To Judge Or Not To Judge (Clinically)

“How can psychiatrists/psychologists not be judgmental? Isn’t it natural? And this judgmental-ness holds us back from reaching out to them for help, even when we need it.” There’s moral judgment and there’s a clinical or psychological judgment. Professionalism entails that there be no moral judgments whatsoever. And it necessitates that there have to be psychological or clinical judgments.

So as mental health professionals it is unbecoming of us to deem our patients/clients as good or bad people, as righteous or unrighteous.

But it is equally important to judge them psychologically for problematic thoughts, emotions, attitudes, choices, behavior etc. that have to be identified and rectified. Which is why they come to us to begin with.

Do psychologists or psychiatrists morally judge people? Well, yes, if they’re themselves badly trained.

But most importantly, if they have a shallow understanding of their source of morality and values. As far as I know, most values (even those of atheists) stem from Abrahamic religions, and only degenerate understandings of these religions allow people to become a moral police and play god. Deeper readings would always warn people to avoid these tendencies at all costs.

That’s me judging. This being a professional judgment.