Here’s a clinical perspective of the harms of Colorado’s HB26-1322 that’s being debated in the Senate Judiciary committee today:

No on HB26-1322. Greig Veeder LCSW’s (a psychotherapist’s) explanation:

One main purpose of psychotherapy (or counseling) is for the client to be able to have a deep and deepening self-examination aided by professional psychotherapists. Psychotherapy is the primary venue in a free society for such personal learning and decision considerations. The process of psychotherapy needs to be unscripted and open to differences of thought to be “real.”

Laws like HB26-1322 ruin the openness that is needed for meaningful psychotherapy.

HB26-1322 does not foster accountability on the part of professionals. It fosters fear and professional self-protection in a setting that is meant to help the client develop courage for making forward steps in life.

Said differently, this law damages the potential for necessary therapeutic alliance.