The Battle for Reform: 75 Days Down, Here’s What I’ve Pulled Off
I can’t do this alone—spreading the word is just as crucial as uncovering the truth.
In the past 75 days, I’ve pushed myself harder than ever. But this week, the biggest challenge wasn’t about what I can do—it’s about what I can afford.
At the beginning of the year, I declared that I would devote all my efforts to uncovering evidence of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education (CACREP) influence over therapist training programs in higher education.
I also said that I was going to do everything I could to spread the word and grow this substack. I hope to earn enough to keep fighting to empower students, improve higher education, and maybe help overhaul therapy.
So, how is that going? This is what I’ve managed, with concerted effort and some help, to pull off so far. I’ve:
Written four posts describing how accreditation is negatively impacting higher education and specifically counselor training programs.
Detailed how accreditation injects multicultural postmodern philosophy into psychology professions and how this top-down ideology has been quietly influencing culture.
Made some of that funny!
Finished a five-part series on how counselor trainees are evaluated based on their commitments, values, beliefs, and behaviors by university faculty, and if they fail to meet opaque standards they risk being winnowed out of the program even if they have straight A’s.
Completed a spreadsheet that documents this in program handbooks and multicultural textbooks in 72% of the 472 CACREP-accredited programs across the country.
Made copies of all that documentation.
Started a Committee with FAIR to further investigate how this information can be shared with lawmakers, lawyers and the general public (I’m open to suggestions!)
Filed an OCR complaint, been to Nashville twice to talk to lawmakers, and visited two local political groups to inform them about the counseling field and where their tax dollars are going.
Been a guest on Ideological Oasis with Karen King, The Radical Center with Leslie Boyce, Ryan Rogers’—author of The Woke Mind—channel, Outliers in Exile with Gen X Jeff, and have scheduled two recordings on the horizon. Thank you all!
At Nashville, I had sit-down meetings with Representatives Scott Cepicky, Lee Reeves, Aron Maberry, and Monty Fritts who were all interested to hear that I have proof our state universities were all teaching concepts like systemic racism, affirming teen transgender identities without reflection and how to bring up (or broach) race in therapy even when the client didn’t ask about that. They were also attentive to how CACREP has guidelines for when their standard ‘conflicts’ with state law.
Had Zoom meetings with other counselors to share information and support.
Caught up with Andrew Gillen, CATO research fellow on higher education, regarding accreditation and his thoughts on what would be productive measures to get us out of our current mess.
Seen many of my posts released at Minding the Campus. Thank you!
Reviewed student handbooks, multicultural counseling textbooks, the ACA Code of Ethics, and more documents detailing the history of counseling than you can shake a stick at.
Began a new series detailing the glaring shortcomings of Counseling Ethical Code and the legal impact that has had.
Sent a lot of emails and made a lot of phone calls, some of which were productive and others which went nowhere.
I admit that I’ve also watched a little tv, and I’ve played a bit more Water Sort than I think I should have.
All things considered, I think this is a good start.
While I’m proud of my progress, the journey comes with its challenges. This week, one of the biggest ones hit: securing healthcare coverage.
I knew this day was coming. Obtaining health insurance was one of the problems I had hoped a career in counseling would solve, and it was one of the reasons that I wanted to finish the degree as quickly as possible.
Since none of that happened, I knew that when I lost my remaining coverage I would have to figure out what to do about that.
Part of my planning was to make sure I was in good health and taking all steps to confront this year like it is going to be the marathon that it is. I exercise daily, eat well– having almost no sugar and prioritize sleep. I’ve even lost a pound or two.
Now that I decided to join a health share, I’m reasonably confident that this will be a good fit for me right now.
I’m not going to lie though. It is scary. Both to be trying out this kind of system to cover possible medical expenses, and to be paying out of pocket for coverage without the income to make this last, and the student loan payments looming.
I feel a bit like a sailor turning toward open waters. The solid ground of security disappearing into the distance. The uncertain waters ahead roiling. Storms may come—but I’m not turning back.
I’m motivated to continue. When I wake up, I read and think about how to communicate what’s happening, and I go to bed thinking about other ways I can reach out to people before they sign on as counselor trainees or before they take their kids to therapy. Everyone deserves to have genuine informed consent and to know that their therapist may have been trained to promote bigotry rather than mentally healthy therapy.
It would be fair to say that I am driven to do this work.
I’m also grateful for the people who have supported me thus far, my paying subscribers, and those who have donated to my GiveSendGo campaign or bought Thought Criminal mugs, stickers, and t-shirts. Every little bit helps.
I know that not everyone can contribute financially. I also can not support people and groups I’d like to right now. But subscribing, following, sharing, restacking, commenting, and liking also help to get this message out.
I’m also grateful to the folks who have given me tips and ideas about who to talk to, ways to reach out, and a few solid connections.
There are about 290 days left in this year. I intend to keep up this pace, though I will have to refocus my targets as the state congressional session will soon wind down.
I’m in this for the long haul. If you believe in informed consent and fighting back against ideology in therapy, help spread the word—subscribe, share, or support in any way you can. Every action matters.
Together we can make a difference.
Housekeeping
Housekeeping is admittedly a little lacking around here. I’ve kept my laundry washed, but I could stand to do some folding and spring cleaning. You were expecting something different, weren’t you.
On the Bookshelf
Come on! Look at that list, you know I haven’t read the actual books I want to. Lordy.
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About
Diogenes in Exile began after I returned to grad school to pursue a Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s degree at the University of Tennessee. What I encountered, however, was a program deeply entrenched in Critical Theories ideology. During my time there, I experienced significant resistance, particularly for my Buddhist practice, which was labeled as invalidating to other identities. After careful reflection, I chose to leave the program, believing the curriculum being taught would ultimately harm clients and lead to unethical practices in the field.
Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to investigating, writing, and speaking out about the troubling direction of psychology, higher education, and other institutions that seem to have lost their way. When I’m not working on these issues, you’ll find me in the garden, creating art, walking my dog, or guiding my kids toward adulthood.
You can also find my work at Minding the Campus