Feminist Therapy Ball State University Phillip Rebecca Kelli

Feminist Therapy Ball State University Phillip, Rebecca, Kelli, Billy, David, Danielle, & Sheana

Introduction �Gender and power is the core of 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 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 feminists �Emphasize 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 Concepts �Androcentric �Using male oriented constructs to draw conclusions about human nature �Deterministic �Assuming personality patterns are fixed at an early stage of development �Intra-psychic orientation: attributing behavior to internal causes and ignoring socio-cultural and political factors � Gender-fair �Explain social differences between men and women � Flexible-multicultural �Uses 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 time �Do you agree? Corey (2009)

Principles of Feminist Theory �The personal is political �Commitment to social change �Women’s and Girl’s voices/ways of knowing are valued and their experiences are honored �The counseling relationship is egalitarian �Focus on strengths �All types of oppression are recognized Corey (2009)

Therapeutic Process �Therapeutic 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 Process �Therapist’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 process �Empower clients �Not see therapeutic relationship as being sufficient for change

Therapeutic Process �Relationship Between Therapist & Client �Empowerment and egalitarianism �Sensitive to ways they might abuse their power

Applications: Techniques & Procedures �Role 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 therapeutic relationship � Have the potential to dehumanize the client through a label

Techniques & Strategies �Empowerment �Self-disclosure �Gender-Role Analysis �Gender-Role Intervention �Power Analysis �Assertiveness �Reframing & Relabeling �Social Action �Group Work

The Role of Men in Feminist Therapy �Men can participate in feminist therapy as clients or practitioners �This entails being willing to understand “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 Therapists �A 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 Therapy �Male 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 perspective � Feminist 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 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 Women �Older 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 therapist’s knowledge of the lives of older African American women seem most effective in facilitating therapy process for them

Feminist Psychotherapy with Older African American Women � The race of 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 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 therapist and client fosters clients to take control of their lives, instead of relying on therapist to solve their problems

Shortcomings from a diversity perspective �Feminist 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.

Contributions �Contributions 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

Limitations �Limitations and criticisms �Therapist does not take a neutral stance, they believe therapy is a value-oriented process �Therapist may influence clients �Viewing 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 21 st 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