Feminist Therapy

Questions?

What are the differences in terms of gender-role socialization for this couple?

As a woman or as a man, what kind of messages do you receive from people?

How do these gender-role expectations impact you as a therapist?

Key Concepts

Problems are viewed in a sociopolitical and cultural context

The client is the expert in her/his own life

Challenge traditional ways of assessing psychological health

It is assumed that changes in individuals will best occur through social change

Clients are encouraged to take social actions

View of Human Nature

Gender-fair Differences between women and men are due to

socialization processes Flexible-multicultural

Apply equally to both individuals and groups regardless of age, race, culture, gender, class, sexual orientation, and ability.

Interactionist Consider contextual and environmental factors

Life-span-oriented Human development is a lifelong process and change can

occur at any time

Goals of Feminist Therapy

Be aware of their gender-role socialization process

Identify negative internalized messages and replace them with self-enhancing beliefs

Understand how sexism and oppression influence them in a negative way

Help women define themselves instead of defined by societal standards (e.g., body image)

Goals of Feminist Therapy

Help women free from the impact of gender-role expectations

Men and women are equal

Balance self-nurturance and relationship

Empowering clients

Take actions to change society

Therapist’s function and Role

Use gender and power analyses to understand clients and their concerns

monitor their own biases Commit to understanding oppression and its impacts Value being emotionally present for their clients, sharing

their experiences, and modeling proactive behaviors Use techniques from other approaches Hold beliefs in common with humanistic and person-

centered approach

Therapeutic Relationship

Therapeutic relationship is not sufficient

Therapeutic relationship is empowering and egalitarian

Model how to identify and use power

Use self-disclosure to reduce the power differential

Honor clients’ experiences

Include clients in the assessment and treatment process

Intervention Techniques

Gender-role analysis To help clients understand the impact of

gender-role expectations in their lives

Gender-role intervention Provides clients with insight into ways on

how social issues affect their problems

Intervention Techniques

Power analysis Emphasize on the power differences

between men and women in society

Power intervention Help clients appreciate themselves as they

are and gain self-confidence

Intervention Techniques

Self-disclosure Use therapeutic self-disclosure to equalize the

therapeutic relationship, normalize experience, or provide modeling for the client

Bibliotherapy Self-help books, videos, or films can be used as

bibliotherapy resources. To increase client’s expertise and decrease power

differential between the therapist and the client

Intervention Techniques

Reframing A shift from blaming oneself to looking at society for

an explanation.

Re-labeling Changes the label or evaluation applied to the

client's behavioral characteristics Re-labeling depression as reactions to external

standard instead of being unattractive

Intervention Techniques

Assertiveness training Increase women’s awareness of their

interpersonal rights Assertiveness refers to standing up for one’s right

without violating other’s rights.

Research on Feminist Therapy

Very little research Feminist group therapy (Johnson, 1976):

group cohesiveness, interpersonal learning, and finding that the therapist is a competent woman are considered the most helpful factors in improvement

Research indicated that women in feminist therapy are more likely to have radical political views identify themselves as members of the women’s movement

Research indicated that therapists in feminist therapy are more likely to use self-disclosure create an egalitarian relationship

Summary & Evaluation-contribution

Have the most in common with multicultural perspectives

Direct actions for social change

Recognize sexism, racism, and other forms of oppression

Pay attentions to gender-role socialization, power issues in relationship, and external environmental factors.

The principles and techniques of feminist therapy can be incorporated into other therapy models

Summary & Evaluation--limitations

Avoid imposing their values on their clients

Focus on contextual or environmental factors and move away from exploring the inner factors (both a strength and a limitation)

Is it a theory?---this is a debatable question

Developed by White, middle-class, heterosexual

women---therefore it may be biased