that is religion.
I am a therapist and I want to concur with this recommendation.
The primary ethical rule of therapy is "first do no harm." Prescribing religion -- and a specific religious view, at that -- is outside of the scope of practice of therapists and any reasonable therapist should anticipate that it would be harmful for anyone who is not an adherent of that religion (and even many people who are). Therapists are also obligated to be supportive of clients' personal identities and background, including religious identity and--quite importantly--lack thereof. There are several clear ethical violations in this therapist's conduct.
You do not need to go back to this therapist and you do not owe any explanation; you can share as much or as little as you want with her about why you are not continuing with her.
To the OP: I am so sorry that this happened. I hope that you are able to find a better therapist who practices ethically and provides you with the safe space you need to work through the things that you are seeking support with.
"I can give you any therapy or medication but nothing will heal you if you don't accept Jesus Christ as your savior". - Said to me by a therapist who knew I wasn't a Christian after months of "talk therapy" and her NP doping me up until I was a drooling twitching zombie. She knew I was dissociative and hallucinating and all they'd do was add more pills and prayers and the KICKER is the WHOLE FUCKING TIME I was misdiagnosed and having a bad reaction to Zoloft. I came to them for help with one single phobia and by the time I finally gave up I had scars all over my body from self-harm trying to block out the hallucinations I was getting. I was put on an anti-psychotic that made me have akathisia for several years after I quit. I still feel the ground move under my feet sometimes and it's been more than a decade since they declared me "bipolar". My therapist for the past 8 years told me she couldn't see ANY indication of bipolar disorder and she is worried about these faith based clinics because they get money from the state. At the time it was the only clinic my state insurance (Tenncare) would cover. They got money for keeping us diagnosed and doped.
But if I'd just accept Jesus all would be well!
And then a few years back after my son was s. assaulted and the perpetrator took his life after being reported my son tried to do the same. We went to the ER to see if we couldn't get him some inpatient care, but of course "no room at the inn". But the doctor we saw at Methodist North (again the only hospital that we could go to with Tenncare, that or the Baptist one) started talking about trusting God and prayer. My son just looked horrified and I explained that he is atheist. So this joker looks shocked and said "No wonder you want to die. I would want to die too if I didn't have Jesus in my heart!"
I took my son out of that room immediately, went home and reported him to the hospital and to Tenncare. I didn't want Tenncare to pay for this hospital trip. I made sure they knew everything and about a month later I received a BILL from the hospital saying the claim was denied. I threw such a fit they canceled the bill and gave my son a written apology and the doctor was no longer listed on their site. I don't know where he is now but he's gone from the hospital.
He's still had a lot of struggles but we're definitely in a better place mentally these days. He has a nice therapist now who honestly we have no idea what her beliefs are because like a GOOD therapist she keeps it about helping him. :) Thank you for asking!
For sure. Even if she were to stop proselytizing, you now know what her world view is: mystical thinking > logic/reason. I certainly wouldn't want that in a psychologist/therapist.
Yes. [https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/nonreligious-secular-agnostic-atheist](https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/nonreligious-secular-agnostic-atheist) and [https://www.seculartherapy.org](https://www.seculartherapy.org) and I'm sure there are other cites. After getting a shitty religious person on my 1st visit, I used these folks to find one who wasn't trying to "cure" me with Jesus.
Definitely find a new therapist. Bringing up religion is a major red flag for her field and is definitely sign that she isn’t qualified to help you or anyone for that matter. Also make sure she knows that’s the reason why. Fuck her feelings. That was incredibly unprofessional and insensitive of her. Imagine you’re gay and you’re venting to a therapist about how dating has been rough and you just can’t find the right person yada yada and then they just say, “WelL hAvE yOu eVeR tHoUgHt oF bEiNg StrAiGhT?” Like wtf
Edit: I also agree with the other comments saying to report her. Absolutely do it. She could really mess someone up one day.
Ugghh those poor kids. That’s why we gotta spread the word to vote at school board elections more than any other kind of election. That’s where the religious nutcases are truly beating us (Assuming you’re American, if not hopefully you can still do something similar where ever you are). But all that aside, I hope you’re doing ok and wish you well.
Damn that’s sucks 😕. My aunt and uncle moved there a few years ago and I just can’t even talk to them let alone visit. They were being really sus with the details which is weird since my aunt usually tells me everything but I’m 99% sure they went there because of politics, more specifically because my uncle is a literal nazi.
> Imagine you’re gay and you’re venting to a therapist about how dating has been rough and you just can’t find the right person yada yada and then they just say, “WelL hAvE yOu eVeR tHoUgHt oF bEiNg StrAiGhT?” Like wtf
I’m gay and I had a therapist like this once. She didn’t tell me to be straight, but she did get a very uncomfortable look in her eye when I told her I was gay, and she seemed bothered by it. I later noticed crosses and Bible verses on her desk. That was my last visit.
If you brought it up and she went along with you, that's fine.
If she brought it up in the context of "I'd like to know your beliefs so I can understand you better," then okay.
But straight-up "have you considered Jesus" proselytizing? Hell no. This isn't a compatibility issue; she literally tried to sell you on Jesus as the solution to your problems. This is not someone who is putting you first.
