Navigating Polarization in Mental Health Care with Andrew Hartz | Ep 30

Feb 18, 2025

Andrew Hartz, President of the Open Therapy Institute and a clinical psychologist, discusses the concerning rise of sociopolitical bias in mental health care. He reveals how personal beliefs can overshadow patient-centered therapy, leading to exclusion based on political views. The conversation delves into the challenges conservative therapists face and the ethical responsibilities of practitioners. Hartz also highlights the need for culturally sensitive approaches, addressing topics like gun ownership and gender biases in therapy.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Affirmative Action Incident

A Jewish patient expressed disagreement with affirmative action after not receiving a fellowship.
The clinic's consensus deemed the patient racist, referring him out because a therapist of color couldn't handle a "racist" patient.

INSIGHT

Politicized Therapy

Therapists openly express refusal to treat certain patients based on political views.
A news story reported therapists refusing Zionist patients, highlighting an influential, politicized segment within the field.

INSIGHT

Bias Canary in the Coal Mine

Kicking people out of therapy for mainstream views signals severe bias.
Therapists' openness, curiosity, and empathy are crucial; strong political views hinder effective therapy.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

What happens when mental health care becomes intertwined with prevailing political ideologies and biases? Today on Heterodox Out Loud, we’re joined by Andrew Hartz, president and founder of the Open Therapy Institute and a long-term member of Heterodox Academy. Andrew joins John Tomasi to explore the increasing prevalence of sociopolitical bias within the realm of mental health therapy.

Andrew shares his motivations for founding the Open Therapy Institute, highlighting the concerning shifts in therapy practices caused by activist-oriented approaches and sociopolitical biases. He discusses the need for a more balanced, patient-centered therapeutic approach that respects diverse perspectives without conflating therapy with broader ideological battles. Andrew sheds light on the startling trend of therapists dismissing patients due to their political views and the broader issue of bias pervading mental health training and practice.

In This Episode:

The rise of sociopolitical bias in mental health therapy
The four levels of bias impacting therapists
The incompatibility of patient-centered therapy with politically driven judgment
The influence of activist-oriented norms in therapeutic contexts
The role and objectives of the Open Therapy Institute
Viewpoint diversity and the challenges faced by conservative therapists

For more insights and updates from the Open Therapy Institute, visit their website: https://www.opentherapyinstitute.org/

About Andrew:

Andrew Hartz, Ph.D, is a practicing clinical psychologist. He was formerly a professor in the clinical psychology doctoral program at Long Island University, where he also completed his Ph.D. He completed his clinical internship at Columbia University Medical Center, and he also completed training at Mount Sinai Hospital and the William Alanson White Institute. For several years, he’s written about political issues and mental health for outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, City Journal, Discourse, the Federalist, Real Clear Education, Heterodox Academy, and the New York Post.

Follow Andrew on X: https://x.com/Hartz_PhD

Follow Heterodox Academy on:

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5Dy

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfw

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJ

Instagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUg

Substack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF

🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud