In this episode, I'm sharing practical ways therapists can make room for political stress in the therapy room without allowing the session to become a debate.
I also created a FREE quick-reference guide, Political Stress in Therapy: 10 Client-Centered Questions to Use in Session. It includes practical questions to help you move beyond the political headline and explore the emotions, values, boundaries, and next steps underneath a client's distress. Download it free here: lisa-mustard.aweb.page/free-political-stress-guide
Politics can affect our clients' sense of safety, identity, belonging, relationships, and hope for the future. I talk about how to move from the headline to its deeper meaning; validate a client's emotional experience without endorsing every opinion; help clients regulate, set boundaries, and take values-aligned action; and notice our own reactions as therapists.
I also address what to say when prospective clients ask where you stand politically and why it is okay for clients to decide they need a therapist who feels like the right fit for them.
For additional support, I mention How to Navigate Politics in Session Without Taking Sides, which offers structured prompts and guidance for ethical, client-centered conversations. I also share my Political Stress Ebook Workbook: Coping Strategies for Therapists, a downloadable, client-facing ebook that therapists can customize and rebrand with their own information.
Whether your clients are doomscrolling, fighting with family, feeling afraid about the future, or overwhelmed by the intensity of the news cycle, I hope this episode offers a grounded, practical way to respond.
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