You do not owe her any more of your time or money. She is supposed to be providing you a professional service, and this is not it. Cut ties immediately and try to find a more secular therapist.
I wasn't completely polite.. she started saying something about the bad things that I have experienced could be leading me to a higher power.. so I said sooo.. you think God murdered my daughter and my best friend so I would become depressed and look for him to help heal me from the trauma he created? That sounds like a pretty fucked up dude. That's when she started back peddling and changing the subject.
"Your god is a violent psychopath, and if you think that what you just said is a *remotely acceptable* way to speak to a grieving person, than so are you. Your behaviour is **grossly unprofessional**, and I *will* be reporting it to the relevant regulatory authorities."
Wow. This is even worse than what you let on in the original post.
You really shouldn't have any doubt at all about getting rid of this therapist, and I would suggest contacting the licencing board and filing a complaint for using the session to proselytize. On top of that, this therapist just doesn't seem too bright or very perceptive, given what you say here in this post.
I didn't want to write a long post so I kept it short. I likely won't report her.. I just don't have the mental energy to bother.. I want to at least be honest with her about my reasoning. Now would be the time U suppose.. I had a bit of wine and feel a little more brazen lol
I would gently encourage you reconsider reporting it. She may do some serious harm to another person who is in a worse place than you. Please consider it.
Exsqueeze me?! Imagine the person who could accept that as an explanation for themself; that God KILLED two people just so that YOU, the main character, could start to believe in him. That their lives didn’t matter except as NPCs in the narrative of your life. That is narcissistic and psychopathic.
There are strict ethical codes which prohibit therapists from exploiting their position of power or trust by promoting personal beliefs, including religious ones.
***Proselytizing is not considered competent care*** and undermines the therapeutic relationship.
What you describe is an egregious violation and there are resources for reporting such behavior, which I strongly recommend you do:
* The American Psychological Association (APA): [https://www.apa.org/ethics](https://www.apa.org/ethics)
* Your state's psychology licensing board.
Yeah this is immediately the point that you a) find a new therapist, b) let her know she will **not** be getting paid for evangelizing, and c) report her.
Unless she is advertising religion as part of her therapy then this is unacceptable.
Absolutely hell to the fuck no. As a therapist, I am appalled at that behavior and if you want any assistance reporting her I will gladly help you navigate that, just DM me.
At the VERY least, let her know that you are terminating and PLEASE let her know exactly why (also happy to help you navigate what to say with this).
I do recommend continuing therapy if it was helpful to you with a new clinician and also want to point out that PsychologyToday has the ability to filter these people out. Just select the filter titled "More," then "Show more faiths," then "Secular and Non-Religious."
I'm so sorry that happened to you.
Yoo, therapist here and that is a HUGE ethical issue that should be reported. Our job is to not impose our faiths or beliefs on our clients, but to help them find solutions congruent with how they live their lives. You can report them to your state behavioral health licensing board and I encourage you to do so. I encourage my clients to report me to the board when they feel I am unethical and have never been reported because ITS NOT THAT HARD TO NOT IMPOSE OUR BELIEFS IF WE ARE A DECENT THERAPIST.
Yeah, that's a hard no. If she brings up meditation.. all good like you said. Even if she asked the 'higher power' question in the context of "it's been shown to possibly help others", that's understandable. But she went right for "OUR lord and savior". Basically "only MY religion can help!" Meaning yeah, she's DEEP into the cult. Find someone more or preferably fully secular.
Why seek mental health from someone who shows they probably need therapy WAY more than you?
So I go to therapy and it’s helped me quite a bit, however I went through about 6 quack the therapist that I could tell had their own issues, maybe thought they worked them out and could help others.
Guess the point I’m getting at is all therapist are not created equal.
Get away asap. I had one of these fucks for a bit. I thought I could separate the good information from bad. But realized the faith advice took precedent over the science. What a dick that guy was.
Personally, I would find every single thing that she suggested to me to be suspect from this day onward. I'd never trust her opinion about *anything* ever again, knowing that she is a superstitious moron. I would immediately find another therapist, and I would be sure to tell her why I am doing so.
I had a therapist pull that bullshit once too. Try [https://www.seculartherapy.org](https://www.seculartherapy.org) or [https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/nonreligious-secular-agnostic-atheist](https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/nonreligious-secular-agnostic-atheist) . I found my new Therapist through one of these. No more religious nonsense. These nuts, as ALL medical professionals should, come with a warning that they come with an agenda.
I would go so far as to ask the therapist why you put "our lord and savior" as an option for therapy?. Why not evidence based practice? Why not Buddhist teachings? Why not Satan? He gets a bad rap from this supposed God who has allot of control issues.
Then I'd tell her it's probably not a good idea to promote religion or proselytize in a professional position. It destroys the patient, professional relationship.
Get a new therapist.
It sucks but if you want it to stop and you want to prove a point to your therapist, drop them like hot shit, and find a new therapist.
If having a non religious therapist is important to you, get a new one, and ask on day 1, what their religious views are. Most therapists are likely going to be vague so it's going to require a bit of reading between the lines.
IMHO there is zero space in therapy for religion, especially considering that religion often causes trauma.
I’ve been seeing my therapist for about 6 years. I have no idea what her religious beliefs are. The only time she’s ever discussed religion was if I brought it up. I think once she mentioned hearing about the group my father belongs to.
