Dr. Grisel Lopez-Escobar, PhD, LMHC, NCC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor # MH 20052
Providing Virtual Therapy to Adult Clients Located in the States of
Florida (primary license), as well as Colorado, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Vermont, USA
Specializing in Supporting Clients who are Newly Secular / Deconstructing / Have Experienced Religious Trauma
You're Looking for Secular Therapy
Just as some people seek out therapists who specialize in working with clients who subscribe to a specific religion, you've been on the lookout for one who specializes in working with clients who wish to approach therapy from a secular or non-religious lens.
Depending on where you now live and how and where you grew up, you might either keep your non-religiosity to yourself, be selective as to whom you share it with, or openly share it with others. Sometimes it can feel like you're a member of a secret society, despite the fact that polling by the Pew Research Center in the US (2023) shows that 28% of US adults are religiously unaffiliated, meaning that their either identified religiously as atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular.”
Whether at work or in social situations, when religion comes up you quietly strategize about what to do, and you're unsure about how your true views will be received. At this point, you're thinking that spilling the beans about your stance might bring you surprised pearl-clutching at best, and blatant discrimination at the very worst. Maybe you've been considering therapy for some time, but still, you hesitate.
Despite knowing that licensed therapists are professionally trained to not impose their religious views on clients, it does happen. Perhaps the mere idea of it has been keeping you from seeking help for ages. You've got this nightmare scenario of sitting across from a therapist week after week, ducking religious vocabulary you don't relate to, feeling judged, feeling cornered, and needing to defend yourself-- instead of doing the important work you went to therapy for in the first place.
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Time to find a therapist who's a good fit.