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Old Dec 31, 2013, 10:14 PM
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franki_j franki_j is offline
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Member Since: May 2011
Posts: 329
This is interesting for me. My current T is Muslim; I know because I read her dissertation, which was about depression in the Southeast Asian Muslim community and how being Muslim can affect your attitudes towards therapy, etc.
Also, I googled her and found a picture of her wearing a hijab at a health fair for Muslims where she did a poster on mental health. She doesn't wear one where I see her. She seems pretty religious and really into helping her community. I know this because I googled her, not because she talks about it in session.
I doesn't bother me, but I am curious about it. Like how does she feel when I tell her stories about my sex life or drinking? I am sure she is fine with it since she specializes in BPD so she must hear a lot of stories about those topics, but it makes me wonder how she integrates her faith with a job that specializes in people who have behaviors that might no agree with her religion, and how does she not judge me, etc. I mean, I have never felt judged by her but I wonder how she integrates the two.
Part of me is just curious about her religion and her practices, and another part of me wonders if she wouldn't prefer a patient who was Islamic. I know that sounds bad maybe, but I also know that she is listed under some Muslim therapist sites and she seems very committed to that community, so I wonder if she wouldn't be happier or feel more connected to a patient who was Muslim sometimes. Even though like I said she has never given me any reason to think that, but I am curious about things like that. Mostly I am just curious about her religion and practices though.

Also my last T was pretty agnostic/not religious, so it is different having someone who is pretty committed to their faith. (Even though this has never come up in therapy; the reason I know this is from my snooping.)
Thanks for this!
brillskep, growlycat