Fourth Force in Psychotherapy: people give meaning to their own lives, reality is relative to an individual's experience, focus on social, cultural, political influences
Laura Brown:
Founder of Feminist Therapy Institute
Worked on feminist therapy interventions and clinical strategies
Applied feminist therapy to trauma and forensics
Jean Baker Miller
Illuminated power dynamics between males and females and questioned how this power relation was used within psychoanalysis
Carolyn Zerbe Enns
Advocate of self-analysis feminism
Introduction
Multicultural approach centered on the ways in which gender roles and gender socialization and a lack of power in a patriarchal society psychologically impacts women
Collaborate with clients experiences of disempowerment in relationships with themselves, others, and/or society
Empowerment focused
Initially rooted in humanistic therapies
A variety of ideologies that vary in their beliefs slightly
Liberal feminism
Cultural feminism
Radical feminism
Socialist feminism
Postmodern feminism
Women of color feminism
Lesbian feminism
Postcolonial feminism
Key Concepts
The Personal is Political
No lasting individual change can take place without social change
Psychological change will not, cannot, occur unless the sources of the issue are addressed
Recognizes all types of oppression
Collective disenfranchisement
Institutionalized ‘isms’
Gender Role stereotyping
Women’s Experiences are Honored
Believe that society and traditional therapies operate on male-dominated, protestant, able bodies, and hetero, norms that define reality
Feminist therapists encourage women to own and determine their reality outside of these norms but instead embrace women-centered views of the world
Reframing Mental Health and Disorders
Diagnostic labels perpetuate power over women and other vulnerable populations so Fem Ther does not view clients' issues as being pathological.
The problem is not within the client but rather in the larger society. The issues and reactions of women in response to life are normal given the barriers and oppression they face
The assessment process is interpersonal, developmental, strength-based, and holistic (cultural, societal, environmental, vocational, etc)
Some argue that DSM is sexist and some avoid it completely
Primacy of the Egalitarian Relationship
The ‘therapist as an expert’ model is rejected because Feminist Therapists embrace a balanced power dynamic in the relationship
Less likely, this way, to impose their values and reproduce power imbalances that clients face in daily life and might hinder growth
Clients are viewed as being the experts of their lived experiences (phenomenological)
Role of Social Locations & Multidimensional Identities
Use the ADDRESSING Framework (Hays, 2001) to assess the intersection of empowering and disempowerment identities
Other “social locations” can include veteran status, being a parent, or being partnered
The Therapeutic Process
An egalitarian therapeutic relationship is the vehicle of change and empowerment
There are no predetermined stages. Therapy is the negotiation and renegotiation of goals between the client and the therapist
Clients are invited to view their experience through a feminist lens
Centralizing the role of gender
Examining the impact of society on development of their distress
Investigating power dynamics in relationships
Considering the client's context
Once their lived experience is examined, the therapeutic process moves toward specific integration of feminist interventions (discussed later)
Clients learn to navigate oppressive forces within their environment and integrate empowering ways of thinking and being
Therapeutic Goals
Their approach to goals differs from the traditional medical model that focuses on reduction of symptoms.
Feminist Therapists use the term distress instead of disorder
Distress acknowledges that clients are responding to oppression from society and therefore society should change rather than the client
Does not specify goals, but outcomes are determined by the discussion and negotiation of the focus of counseling
In the absence of specific goals, Feminist Therapists use these guidelines to ground their therapeutic work
Examine the lived experiences of clients distress & the role of strengths in their client's life, personally, relationally, socially, and politically
Identify personal, relational, social, and political strategies that can be used to navigate disempowerment and promote client empowerment
Strive for transformational change not just adjustment (symptom reduction)
Therapist’s Function & Role
Must recognize that society impacts client distress
Therapist takes on many roles including counselor, educator, researcher, and advocate
The Feminist Therapy Code of Ethics (1999) is meant to be additive to ethical codes set by other professional organizations
Cultural Diversities & Oppressions
Power Differentials
Overlapping Relationships
Therapist Accountability
Social Change
Relationship Between Therapist & Client
Emphasis on reducing power differential, collaborative role with the client
Use several strategies to minimize power differential
Therapists share values to minimize imposing them on clients
Use of appropriate self-disclosure
Share here-and-now emotional reactions with clients
Different interpretation of transference than other theorists
Traditional interpretation: clients unconsciously project unresolved feelings and conflict onto the therapist
Feminist interpretation: these issues are legit here-and-now reactions to attributes and behaviors of the therapist and are accepted as valid. The therapist is open to feedback
Therapeutic Techniques & Procedures
Gender role analysis and power analysis are two distinctive techniques to feminist therapy, though others (assertiveness training, reframing, social activism) are used, too
Gender Role Analysis
Increases client awareness of gender socialization and how prescribed gender roles impact their well-being and psychological state. Therapists should tend to both internalized gender expectations from the dominant society and any gender norms within marginalized cultures
Step 1: The client identify experienced gender role messages
Therapist prompts clients to list messages about gender they have received across their lifespan. This could include verbal, nonverbal, or modeling messages
Step 2: client identifies consequences of receiving gender-role messages
Consider positive and negative consequences through both personal and societal lens
Example: A female client expresses that being accommodating in relationships promotes a sense of connection yet the societal pressure to meet stereotypical standards makes using assertive communication to express her needs very difficult
Step 3: The client identifies external gender-role messages that have been internalized
Clients become aware of how gendered messages have influenced their self-talk
Example: women “I have to be thin and graceful” Men “I have to be tall and muscular”
Step 4: The lient selects internalized messages that they would like to change
“Is this message empowering or disempowering?”
