Are Therapists Allowed to Have Strong Opinions?

I'm so glad you're wondering this, because it means you're taking your search for a therapist seriously, and are invested in the experience you have.

Short answer: Yes, therapists are allowed to have strong opinions, and if your therapist says they don't I'd wonder about how honest they are with themselves.

Long answer: Historically, the field of Psychology demanded a sort of "blank" presentation from therapists. This was in an effort to emphasize the focus on the patient/client, and to keep the treatment of the patient/client "pure."

In more recent times, we have come to understand the therapist's role as much more integral to what happens in the process of therapy. And so, nowadays, therapists tend to think much more openly about how much of themselves they bring into the therapeutic room. 

This also means acknowledging that we therapists come with our own personal opinions, biases, lived experiences, and varied understandings. It becomes, then, our responsibility to do our own work to understand how these come up for us, and to be aware when who and how we are might interfere (for better or worse) in the therapeutic process.

In today's world, I'm not sure how one can be a therapist without having strong opinions, as the opposite (ambivalence) means disconnection from care. What's most important is what we, in our therapist roles, do with those strong opinions. We must acknowledge that what we want for our patients/clients may not always be aligned with what they want for themselves.

We have a responsibility to disclose our value and theoretical orientations. We have a responsibility to challenge our strong opinions and to seek consultation/supervision around rigidity. We have a responsibility to ask whether our opinion/judgment adds value to our patients'/clients' journey. We have a responsibility to, when we show up in the therapy room, orient ourselves toward operating in support of our patients'/clients' well-being. In some cases, that might mean referring out. In others, it means creating a deeper therapeutic alliance. 

At the end of the day, your therapist is going to have a strong opinion about something. But a good therapist will always take the time to evaluate how that opinion might affect their lens, and whether it has any place in the process of your journey of care.