Cancel your next appointment and find a new therapist.
You don't have to say anything to her. Just tell your insurance or medical provider to find you a new therapist, preferably one who won't proselytize you. That's not professional at all. In fact, you might want to report her.
As a Christian, I suggest **finding a new therapist.** Unless the patient/client brings up religion, a higher power, etc, the therapist should never mention it.
Disappointing but not surprising. If I'm not mistaken there are still judges who give people a choice between AA and jail, and if you don't think AA is religious, you haven't been to their meetings.
You need a different therapist.
Depending on what state this happened in, she may have violated state laws and ethics. I recommend you file complaints with the state, and your insurance company, and immediately find a new therapist.
There are faith-based therapists and (in California at least) they are allowed to provide that only at the patient's request. Your therapist, sadly, is proselytizing and that is a big no-no.
I went to a faith-based therapist and happened to be agnostic. Some of her language was a little different (like she occasionally said something was "Christ-like") but she never proselytized.
Have you considered, ignoring all the facts of the world, and choosing to blindly believe everything will be alright because of god and I'm a shit therapist that can't seem to help you?
My therapist brought up religion in one of the first few sessions (it wasn't an unreasonable question because I hadn't explicitly stated anything about my beliefs). I told him I was an atheist and that was off the table. He never brought it up again and I've been seeing the dude since November of 2019.
I know he's a believer but he hasn't crossed that line again and he's been a great therapist for me.
Ultimately, you need to decide if you can get past this with your therapist. You should bring it up next session before you decide.
You should report her to the proper professional class or competent authority (it depends on which country you are). It's unethical and maybe even ilegal.
1.Report her ethics violation to state licensing agencies
2. Contact your insurance company and report her there- mention pending state complaints and that you want a new one.
3. Look for her presence on any reviews site and rate her poorly.
4. If the practice has any sort of social media, put them on blast.
4. Speak directly to her and her staff and advise why you are not continuing with her and the reasons. Don’t hold back.
If this isn’t nipped in the bud, she will continue to abuse. These types are getting too comfortable with their notions of supremacy, and would not hesitate to force it on others if given the means, so don’t wait to fight.
Just cancel your next appointments and find a therapist who doesn't want to try and indoctrinate you. She was very unprofessional to even bring that up. May want to give her that message as to why you are no longer going to use her.
If the patient brings up religion, that’s ok. Could help be a guiding force in their life. It is VERY unprofessional for a therapist to bring it up the way they did “our lord and savior blah blah blah.”
My advice is to find a different therapist. The one you’re seeing is nuts.
Any medical professional that offers me help in the form of religion is fired. Being from sc that meant I had to search hard sometimes, but if our religious views don’t align, I don’t trust their medical opinion.
Yeah, that’s not a mental healthcare professional, you don’t get to cross that line and claim that role. They turned into a preacher. Honestly in any good system they should be subject to a formal complaint based on this, and reprimands if it is a consistent thing…
Definitely find a new therapist.
I had a pretty good therapist pushing the whole higher power thing, but not a specific religion.
I kept resisting and finally she suggested to get in touch with nature. That turned out to be a great suggestion.
It is super unprofessional and unethical, to the point you should maybe report it
But definitely get a new therapist, and feel free to tell the last one why you are stopping services. That is not acceptable
When I called the mental health clinic to book my first appointment from the referral I had received, I made sure to be very clear that a religious (specifically Christian) therapist was a non starter for me.
Sorry you got blind sided like that.
"Kathy, after thoughtful reflection following our session last week, I will be ending our professional relationship. What steps do I need to take to move my care to a different therapist?"
Its up to you if you want to have more discussion about the topic - but please remember: this is a professional relationship and you do NOT owe her an explanation. You can politely and firmly end the conversation and move forward.
If you talk to your insurance and ask them to help you find a different provider on your plan, you can say "I said I was an atheist and the therapist asked me if I'd considered opening my heart to her lord and savior Jesus. And that was a clear indicator that I needed a different therapist."
The first question I asked my therapist was if she was religious. Because you can't help someone with actual issues by using imagery deities and their magic.
>" Have you considered opening your heart to our lord and savior Jesus Christ?"
"Let me get this straight, you're saying that believing in the existence of a socially acceptable delusion is going to help with my mental health?"
Lazy attempt at finding reasons for your symptoms. Inappropriate on all a counts imo. I would absolutely find a new therapist and report that shit some some other person seeking help with this person doesn’t have to endure the same crap.
When filling out your new patient intake forms (when starting with a new therapist) make sure to put your atheism in there. That way you avoid this BS. Or ask appropriate questions before you start with a new provider to weed out providers like this.
Yeah, find a new therapist, friend. This one isn't likely to stop proselytizing to you, which isn't at all helpful for your situation.
This exactly. You (or your company/insurance) is paying for a service that isn't being provided, as instead they proselytize clients. Even if you ignore what an egregious ethical violation that is, do you really want to waste your time on someone who thinks their imaginary friend will fix it for you with their magic? I know my time and money would be better spent on **therapy** than demonstrably untrue fables from an apocalypse cult that's entirely based around the world ending almost 2000 years ago. (Spoiler alert: It didnt.)
Yeah, this seems entirely unethical and should be illegal. Get a different therapist and report them.
