Let's start with the real deal. Is this thread about atheists seeing Christian therapists or is it about lesbians seeing a Christian therapist.

Pick a damn lane.

Gee, looks to me as though nothing has been done to your posting ability, like you blamed me for.

There are plenty of therapists in the area, and the therapist came recommended by a professor. Finding a new therapist was not that difficult. You are right it would be not so easy in a smaller community. And, now online therapy is a thing. You can match on worldview quite directly.

How high a priority should worldview be balancing with specialty areas?

Look at you posting.

(November 23, 2022 at 9:52 pm)arewethereyet Wrote: Let's start with the real deal.  Is this thread about atheists seeing Christian therapists or is it about lesbians seeing a Christian therapist.

Pick a damn lane.

Gee, looks to me as though nothing has been done to your posting ability, like you blamed me for.

The lanes carry some of the same domain.  Certain Xtians view both homosexuality and disbelief in God as a grave sin that will greatly impact the afterlife. They believe they are pathological. If they can keep good boundaries, then fine.  Reading Bible verse like they are quoting the DSM in therapy is a sign the boundary is not tight enough.   In the US South belief in God is rather ubiquitous and  especially older therapist may no see the harm in sharing what they see as wisdom.  Maybe this is a non-issue elsewhere.

My PC has all features, my smart phone seemed to lose some.

(November 23, 2022 at 9:57 pm)Uberpod Wrote: There are plenty of therapists in the area, and the therapist came recommended by a professor. Finding a new therapist was not that difficult.  You are right it would be not so easy in a smaller community.  And, now online therapy is a thing.  You can match on worldview quite directly.

How high a priority should worldview be balancing with specialty areas?

I'm glad your friend could find a new therapist right away. Sad to say, it doesn't surprise me that the first one or two may not be suitable. I wish people were more professional overall, but I guess we're not there yet.

I hadn't thought of online therapy. I am kind of old-fashioned that way, and have refused to switch any of the classes I teach over to Zoom. But it increasingly makes sense. 

As for worldview, that's an interesting question. You'd certainly want any counsellor who had strict religious convictions to make that known up front. And the issue the analysand is facing would make some difference, too. For example if they're dealing with gay or trans issues (or some other thing traditionally disapproved of by religion), it would make all the difference, whereas with eating disorders it might be less concerning.

But it's all fuzzy.... My other niece goes to a very progressive church where they are welcoming of gay and trans people. Strange as it sounds, there are gay Christians who want that flavor of counseling. 

Long ago I did therapy with a Neo-Freudian who said almost nothing. This was the practice in the old days -- instead of asking for advice, the analysand did all the talking and gradually became aware of himself that way. It cost a fortune, of course, but I got a lot out of it. Hearing about the bad advice that other types of therapists have given, this makes sense to me more and more.

(As for this forum: this is not a place where we can generally expect sympathy. Scolding is more the norm.)

I don't like being accused of lying or receiving scolding for an infraction I have not made. I do not need sympathy. Just a tiny layer of trust. If these are the moderators, I shutter to imagine what the agitators are like. You have the temperament for moderation.

There's goes Bel, true to form.

If you want to be taken seriously, don't change your topic/question halfway through.

If you are honestly looking for some advice, use the 'serious' tag.

Consider yourself scolded.

(November 23, 2022 at 10:22 pm)Uberpod Wrote: I don't like being accused of lying or receiving scolding for an infraction I have not made. I do not need sympathy.  Just a tiny layer of trust. If these are the moderators, I shutter to imagine what the agitators are like.  You have the temperament for moderation.

You accused me of doing something I didn't do.  Not the other way around.

And the word you are looking for is 'shudder'.  Unless you want a window covering.

(November 23, 2022 at 10:24 pm)arewethereyet Wrote:

(November 23, 2022 at 10:22 pm)Uberpod Wrote: I don't like being accused of lying or receiving scolding for an infraction I have not made. I do not need sympathy.  Just a tiny layer of trust. If these are the moderators, I shutter to imagine what the agitators are like.  You have the temperament for moderation.

You accused me of doing something I didn't do.  Not the other way around.

And the word you are looking for is 'shudder'.  Unless you want a window covering.

Well. We are even then. You accused me of making up the example.

(November 23, 2022 at 4:06 pm)Uberpod Wrote: Can a therapist who is Xtian (as opposed to someone engaged in Xtian Counseling) treat an atheist patient unbiasedly? Will they forever - secretly- have conversion as part of the  treatment plan.

I hope not, because the recidivism rate for conversion treatments, even the electrical torture ones that Mike Pence favors, approaches one hundred percent.