So I just moved and thus had to leave the therapist I've been seeing for a year. I started seeing a new therapist last week and I thought she was awesome. Well, I had my second appointment with her today, and I still think she is awesome. But there is one thing that's not so awesome...

She was asking me more questions about my background (what is your relationship with your parents like? any trauma in your past? etc etc) and then she asks....well, it went like this:

Therapist: And what about your religious background?

Me: I don't really have one.

Therapist: What do you mean? That you never went to church or anything?

Me: I went to church with some of my friends occassionally when I was really little.

Therapist: So...

Me: I'm an atheist. I grew up in a secular, free-thought environment.

Therapist: (with a strange look on her face as if she's trying to cover up the fact that she is incredibly shocked). Oh. Okay. What about your parents?

Me: They consider themselves secular humanists.

Therapist: Are they part of any sort of secular humanist group?

Me: No, not at all. They aren't at all outspoken about it, except with me. I'm the one who really cares.

Therapist: Oh....(drops the topic with amazing speed)

And then I happen to glance at her bookshelf...and notice a framed piece of embroidary that reads "GOD IS LOVE."

Excuse me? What? I'm sorry, I think my therapist is awesome, but I don't like that at all. Not cool, not cool at all. I don't even think that's appropriate for a therapist's office. But from the look on her face, she doesn't get many atheists. That's no excuse, though. Religious iconography does not need to be brought into a therapist's office.