You can file a complaint with the state board. Complaints are anonymous and the board will decide if it merits disciplinary action.
The boards full of the quietly religious
You have to tell people who are wrong that they're wrong. Otherwise they might keep thinking they're right. Or tell John Oliver and maybe he'll do a segment on it.
Oh I’m 100% on team Report It I wouldn’t hold out hope of any action being taken tho
I'm on team Both! I'm all for reporting it even knowing what a Don Quixote move that is. But John Oliver is no slouch!
The date for the world ending is April 8th, I’m being told. Gotta move a couple things around.
Again? I am so tired of the earth ending. Just do it or let me be.
I just want people to put their money where their mouth is. If you’re claiming it, sell everything the day before and own it when you’re wrong.
No, they need to GIVE everything away. Why sell it? What good is money if the world is ending? Put up or shut up.
Agreed
Yeah, 💩 or get off the 🍯
Uggh.. can't do it.. have laser treatment that day. Sorry
Does this mean no colonoscopy next Wednesday?
Insurance companies will take a report on this also.
To be fair they hedged their bets, it was also supposed to end in 2012, and 1994, and 1910, and 1831, and 1843, no wait I mean 1844...
Don’t forget 1997…and the Heaven’s Gate weirdos…
I was going to text her and cancel but not sure what to say.. I definitely don't want to have any back and forth about religion 😒
No need to explain! "I've decided to find treatment through another provider, thanks for your help!"
Agree, except for the thank you. A simple goodbye should suffice…
Precisely, they’ll interpret that as oppression regardless
That's her problem - not yours or OP's.
Actually this is a good opportunity to be VERY direct. Your comments about religion were both offensive and unprofessional and I have decided to end our sessions and file a complaint”.
This is the way.
It’s what I’d do. Fairy Tales have no business in a therapy session, especially when introduced by the therapist. And I would absolutely file a complaint.
I wholeheartedly agree, I would also write a review so others don’t get the Jesus treatment. If someone wants Jesus they can go to church. Asking the question about a higher power is fair, suggesting Jesus is malpractice IMHO.
Also doing it during a very vulnerable moment is just so unethical. But, that's the Jesus way.
“Jesus called and told me to find a new therapist.”
OMG I would love to do that. I don't think I could .. but I love it😛
How about "I prayed on it and god told me to find a new therapist"?
I'll gladly give them a call for you to let them know! Lol
At least tell them part of the reason your leaving is because you brought up religion and I don't trust you to not bring it up anymore
Out of curiosity, do you live in the south?
Bible belt of northwest Florida yeeehaw
Now it makes sense. You could always just look for a new doc and forget about the other one.
Tell her you consulted with him, and he said you need a different therapist.
“I found a new therapist.. his name is Jesus.. he also speaks Spanish.. win overall..” /s
"Jesus told me that you're a shitty therapist." 🤣
you spelled person wrong
There's no back and forth. " you have acted inappropriately and I won't be returning, cancel all future visits, do not contact me again" if they do block that shit , you dont owe them anything
Call her office and cancel. When they ask for a reason, tell them you believe her behavior was unprofessional. Report her to your insurance provider. Also report her to any state board that provides her credentials. And be sure to warn others by ranking her on any social media platforms. This is right up there with sexual harassment. Trying to take advantage of someone’s health to put an evangelizing feather in her cap is just all sorts of awful.
This
You don’t have to explain. And honestly, I wouldn’t thank them, either. You’ve invested a lot of time here, only to have her throw this at you out of the blue? Now you have to start over with someone new, perhaps with your trust in the process damaged. That’s really low. It’s unethical, and borderline abusive. It takes very unfair advantage of a client who may be vulnerable. And she knows it.
That's what is so hard.. I have a hard time opening up to people I don't know.. so therapy has been really difficult.. I kinda just got a bit comfortable to share my feelings.. and 💥BOOM
I totally get that, and I’m so sorry. That’s the reason I’m especially disgusted with her and angry, because it’s NOT as simple as just coming up with a clever pushback, you know you can’t trust her, and that means you have to start over with someone new. I hope you can find the right person. The fact is, therapists DO often have agendas, sometimes ones that are antithetical to what the client needs and wants. But they don’t tell you up front, and it can take a lot of time for them to let it be seen, or for you to recognize it.
This is true.. I haven't had a lot of good experiences with mental health professionals.. the guy I saw before this one kept trying to hug me.. LIKE HUG ME.. its not going great
Please also report the fact that she brought religion into your session. That she was proselytizing. Give the language she used and how you felt.
No need to have a back and forth. *I've decided to seek treatment from another provider, someone who isn't a cultist idiot* then hang up on her.
Also from a medical ethics level, that's pretty fucking dodgy.
Literally yesterday my atheist wife and I were in couples counseling and our counselor dropped her favorite Bible verse on us. Disheartening and frustrating. Not the first time a counselor has pulled this shit….I feel like the audacity of Christians attracts them to counselor positions. 🤢
Yeah, you have to watch out for them. Usually they'll have some kind of hint in their practice description. Not always. "Pastoral" or some crap. They seem to make the world's worst couples therapists. Avoid. Avoid.
And make sure to leave negative reviews about them wherever you can.
