75% of Jewish Medical Professionals Report Antisemitism Amid Controversy Over 'Decolonizing Therapy' Pathologizing Zionism

A recent op-ed in USA Today, authored by Kenneth L. Marcus, founder of The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, has brought to light serious concerns regarding a mental health practice known as "Decolonizing Therapy." The Brandeis Center alleges that this framework pathologizes Zionism and, by extension, Jewish identity, contributing to a troubling rise in antisemitism within the healthcare sector. This comes as 75% of Jewish medical professionals report experiencing antisemitism at work since October 7, 2023.

According to the op-ed, "Decolonizing Therapy," founded by Dr. Jennifer Mullen, aims to challenge the psychological impact of colonialism, historical trauma, and systemic oppression. However, the Brandeis Center contends that in practice, it promotes antisemitic narratives by identifying Zionism as a mental illness. Marcus highlights that Zionism, an integral component of Jewish identity for many Jewish Americans and a core belief in their right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland, is notably absent from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the internationally accepted manual for mental health diagnoses.

The proliferation of such ideology within healthcare is deemed particularly dangerous, especially given the significant contributions of Jewish individuals to the fields of psychology and brain science. The Brandeis Center states that Jewish patients and providers are being stigmatized, referred to as oppressors in therapeutic settings, and often targeted on the taxpayer's dime through federally funded programs. Instances cited include Jewish clinicians being blacklisted on social media, doxxed for their Zionist affiliations, and even facing refusal of care by therapists.

Marcus's op-ed asserts that "Decolonizing Therapy" lacks empirical support and rigorous scientific validation, instead prioritizing ideology over evidence. This approach, by promoting false ethnic stereotypes and casting Jews as oppressors, fundamentally misrepresents Jewish identity and their long history. Such practices are seen to create hostile environments for Jewish individuals seeking or providing mental health care, alienating them and ultimately compromising the integrity and ethical foundation of the mental health profession.

In response to these alarming trends, The Brandeis Center urges a multi-faceted approach. They call for the federal government to defund "Decolonizing Therapy" programs that perpetuate these alleged biases. Furthermore, the organization stresses the importance of mental health professionals and their patients actively holding colleagues accountable for discriminatory practices and condemning antisemitism within the health space. As powerfully stated in the tweet from The Brandeis Center,

"When Zionism is pathologized, everyone loses."