On What "Therapy is Political" Means to Kindman & Co.
When interviewing for a position at Kindman & Co., a question that Kaitlin and Paul ask is, “What does it mean to you when we say: ‘Therapy is political’?” During my own interview, that was the first time I had ever heard that phrase. It stuck with me. After a pause, I said something that has since evolved after working with Kindman for a little bit of time.
This concept of therapy being political has been a driving force at Kindman & Co.—shaping our discussions and our collective approach to caring for clients. That’s why it felt important to get everyone’s take on what it meant to them. Since we are a relational space, check out some of the team’s responses (some edited for length because we all love to talk) on what therapy being political means for them:
Kaitlin Kindman: Therapy is political because what happens in the therapy room can’t (and shouldn’t) be separated from the outside world. [...] I believe that the work of therapy is also a political act in itself. In direct opposition of many dominant political beliefs, therapists [should] affirm the experience, dignity, and worth of all humans—BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, immigrant, etc. In our role, we also take a stand for our shared humanity and [...] work with clients to alleviate suffering, interrupt cycles of intergenerational trauma, and to increase empathy, curiosity, and vulnerability which supports them to build thriving relationships and more connected communities. [...] These values and behaviors support increased creativity and inspire leadership that works toward a more just and equitable society that puts our human-ness first.
Gaby Teresa: When I say "therapy is political, '' I mean that my relationship and work with my clients exists in more than just our hour together every week. Even if we wanted to, we can't erase and (shouldn't) ignore the pieces of our identity that we walk in with. Because my specialty here at Kindman and Co. is primarily working with marginalized folx, I would be doing a serious disservice if I didn't make it a priority to acknowledge the things that my clients live with and experience in a political world every day. Therapy is political because it needs to be!
Anna Kim: Therapy doesn’t take place in a vacuum. When I say therapy is political, I’m thinking about how these systems [...such as government, education, policing, healthcare, climate policy, food policy, immigration policy, housing policy, racism, sexism, the gender binary, racism, ableism, the beauty industrial complex, capitalism, etc...] also operate together to make themselves seem “natural” or “normal,” which puts all the responsibility back onto individuals to “fix” themselves. When we consider therapy to be a political act, this means [...] upholding an ethical responsibility to approach therapy as a radical intervention, meant not only to heal at the individual and familial level, but also to help motivate change more broadly through community, connection, and care. It means holding awareness of the bigger picture, and helping clients to do the same by modeling inclusion, curiosity, openness, and anti-oppressive action.
Paul Kindman: Therapists are healthcare providers in a field where what it means to be “ill” has a great deal to do with who holds to power to classify what “illness” is. For example: the DSM classified homosexuality as an illness until 1975.
Therapists, who are operating within systems of oppression and inequity, have a choice: stay silent about what’s going on and treat our clients’ emotional distress as a purely individual issue, or use our power to highlight the impact of systemic issues on individual wellbeing and empower our clients to use their agency to make change beyond the individual. Choices don’t get any more political than that.
Dani Marrufo: When I hear people say that therapy is political, they typically discuss the content of discussion and power dynamics created in the therapy room. Often forgotten is the level of accessibility, financial expense, theory and practices that were developed for and by white folks, and the lack of diversity in clinicians, and access/privilege required for education and licensing of clinicians.
Courtney Rago: Nothing can be separated from the context in which it was born. Therapy is not immune to that, and can’t be divorced from the fact that it was built largely by cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied, European white men who had a lot of power and most often wanted to perpetuate that power by maintaining hegemonic narratives of “health” and what “health” means and looks like. Therapy is political. [...] “Healing” is also limited by the context in which it exists, and we live in a society that continues to marginalize and oppress communities based on definitions of “normal” and “health” that were created eons ago and are maintained by privileged folks who don’t question, challenge, and fight. [...] We must continue to learn and grow, explicitly acknowledge and attend to issues of power while fighting to minimize power differentials. It is impossible not to bring ourselves and our biases, our identities, lived experiences, trauma, and privilege into every single interaction we have, and it’s important that we’re honest about what that means.
Steve Wilson: When I say therapy is political, I mean it is a radical practice of experiencing wellness in connection, an act of resistance to stigma and erasure, and that our collective liberation is intertwined. Therapy has always been political. As a profession it was codified by people with their own (white, straight, Eurocentric, patriarchal) politics and biases which have echoed through time, at times doing great harm to those who were not like them. [...] It is crucial to understand that the therapist across from you is a whole person with values, demographics, trauma, and lived experience of their own…
Amanda Lam: Therapy is political. Just as the entire healthcare system is. Just as human rights are. Just as existing has become. Because we live in a society created and run by systems of oppression dictating how our identities will affect our daily experiences. That does not change whether we’re at a fancy restaurant, learning as a student in a public school, or in a therapist’s office. We can definitely try and ignore it, but the real work is in acknowledging, learning, and/or taking action against these systems.
Caitlin Harrison: Therapy is political in that we live within systems that are constantly impacting our ability to live well. Therapy is political in that when done well, therapy allows us to feel empowered, capable, and fulfilled in the relationships that we have– which I feel is apolitical to how politics focuses on maintaining the power of the elite. All of the “isms” (well addressed by my colleagues) that impact our lives need to be addressed within the therapy space because we are consistently having to figure out what it means to be human while navigating inhumane conditions.
And so, by now, I hope you recognize that we here at Kindman care. We care about what is happening out there, because of course it is going to impact how you are when you meet with us in our therapy spaces. We are committed to maintaining the stance that therapy is political so that all of you is cared for.
Caitlin Harrison is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, social justice advocate, and a feminist. She works with individuals, intimate relationships, and families. Caitlin is a sex positive therapist with a special interest in the integration of sexuality and spirituality, women’s empowerment, and eradicating narratives of guilt and shame. She is passionate about working with couples because every partnership can be deepened, stretched, and more pleasure-forward.
Utilizing the relationship between client and therapist, Caitlin embodies hospitality and humor in her work which allows an inclusive and collaborative space to share all of life’s ups, downs, and in betweens. Overall, her work is focused on ensuring that you feel safe coming home to yourself. Caitlin feels at home with a cup of coffee in her hand, a bouquet of flowers nearby, and music at the ready to dance to.
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THERAPY SERVICES AT KINDMAN & CO.
We are here for your diverse counseling needs. Our team of therapists provides lgbtqia+ affirmative therapy, couples therapy & premarital counseling, grief & loss counseling, group therapy, and more. We have specialists in trauma, women's issues, depression & anxiety, substance use, mindfulness & embodiment, and support for creatives. For therapists and practice owners, we also provide consultation and supervision services! We look forward to welcoming you for therapy in Highland Park and online.