Mental health professionals like me often provide services to a variety adults through the life cycle.  In my deep blue state, as I listen to their views on culture, it doesn't paint a pretty picture.

I'm the confidante for many educated, worried-well individuals, some having advanced degrees, yet these accomplished people seem unaware of the dismantling of Western civilization.

Most keep their politics to themselves, but when right-leaning individuals hint about theirs, I allay their trepidation and share mine.  Although the focus remains on personal issues, my right-wing clients are well informed and express dismay about the state of the country.

We aren't supposed to disclose our political orientation, but I know that my left-leaning and radical-left colleagues seem to have no qualms in expressing their positions.  To my knowledge, no psychologists, social workers, or other therapists have shifted their political thinking.  Instead, they've doubled down on leftism.

Last week, I took part in a virtual seminar to fulfill my CEU requirements.  The presenter, a forty-something-year-old woman, pronouns front and center, introduced a case referring to individuals as cisgendered.

When I moved my Zoom setting into the gallery view, I saw a few older, white Boomer women displaying their pronouns, she/her/hers.

At one point, another white woman commented about Christian nationalists, which caused me to unmute.  Quickly, I changed my mind and muted myself.

As a political minority, I determined it wasn't worth pointing out the hypocrisy of stereotyping.

Mental health professionals also promote this ideology in the written word.

Some of my CEUs are derived from reading a magazine oriented to all disciplines of behavioral health.  I skim to get through the quizzes.  I've seen articles discussing white body privilege.  Others describe DEI trainings that point out the need to acknowledge racial disparities, even if none exists.  The message?  White people, bow your heads in shame for privileged skin color.

We know what's happening in the medical schools with the woke and CRT training.  What many don't know is the lowering of standards to appease the loud voices, claiming racism, sexism, transphobia, etc.

A few months ago, I was informed that an elite medical school altered its testing requirements for a major exam.  Grades were replaced with pass/fail.  I didn't think twice about this, but recently, a young medical student told me that many dropped out of medical school after receiving their results.  I asked why.  She informed me certain students thought they could get by with the minimum requirement.  In the past, they reached for the higher grade.  When I questioned the reason for applying lower standards, her understanding was the new criteria helped marginalized groups and women.  Why didn't they offer tutorial services, raising everyone up rather than down, I asked.  She didn't respond.

Middle- and high-school teachers tell me about the state of behavior and academics in the public schools.  The attention to identity politics shines through.  One school insisted that teachers remove the LGBT-plus flags and those from a multitude of countries.  Uproar occurred.  Thus, those flags banner and wave beneath the American flag.  Some schools require translating classroom lessons in other languages.

Certain schools allow students to look at their iPhones or receive special accommodations for unruly behavior.  One teacher told me that a child rocked back and forth in front of him.  His only choice was to recite the rules, trying to teach despite this mayhem.  Children sent to the principal's office often return to the classroom twenty minutes later.  That's the extent of consequences.

The more affluent schools bully teachers if parents complain about their cherubs not receiving a high grade, which lowers their chances for admission to an elite college.  These parents cry "not fair" to administrators even if their children didn't put in the effort.

Another issue is the lack of desire to procreate.  We've heard about it in the news.  Two of my young clients, one in college and another in her mid-twenties, make it clear they don't want children.  The college student, usually a sweet young man, was defiant about ending connections with his parents if he receives pressure about grandchildren.

Yes, things appear quite dystopian, but there are some silver linings.  One of my clients, whom I haven't seen since the pandemic, asked if I could see her daughter for a few visits.  Like her mother, this young woman made it clear she leaned right.  Not only that, but she embraces her religion, is pro-life, and defied her college mandate of vaccinations.  She graduated and remains connected to many young adults who think like her.

Another college student told me she's part of a large, moderate Christian community of her peers.

It warms my heart to hear young people embracing some traditional values, including the rare belief in God.  I conveyed this sentiment to both women.  Each rewarded me with an enormous smile, and I raised my eyes, saying there's still hope for our country.

God bless America.

Image: Thijs Paanakker via Flickr.