Feminist TherapyBall State University

Phillip, Rebecca, Kelli, Billy, David, Danielle, & Sheana

IntroductionGender and power is the core of the therapeutic

process. It is essential to consider the social, cultural, and

political context.It is important to understand the psychological

oppression of women and the constraints imposed by society.

Current feminist practices address the harmful effects of societal power on ALL clients and emphasizes a diverse approach such as multicultural awareness and multicultural competence.

Social change is key to understanding the client. Corey (2009)

History and Development Feminist therapy was developed in response

to the challenges and emerging needs of women.

1960’s: laid the foundation for the development of feminist therapy.

1970’s: research on gender-bias emerged.1980’s: marked by efforts to define feminist

therapy as it’s own individual theory

Corey (2009)

“Second Wave” Liberal: focus on helping the individual overcome

limits and constraints of traditional gender-role socialization patterns.

Cultural: believe oppression stems from society’s devaluation of women’s strengths, values, and roles.

Radical: focus on the oppression of women that is imbedded in patriarchy and seek to change society through activism and equalizing power.

Socialist: the focus is on multiple oppressions and believe and believe the solutions to society’s problems must include considerations of class, race, sexual orientation, and economics.

Corey (2009)

“Third Wave”Post-modern feminists

Critiquing the value of other approaches Women-of-color-feminists

Emphasize that feminist theory be broadened and made more inclusive

Lesbian feministsEmphasize that women’s oppressions is related

to sexualized images Global-international feminists

World wide perspective on how race, sex, class, and economics affects women in other countries

Corey (2009)

Key ConceptsAndrocentric

Using male oriented constructs to draw conclusions about human nature

DeterministicAssuming personality patterns are fixed at an early

stage of developmentIntra-psychic orientation: attributing behavior to

internal causes and ignoring socio-cultural and political factors

Gender-fairExplain social differences between men and women

Flexible-multiculturalUses concepts regardless of race, sex, class…

Coery (2009)

Key Concepts Cont…Interactionist

Concepts specific to the thinking, feeling, and behaving and with emphasis on environment factors .

Life-span oriented Personality is a life-long process and can

change at any timeDo you agree?

Corey (2009)

Principles of Feminist TheoryThe personal is politicalCommitment to social changeWomen’s and Girl’s voices/ways of knowing

are valued and their experiences are honoredThe counseling relationship is egalitarianFocus on strengthsAll types of oppression are recognized

Corey (2009)

Therapeutic ProcessTherapeutic Goals

Empowerment, valuing and affirming, striving for change rather than adjustment, equality, balancing independence and interdependence, social change, and self-nurturance

Become aware of their own gender-role socialization

Understand how sexist and oppressive societal beliefs and practices influence them in negative ways

Recognize the power of relationship and connectedness

Therapeutic ProcessTherapist’s Function & Role

Monitoring their own biases/distortions, understanding all forms of oppression and its impact on psychological well-being, value, being emotionally present for their clients and are willing to share themselves

Emphasize processEmpower clientsNot see the therapeutic relationship as being

sufficient for change

Therapeutic ProcessRelationship Between Therapist & Client

Empowerment and egalitarianismSensitive to ways they might abuse their power

Applications: Techniques & ProceduresRole of Assessment & Diagnosis

Feminist therapists believe diagnostic labels are severely limiting for these reasons: System was developed by white male psychiatrists Labels may reinforce gender-role stereotypes Focuses on symptoms rather than social factors that

cause dysfunctional behavior May reflect inappropriate application of power in

the therapeutic relationship Have the potential to dehumanize the client through

a label

Techniques & StrategiesEmpowermentSelf-disclosureGender-Role AnalysisGender-Role InterventionPower AnalysisAssertivenessReframing & RelabelingSocial ActionGroup Work

The Role of Men in Feminist TherapyMen can participate in feminist therapy as

clients or practitioners This entails being willing to understand and

“own” male privilege, confront sexist behavior in themselves and others, redefine masculinity and femininity according to values other than traditional, work toward establishing egalitarian relationships, and actively support women’s efforts to create a just society.

According to Mejía (2005), male counselors should evaluate their experiences with women because those experiences shape their concept of femininity.

Male Counselors who Identify as Feminist TherapistsA study conducted by Baird, Ruebelt, and

Szymanski (2007), found that personal and professional experiences, relationships, and training, particularly with feminist women, are important elements in the development of male feminist identities.

The male therapists in this study demonstrated both a cognitive awareness of sexism and its negative effects on women, as well as an awareness of their privileged status as men and its effect on group status.

Male Counselors who Identify as Feminist Therapists Cont..Szymanski, Kornman, and Baird (2002),

surveyed 81 male therapists. 24% of respondents considered themselves to

be feminist therapists.Attitudes toward feminism, the women’s

movement, and liberal gender role attitudes were significantly correlated with feminist therapeutic behaviors.

The Role of Men in Feminist TherapyMale clients, especially those who are abusive

and in battering groups, deal with issues such as learning how to increase their capacity for intimacy, expressing emotions and learning self-disclosure, balancing achievement and relationship needs, accepting their vulnerabilities, and creating collaborative relationships at work and with significant others than aren’t base on a “power-over” model of relating.

The Role of Men in Feminist Therapy According to W.I.S.E. (Women’s Issues and Social Empowerment), men who batter

women have never learned how to cope successfully with angry feelings. Abusive males are often resistant to any type of therapeutic intervention; they often deny that a problem exists.