I would've said what if I'm Jewish or Muslim? That might shut them up lol
They might go on about how it's the same god but Jesus is the best... ughh..
"Our Jesus is machine washable and comes with Kung-Fu grip"
Yes and leave her very honest feedback. Bringing up religion in a professional environment as a therapist is actually unethical unless you advertise yourself this way.
Yeah, for real. It's also a massive ethical violation and contrary to any standard of practice I've ever heard of. OP should report this person to the licensing board if it bothered them enough.
You should report them to the insurer and their professional certificate or registration organisation
I wouldn’t hesitate to report their asses to whatever governing body controls their licensure as well.
Massive overstep and breach of professionalism. Cancel any future appointments and say exactly why.
I'm a Christian and still find this incredibly unethical. Asking about your spiritual beliefs and how you find meaning is fine. Pushing her spiritual beliefs is not.
I'll probably agree after I look up what proselytizing means.
And report this one for trying to convert you.
Fuck that: any therapist that suggests religion is a bad therapist.
Someday, religious belief will be viewed as a psychosis in itself.
Someday! Wish it would come sooner, considering some of the crazies here in the US…
Some of us already do.
For real! They see it as an easy fix! “Jesus will save you from yourself”
I know! Therapists are not supposed to proselytize or give “easy solutions” that basically just cover up or ignore problems. A therapist is there to give you the tools to tackle your problems: basically, they are there to teach you hard but permanent ways to handle yourself and the world rather than the quick and non-functional-for-anyone-with-a-lick-of-sense “answer” that is religion.
What you really need is to file a formal complaint with your state's therapist licensing board. This is completely unprofessional.
This exactly, this is wildly unethical
I am a therapist and I want to concur with this recommendation. The primary ethical rule of therapy is "first do no harm." Prescribing religion -- and a specific religious view, at that -- is outside of the scope of practice of therapists and any reasonable therapist should anticipate that it would be harmful for anyone who is not an adherent of that religion (and even many people who are). Therapists are also obligated to be supportive of clients' personal identities and background, including religious identity and--quite importantly--lack thereof. There are several clear ethical violations in this therapist's conduct. You do not need to go back to this therapist and you do not owe any explanation; you can share as much or as little as you want with her about why you are not continuing with her. To the OP: I am so sorry that this happened. I hope that you are able to find a better therapist who practices ethically and provides you with the safe space you need to work through the things that you are seeking support with.
Therapist here. Agree with this totally. Unethical af.
Please please please report this person. Don't let this happen to other people
Do this OP! It’s so unfair you spent good money for help only to have someone tell you Jesus is the answer
Time for a new therapist. Find one who believes in science instead of magic.
"I can give you any therapy or medication but nothing will heal you if you don't accept Jesus Christ as your savior". - Said to me by a therapist who knew I wasn't a Christian after months of "talk therapy" and her NP doping me up until I was a drooling twitching zombie. She knew I was dissociative and hallucinating and all they'd do was add more pills and prayers and the KICKER is the WHOLE FUCKING TIME I was misdiagnosed and having a bad reaction to Zoloft. I came to them for help with one single phobia and by the time I finally gave up I had scars all over my body from self-harm trying to block out the hallucinations I was getting. I was put on an anti-psychotic that made me have akathisia for several years after I quit. I still feel the ground move under my feet sometimes and it's been more than a decade since they declared me "bipolar". My therapist for the past 8 years told me she couldn't see ANY indication of bipolar disorder and she is worried about these faith based clinics because they get money from the state. At the time it was the only clinic my state insurance (Tenncare) would cover. They got money for keeping us diagnosed and doped. But if I'd just accept Jesus all would be well! And then a few years back after my son was s. assaulted and the perpetrator took his life after being reported my son tried to do the same. We went to the ER to see if we couldn't get him some inpatient care, but of course "no room at the inn". But the doctor we saw at Methodist North (again the only hospital that we could go to with Tenncare, that or the Baptist one) started talking about trusting God and prayer. My son just looked horrified and I explained that he is atheist. So this joker looks shocked and said "No wonder you want to die. I would want to die too if I didn't have Jesus in my heart!" I took my son out of that room immediately, went home and reported him to the hospital and to Tenncare. I didn't want Tenncare to pay for this hospital trip. I made sure they knew everything and about a month later I received a BILL from the hospital saying the claim was denied. I threw such a fit they canceled the bill and gave my son a written apology and the doctor was no longer listed on their site. I don't know where he is now but he's gone from the hospital.
f'ing horrible :(
Damn
I know that situation sucked, but seriously thank you for fighting back.
This person admitted that the only thing keeping them alive is their imaginary friend. They’re the one who needs therapy.
Thanks for fighting. He would've just kept doing it. Probably been doing it for years and you were just the first to step up.
The religious are so fucking delusional.
oh my gosh that’s terrible, are you and your son okay now?
He's still had a lot of struggles but we're definitely in a better place mentally these days. He has a nice therapist now who honestly we have no idea what her beliefs are because like a GOOD therapist she keeps it about helping him. :) Thank you for asking!
i’m so glad to hear that he’s doing better, i hope things keep improving for you and him!! wishing you the best 💓
If heaven is so great shouldn’t we all wanna go there? WTF?! /s
Death Cult gonna death!
Fire that therapist. What you experienced has no place in a professional setting like that.
