@K9Kohle789 That’s why I don’t own a talking scale, helloooooo!?!

I went in for brain surgery when I was 28 y.o., a priest came into my room to talk to and give me. I told him that I'm not a believer and that he's wasting his breath, he turned around and left the room.

I think that the two are hard to separate, in the treatment and healing of most people, for their emotional problems, and past traumas. I personally have no issue with a therapist or mental health professional who is a believer in religion, as long as they respect the patient's non-belief, attempt to meet them where the patient is already at, so to speak, and not try to change them on that aspect of not believing. The point is to make the person more functional, less plagued by their mental illness, promote healing of their psyche from trauma, increase their capacity or resiliance to be able to cope with life, to increase their social connections and improve the quality of those connections, and to aid them in finding a life that is more fulfilling to them, not to the helper..

@TomMcGiverin In my experience, I haven't yet met a believer who is capable of keeping their delusions to themselves.

@KKGator I believe you and respect your perspective, but I have met such critters, tho I don't claim that they are common in their professions..

I wonder if that would be in their disclosure, or whatever you would call it.

…if they can afford it. Last I checked, none of them are free.

@skado Yes and no. The ministers are still free of charge, and so are the mental health workers working at community mental health centers, where they still exist, because those are govt. funded, and either charge nothing for the poor, or a sliding fee scale for those who do have income.

@skado Most employer provided health plans offer a certain number of visits at no cost per year.

A minister in a protestant church is likely going to have a spouse. Ministers are not bound by HIPAA They will tell their spouse. Who will then tell all at craft a prayer circle (or whatever.) and then the town knows within 17 hours.

@BufftonBeotch All of those suppositions, are very likely true, in a rural area, but I don't live in one of those, and never will again, by choice, because of the terrible mismatch they are for someone like me. In a decent sized city, like I live in, you don't have to worry about such a widespread gossip network, lucky for me. I pity people who, due to either ignorance about such things, or not having any choice about where they live, due to local family ties, or needing the job they have in that town so badly, that they have to stay living in Podunk, no matter how bad it might be for them socially or mentally.

@BufftonBeotch But nowadays, esp. with the gig economy, many jobs have no benefits whatsover, which is a trend which began decades ago, on the part of employers, to increase their profits and cut their costs. It is also a big reason why most employers, esp. ones in low wage, no benefit industries can't hire and keep staff, because many workers decided, after Covid hit, to no longer put up with taking low wage, no benefit jobs anymore and being exploited by employers, to work high risk jobs for Covid, with no benefits and shitty pay. I still have no sympathy whatsoever for employers these days who can't hire or keep staff. They are reaping what they have sowed, because employers who have continued to pay well and provide good benefits, have always been able to hire and retain staff. It is the exploitive ones who are suffering now, and they fucking deserve every bit of it!

@TomMcGiverin But it is seen as important to overall health if you do have a health benefit plan. Not all that long ago seeking counseling was a red flag.

Sound like a line from the Clint Eastwood movie, Gran Torino...

@TomMcGiverin GREAT Movie that was !

Dirty Harry the retirement years. @twill