The following is a profile of characteristics common to batterers: Low self-esteem Believes all the myths about battering relationships Is a traditionalist believing in male supremacy and the stereotyped masculine

sex role in the family Blames others for his actions Is pathologically jealous Presents dual personality Has severe stress reactions, during which he uses drinking and wife battering

to cope Frequently uses sex as an act of aggression to enhance self-esteem Does not believe his violent behavior should have negative consequences

Roberts, A.R. (1984). Battered Women and Their Families: Intervention Strategies and Treatment Programs. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 84-115. Retrieved March 30, 2010 from:

http://www-old.infoxchange.net.au/wise/DVIM/DVMen-robertsar.htm

Strengths from a diversity perspectiveFeminist therapy and multicultural perspectives have the

most in common; feminists view multicultural counseling as the analysis of social structures affection mental health including sexism, racism, and other levels of oppression and privilege.

One difference is that multiculturalists honor culture whereas feminists challenge culture.

The feminist model empowers women of color by helping them acknowledge the negative effects of sexism and racism, identify and deal with their feelings pertaining to status as women of color, view themselves as able to find solutions to their problems, understand interplay between the external environment and their reality, and to integrate ethnic, gender, and racial components to their identity.

Multicultural feminist perspective on consultation According to Horne & Mathews (2004), a multicultural feminist

collaborative model of consultation contributes to the field in a number of ways. It expands collaborative consultation to encompass multicultural competencies, such as an awareness of the influences of ethnicity, race and culture on consultant, consultee, and clients; responsiveness on the part of the consultant to the culture and worldview of the consultee; and the employment of culturally sensitive strategies.

A multicultural feminist consultant must be able to genuinely share power in order for consultation to be successful. Power sharing gives consultees the opportunity to articulate their experiences which in turn allows the therapist to better treat the client.

Multicultural feminist perspective on family therapy According to Silverstein & Goodrich (2003), in the work of a multicultural

feminist therapist, the knowledge of cultural values of the client family and the level of the family’s acculturation and assimilation is critical to understanding the issues of major concern to the family.

In respect to immigrant families, Silverstein & Goodrich (2003) suggested the following therapy guidelines:1. Reach out to the man and make every effort to establish a couple and/or family approach to treatment.2. Avoid resistance associated with a premature challenge of traditional gender role ideology in the relationship. One way to do this is focus on actual power sharing as a practical problem solving tool.3. Inform your therapy model with a broad ecological and developmental perspective about adaptive values, expectations, and behaviors.4. Develop a “primary care” and “political” orientation to treatment. That is, do what is possible now and establish alliances with both members of the couple.5. Review your own feelings regarding the couple’s insistence on maintaining a traditional gender ideology. Therapists must guard against imposing their cultural biases.

Feminist Psychotherapy with Older African American WomenOlder African American women are increasingly seeking

professional consultation, thus it is necessary to evaluate existing approaches and their appropriateness for treating older African American women

A feminist psychotherapy approach that includes modeling an egalitarian relationship, authenticity, and encouraging the older client to take responsibility are most likely to facilitate the elder African American woman’s development throughout therapy

Interventions that incorporate more elements of feminist therapy with the therapist’s knowledge of the lives of older African American women seem most effective in facilitating the therapy process for them

Feminist Psychotherapy with Older African American Women The race of the therapist

The therapist believes the client is a “victim of the system” European American therapists diagnose African American patients as

severely disturbed more often than African American therapists African American women’s preference for an African American therapist

The importance of culture and social class of the therapist Different cultural backgrounds may create initial difficulties

The effect of therapists’ attitudes The therapist must create an authentic empathic connection with the client

The same sex versus the different sex therapist Social power vs. credibility – men perceived as more “expert,” women

perceived as more credible The importance of role-modeling

A reduction of the distance between the therapist and client fosters clients to take control of their lives, instead of relying on the therapist to solve their problems

Shortcomings from a diversity perspectiveFeminist therapists advocate for change in

social structure; this could pose some problems when working with women who don’t share these beliefs because of their culture.

Therapists run the risk of imposing their own values.

ContributionsContributions of Feminist Therapy

Gender-sensitive practice and an awareness of the impact of the cultural context and multiple oppressions

Emphasized social change to lead to a transformation of society

Called attention to the extent and implication of child abuse, incest, rape, sexual harassment, and domestic violence

Pointed out consequences of failing to recognize and take action when children and women were victims of physical, sexual, and psychological

Applied to teaching, consultation, ethics, research, and theory building as well as the practice of psychotherapy

LimitationsLimitations and criticisms

Therapist does not take a neutral stance, they believe therapy is a value-oriented process

Therapist may influence clientsViewing the environment as the source of

problems could lead to the client externalizing the causes of their problems

References Baird, M.K., Ruebelt, S.G., & Szymanski, D.M. (2007). Feminist identity development and

practice among male therapists. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 8, No. 2, 67-78. Corey, G. (2009) Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Belmont, CA:

Thomson Brooks/Cole. Horne, S. G. & Mathews, S. S. (2004). Collaborative Consultations: International

Applications of a Multicultural Feminist Approach. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 32, 366-378.

Mejía, X.E. (2005). Gender matters: Working with adult male survivors of trauma. Journal of Counseling & Development, 83, 29-40.

Roberts, A.R. (1984). Battered Women and Their Families: Intervention Strategies and Treatment Programs. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 84-115. Retrieved March 30, 2010 from:http://www-old.infoxchange.net.au/wise/DVIM/DVMen-robertsar.htm

Silverstein, L. B. & Goodrich, T. J. Feminist Family Therapy: Empowerment in Social Context. Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association

Szymanski, D.M., Kornman, C.L., & Baird, K.M. (2002). The feminist male therapist: Attitudes and practices for the 21st century. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 3, No.1, 22-27.

Trotman, F. K. & Brody, C. M. (2002). Psychotherapy and Counseling with Older Women. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Role Play