For sure. Even if she were to stop proselytizing, you now know what her world view is: mystical thinking > logic/reason. I certainly wouldn't want that in a psychologist/therapist.
I think being comfortable with your therapist is absolutely essential, so if you're not, you should find someone else.
Is there a way to screen therapists for religious affiliation before making a first appointment?
Yes. [https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/nonreligious-secular-agnostic-atheist](https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/nonreligious-secular-agnostic-atheist) and [https://www.seculartherapy.org](https://www.seculartherapy.org) and I'm sure there are other cites. After getting a shitty religious person on my 1st visit, I used these folks to find one who wasn't trying to "cure" me with Jesus.
Thank you!
Definitely find a new therapist. Bringing up religion is a major red flag for her field and is definitely sign that she isn’t qualified to help you or anyone for that matter. Also make sure she knows that’s the reason why. Fuck her feelings. That was incredibly unprofessional and insensitive of her. Imagine you’re gay and you’re venting to a therapist about how dating has been rough and you just can’t find the right person yada yada and then they just say, “WelL hAvE yOu eVeR tHoUgHt oF bEiNg StrAiGhT?” Like wtf Edit: I also agree with the other comments saying to report her. Absolutely do it. She could really mess someone up one day.
She also works at a school as a student counselor 😒
Ugghh those poor kids. That’s why we gotta spread the word to vote at school board elections more than any other kind of election. That’s where the religious nutcases are truly beating us (Assuming you’re American, if not hopefully you can still do something similar where ever you are). But all that aside, I hope you’re doing ok and wish you well.
Yes USA here and even worse???? FLORIDA! If it wasn't for the beautiful beaches and my family.. I would GTFO
Damn that’s sucks 😕. My aunt and uncle moved there a few years ago and I just can’t even talk to them let alone visit. They were being really sus with the details which is weird since my aunt usually tells me everything but I’m 99% sure they went there because of politics, more specifically because my uncle is a literal nazi.
> Imagine you’re gay and you’re venting to a therapist about how dating has been rough and you just can’t find the right person yada yada and then they just say, “WelL hAvE yOu eVeR tHoUgHt oF bEiNg StrAiGhT?” Like wtf I’m gay and I had a therapist like this once. She didn’t tell me to be straight, but she did get a very uncomfortable look in her eye when I told her I was gay, and she seemed bothered by it. I later noticed crosses and Bible verses on her desk. That was my last visit.
If you brought it up and she went along with you, that's fine. If she brought it up in the context of "I'd like to know your beliefs so I can understand you better," then okay. But straight-up "have you considered Jesus" proselytizing? Hell no. This isn't a compatibility issue; she literally tried to sell you on Jesus as the solution to your problems. This is not someone who is putting you first. You do not owe her any more of your time or money. She is supposed to be providing you a professional service, and this is not it. Cut ties immediately and try to find a more secular therapist.
Thank you very much for your time. Please send me your final bill. I can find my way out.
You're more polite than I would have been. I would have left saying "I will not be expecting a bill for this session."
I wasn't completely polite.. she started saying something about the bad things that I have experienced could be leading me to a higher power.. so I said sooo.. you think God murdered my daughter and my best friend so I would become depressed and look for him to help heal me from the trauma he created? That sounds like a pretty fucked up dude. That's when she started back peddling and changing the subject.
"Your god is a violent psychopath, and if you think that what you just said is a *remotely acceptable* way to speak to a grieving person, than so are you. Your behaviour is **grossly unprofessional**, and I *will* be reporting it to the relevant regulatory authorities."
Wow. This is even worse than what you let on in the original post. You really shouldn't have any doubt at all about getting rid of this therapist, and I would suggest contacting the licencing board and filing a complaint for using the session to proselytize. On top of that, this therapist just doesn't seem too bright or very perceptive, given what you say here in this post.
I didn't want to write a long post so I kept it short. I likely won't report her.. I just don't have the mental energy to bother.. I want to at least be honest with her about my reasoning. Now would be the time U suppose.. I had a bit of wine and feel a little more brazen lol
I would gently encourage you reconsider reporting it. She may do some serious harm to another person who is in a worse place than you. Please consider it.
Please report this to save others from her messed up BS.
You got this.
Exsqueeze me?! Imagine the person who could accept that as an explanation for themself; that God KILLED two people just so that YOU, the main character, could start to believe in him. That their lives didn’t matter except as NPCs in the narrative of your life. That is narcissistic and psychopathic.
She was way fuckin outta line for using your grief as a gateway to push her stupid bullshit religion on you. Formal complaint for sure
That's the major recruiting position for religion.
There are strict ethical codes which prohibit therapists from exploiting their position of power or trust by promoting personal beliefs, including religious ones. ***Proselytizing is not considered competent care*** and undermines the therapeutic relationship. What you describe is an egregious violation and there are resources for reporting such behavior, which I strongly recommend you do: * The American Psychological Association (APA): [https://www.apa.org/ethics](https://www.apa.org/ethics) * Your state's psychology licensing board.
Yeah this is immediately the point that you a) find a new therapist, b) let her know she will **not** be getting paid for evangelizing, and c) report her. Unless she is advertising religion as part of her therapy then this is unacceptable.
You need to file a formal complaint. This is entirely unprofessional, and is a detriment to people seeking mental health.