Work should focus on messages that clients are willing to change while acknowledging that some messages are strongly held which is why client might have resistance to changing some message s
Step 5: client develops a plan for implementing desired change
Process is similar to cognitive restructuring
“What thoughts continue to be a barrier for you implementing this change?”
Step 6: client implements the change
Client implements change and counselor helps prepare client to manage negative reactions to the change made
Power Analysis
Helps clients understand how unequal access to power and resources can impact personal realities
Used with individuals from both privileged and marginalized groups
Goal to raise client awareness of power differentials that exist and invite and empower them to use power in an effective way within their lives
4 categories of power are typically recognized
Somatic power: client sense of power over their body, physical needs are met, experience their body in safe places
intrapersonal/intrapsychic power: clients feel power over their thinking and feeling. Ability to stay in the present moment, perceive self as having the ability to self-soothe
interpersonal/social-contextual power: clients perceive they have power in relationships and social contexts. Form healthy relationships, believe in their ability to have impact on others, and accept personal limitations of power
spiritual/existential power: clients have power over their lives and spirituality. Able to respond to existential challenges, create meaning in their life, and experience satisfaction with their wellbeing.
6 steps of Power Analysis
Step 1: clients review different definitions of power and chose the one that best fits their experiences (using 4 categories above)
Step 2: clients are provided info about various kinds of power
Step 3: clients learn about differential access that dominant and marginalized groups have to power
Step 4: clients review strategies individuals use to exert power
Step 5: clients identify how societal messages and environmental barriers impact their use of power
Step 6: clients conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the different power strategies and decide which to retain and which to discard
Assertiveness Training
When women adhere to traditional gender norms they often at in a passive manner which can prevent them from being treated equally and contribute to distress in their life
Assertiveness training is a vehicle of change for clients to learn how to engage with others in a way that meets their needs and wants while respecting the rights of others
4 basic procedures
Helping clients identify and accept their own personal rights and needs wit the rights and needs of others
Teaching clients the difference between assertive, aggressive, and passive communication
Reducing blocks to acting assertively, such as irrational thinking, anxiety, guilt, and anger
Developing assertive skills through active practice methods
Before this training, clients should understand why assertiveness is important and how it can be helpful to them. Reasons include
Ability to stand up for self, gain respect and self respect
You can’t control others feelings especially when you strive not to hurt them
When you are direct about your needs it is usually beneficial to everyone in the long run
By sharing with people how their behavior affects me, i am offering them an opportunity to to change their behavior
This training is also about reviewing clients’ rights and helping them learn to validate their own needs and boundaries
Reframing & Relabeling
Reframing: Providing new or alternative ways of thinking about something
Helping clients understand how societal and political pressure can shape their view of their problem
Relabeling: relabel an experience to change how a client thinks about it
Victim → survivor as one example
Therapy Demystifying Strategies
Feminist therapist want their clients to feel in control and understand how aspects of counseling work
Done through an egalitarian approach and allowing clients to make decisions about their therapy process
Psychoeducation & self-disclosure can also be demystifying
Consciousness-Raising
Established during grassroots effort for women to share their personal life in a safe and leaderless space
Feminist therapists facilitate contexts for women to share their experiences, develop community with other women, end self-blame and experience empowerment
Ways to do so include psychoeducation about feminist issues, using open-ended questions to invite clients to explore their personal distress in the context of society, sharing educational resources, and connecting clients with community resources for a variety of services
Social Activism
Should only be used when therapeutically and ethically appropriate
Some controversy in the field on if activism during session is ever appropriate
Examples include
Letter writing to politicians
Engaging in organized rallies
Speaking out on platforms
Serving in volunteer or leadership positions
Application & Current Use
Counseling Applications
Two principles unite all who practice a feminist orientation
The personal is political & egalitarian relationship
Used with variety of populations acorsss the lifespan, not exclusive to just women
Used in a variety of settings such as mental health agencies, hospitals, private sector, and prisons
Has been integrated with a variety of humanistic therapies, existential, gestalt, CBT, EMDR, among others
Application to Multicultural Groups
While initially developed for women, male clients also benefit by exploring and better understanding how pursing power is maintaining masculine ideals serves as oppression in greater society
Ideal approach for LGBTQ+ community who experience distress as a result of living in a heteronormative society
Takes a broad approach to the view of the family system beyond a nuclear family making it beneficial for couples and families
Effective with youth because it fosters a strong social perspective early on to empower youth to have a voice
Because feminist therapist focus on privilege and power, it aligns when working with individuals of all minority backgrounds
Evaluation of Feminist Therapy
Limitations
Much feminist research is/was conduct with heterosexual, middle class women which minimizes voices and experiences of people of color and other marginalized backgrounds
Therapists do not take a neutral stance which could result in the imposition of their own values on clients, despite their efforts trying to avoid that
Clients who hold traditional gender role beliefs will likely be incompatible with feminist therapy
This therapy is not well researched or established compared to other theories and approaches
Misconceptions about feminist therapy can be off putting to men seeking services
Strengths
Pays strong attention to socio political contexts which is not a focus in many other major theories
Works to separate dysfunctional environments from internal factors of distress
Attention to diversity especially the centralization around gender is unique to this therapy
Created a new way of thinking about client distress and how to approach it
There are strong opportunities for education and training for feminist therapists