Therapeutic Neutrality in an Age of Polarization: A Buddhist-Informed Approach

On October 7, 2023, my world shattered. As an Israeli-born therapist practicing in the United States, I watched in horror as events unfolded, followed by a surge in global antisemitism and increasingly polarized discourse. This collective trauma forced me to confront the most fundamental question: Who am I? Beyond my professional identity as a therapist, my nationality, and my religion—what defines me in these moments of crisis?

In the weeks that followed October 7, I struggled with maintaining therapeutic neutrality while processing my own trauma. I saw some of my clients and colleagues, committed to social justice, taking extreme positions that seemed to justify violence in the name of political ideology. This challenged my core belief in people’s inherent goodness and capacity for compassion.

Learn more in this article from the Spring 2025 issue Thorny Topics in the EMDR Therapy Room of Go With That Magazine® by Rotem Brayer.

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