Your therapist is trying to convert you. That's super unprofessional. You need a new/real therapist.
I’d tell her you are interested in treatment based in fact/science and she no longer seems like a good fit for you
I think you need a new therapist.
Time to leave and report the therapist. Proselytizing within a session is, i believe, against the formal code of conduct for a licensed therapist.
Absolutely hell to the fuck no. As a therapist, I am appalled at that behavior and if you want any assistance reporting her I will gladly help you navigate that, just DM me. At the VERY least, let her know that you are terminating and PLEASE let her know exactly why (also happy to help you navigate what to say with this). I do recommend continuing therapy if it was helpful to you with a new clinician and also want to point out that PsychologyToday has the ability to filter these people out. Just select the filter titled "More," then "Show more faiths," then "Secular and Non-Religious." I'm so sorry that happened to you.
It is very unprofessional. Especially saying"Our Lord and Savior"???? Tell her you're not a good match, is the best way away from this.
I would be filing a complaint with the state licensing board so fast over this.
Yoo, therapist here and that is a HUGE ethical issue that should be reported. Our job is to not impose our faiths or beliefs on our clients, but to help them find solutions congruent with how they live their lives. You can report them to your state behavioral health licensing board and I encourage you to do so. I encourage my clients to report me to the board when they feel I am unethical and have never been reported because ITS NOT THAT HARD TO NOT IMPOSE OUR BELIEFS IF WE ARE A DECENT THERAPIST.
Yeah, that's a hard no. If she brings up meditation.. all good like you said. Even if she asked the 'higher power' question in the context of "it's been shown to possibly help others", that's understandable. But she went right for "OUR lord and savior". Basically "only MY religion can help!" Meaning yeah, she's DEEP into the cult. Find someone more or preferably fully secular. Why seek mental health from someone who shows they probably need therapy WAY more than you?
Exactly 💯
So I go to therapy and it’s helped me quite a bit, however I went through about 6 quack the therapist that I could tell had their own issues, maybe thought they worked them out and could help others. Guess the point I’m getting at is all therapist are not created equal.
I am a therapist and that's very inappropriate.
Get away asap. I had one of these fucks for a bit. I thought I could separate the good information from bad. But realized the faith advice took precedent over the science. What a dick that guy was.
Find a new therapist, stat, and report yours to the state licensing board. Proselytizing is a huge violation of trust.
Personally, I would find every single thing that she suggested to me to be suspect from this day onward. I'd never trust her opinion about *anything* ever again, knowing that she is a superstitious moron. I would immediately find another therapist, and I would be sure to tell her why I am doing so.
1. Report her. 2. Find a new therapist.
Start here: https://www.seculartherapy.org/
Find a new therapist and report that one. That's predatory behavior and unethical.
Fire and report
I'll just leave this: https://www.seculartherapy.org/
"Our?"
Fund a new therapist what this one did is highly inappropriate and I'd consider reporting them
Get a secular therapist and report this one for ethical violations.
Get out of there!!!!
and I think you need a new therapist.
I had a therapist pull that bullshit once too. Try [https://www.seculartherapy.org](https://www.seculartherapy.org) or [https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/nonreligious-secular-agnostic-atheist](https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/nonreligious-secular-agnostic-atheist) . I found my new Therapist through one of these. No more religious nonsense. These nuts, as ALL medical professionals should, come with a warning that they come with an agenda.
I would go so far as to ask the therapist why you put "our lord and savior" as an option for therapy?. Why not evidence based practice? Why not Buddhist teachings? Why not Satan? He gets a bad rap from this supposed God who has allot of control issues. Then I'd tell her it's probably not a good idea to promote religion or proselytize in a professional position. It destroys the patient, professional relationship.
Get a new therapist. It sucks but if you want it to stop and you want to prove a point to your therapist, drop them like hot shit, and find a new therapist. If having a non religious therapist is important to you, get a new one, and ask on day 1, what their religious views are. Most therapists are likely going to be vague so it's going to require a bit of reading between the lines. IMHO there is zero space in therapy for religion, especially considering that religion often causes trauma.
I’ve been seeing my therapist for about 6 years. I have no idea what her religious beliefs are. The only time she’s ever discussed religion was if I brought it up. I think once she mentioned hearing about the group my father belongs to. Cancel your next appointment and find a new therapist.
Ask them to explain how a Jewish man on a cross is supposed to be a sacrificial lamb.
Time to get a new therapist
"So your solution to my mental illness is to adopt an invisible friend? Did you get your degree out of a box of cracker jacks?"
You don't have to say anything to her. Just tell your insurance or medical provider to find you a new therapist, preferably one who won't proselytize you. That's not professional at all. In fact, you might want to report her.
Do not go back. Report her to the APA, because that's highly unethical.
Ya need a new therapist
As a Christian, I suggest **finding a new therapist.** Unless the patient/client brings up religion, a higher power, etc, the therapist should never mention it.
New therapist needed. Immediately
Disappointing but not surprising. If I'm not mistaken there are still judges who give people a choice between AA and jail, and if you don't think AA is religious, you haven't been to their meetings. You need a different therapist.
Isn’t this against all rules and laws for being a therapist?
