Therapy Is Looking More Like Re-Education

Article excerpt

A growing number of therapists are framing patient problems through the lens of systemic power dynamics, privilege, and oppression rather than individual psychology, according to critics who worry the approach resembles re-education. The shift treats personal struggles, relationship issues, anxiety, career setbacks, as manifestations of broader social hierarchies, prompting some patients to abandon therapy altogether. Mental health professionals argue this politicizes what should be apolitical healing spaces, while supporters contend ignoring structural inequities is itself a form of bias. The debate reflects a broader cultural divide over how much therapy should engage with ideology versus focus on symptom relief.