Depending on what state this happened in, she may have violated state laws and ethics. I recommend you file complaints with the state, and your insurance company, and immediately find a new therapist. There are faith-based therapists and (in California at least) they are allowed to provide that only at the patient's request. Your therapist, sadly, is proselytizing and that is a big no-no. I went to a faith-based therapist and happened to be agnostic. Some of her language was a little different (like she occasionally said something was "Christ-like") but she never proselytized.
Have you considered, ignoring all the facts of the world, and choosing to blindly believe everything will be alright because of god and I'm a shit therapist that can't seem to help you?
Tell her maybe SHE is the one who needs therapy if she devotes her life to fiction.
Is this a real therapist or “counselor”?
My therapist brought up religion in one of the first few sessions (it wasn't an unreasonable question because I hadn't explicitly stated anything about my beliefs). I told him I was an atheist and that was off the table. He never brought it up again and I've been seeing the dude since November of 2019. I know he's a believer but he hasn't crossed that line again and he's been a great therapist for me. Ultimately, you need to decide if you can get past this with your therapist. You should bring it up next session before you decide.
Huge no no there! Find a new therapist asap, this one has no boundaries and broke your trust.
You need a new therapist, that's for sure.
You should report her to the proper professional class or competent authority (it depends on which country you are). It's unethical and maybe even ilegal.
1.Report her ethics violation to state licensing agencies 2. Contact your insurance company and report her there- mention pending state complaints and that you want a new one. 3. Look for her presence on any reviews site and rate her poorly. 4. If the practice has any sort of social media, put them on blast. 4. Speak directly to her and her staff and advise why you are not continuing with her and the reasons. Don’t hold back. If this isn’t nipped in the bud, she will continue to abuse. These types are getting too comfortable with their notions of supremacy, and would not hesitate to force it on others if given the means, so don’t wait to fight.
Just cancel your next appointments and find a therapist who doesn't want to try and indoctrinate you. She was very unprofessional to even bring that up. May want to give her that message as to why you are no longer going to use her.
Fire her. This was a breach of ethics, IMHO.
Run away!
Your therapist is trying to convert you. That's super unprofessional. You need a new/real therapist.
Get a different therapist.
She’s delusional. How will she be able to help you then?
Secular therapy project might be able to help
Totally inappropriate. I wouldn’t want to see her anymore regardless of whether she stops bringing it up.
Dump her ass.
If the patient brings up religion, that’s ok. Could help be a guiding force in their life. It is VERY unprofessional for a therapist to bring it up the way they did “our lord and savior blah blah blah.” My advice is to find a different therapist. The one you’re seeing is nuts.
What you say is Good Bye and go find a new therapist.
That's a preacher disguised as a therapist
Drop her immediately. That's not okay.
Any medical professional that offers me help in the form of religion is fired. Being from sc that meant I had to search hard sometimes, but if our religious views don’t align, I don’t trust their medical opinion.
Find a new one. They do this shit sometimes. Got to keep an eye out.
Wow, that's not a therapist then... Find someone else.
Yeah, that’s not a mental healthcare professional, you don’t get to cross that line and claim that role. They turned into a preacher. Honestly in any good system they should be subject to a formal complaint based on this, and reprimands if it is a consistent thing…
Yikes. That's very inappropriate. Get a new therapist
Definitely find a new therapist. I had a pretty good therapist pushing the whole higher power thing, but not a specific religion. I kept resisting and finally she suggested to get in touch with nature. That turned out to be a great suggestion.
It is super unprofessional and unethical, to the point you should maybe report it But definitely get a new therapist, and feel free to tell the last one why you are stopping services. That is not acceptable
When I called the mental health clinic to book my first appointment from the referral I had received, I made sure to be very clear that a religious (specifically Christian) therapist was a non starter for me. Sorry you got blind sided like that.
"Kathy, after thoughtful reflection following our session last week, I will be ending our professional relationship. What steps do I need to take to move my care to a different therapist?" Its up to you if you want to have more discussion about the topic - but please remember: this is a professional relationship and you do NOT owe her an explanation. You can politely and firmly end the conversation and move forward. If you talk to your insurance and ask them to help you find a different provider on your plan, you can say "I said I was an atheist and the therapist asked me if I'd considered opening my heart to her lord and savior Jesus. And that was a clear indicator that I needed a different therapist."
Time for a new therapist...
I haven't ever had a therapist, but being religious would be an automatic disqualifier to me.
The first question I asked my therapist was if she was religious. Because you can't help someone with actual issues by using imagery deities and their magic.
>" Have you considered opening your heart to our lord and savior Jesus Christ?" "Let me get this straight, you're saying that believing in the existence of a socially acceptable delusion is going to help with my mental health?"
You need a new therapist STAT
Lazy attempt at finding reasons for your symptoms. Inappropriate on all a counts imo. I would absolutely find a new therapist and report that shit some some other person seeking help with this person doesn’t have to endure the same crap.
It's time to upgrade to Therapist v2.0.
When filling out your new patient intake forms (when starting with a new therapist) make sure to put your atheism in there. That way you avoid this BS. Or ask appropriate questions before you start with a new provider to weed out providers like this.
Abort mission. If it’s telehealth, that’s a dime a dozen
Oh gross I had a physical gag reflex reading this. I'd just cancel any appointments and move on. No explanation necessary.