FEMINIST THERAPY:Changes targeted at societal level

<< GENDER AND PSYCHOTHERAPY:Traditional Versus Feminist Theory

COURSE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF NEW AVENUES FOR RESEARCH IN GENDER ISSUES >>

Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)

Lesson 44

FEMINIST THERAPY

Feminist therapy is guided by the principles of feminist psychology. The problem is not looked at as merely

intrapsychic or interpersonal. The cultural factors operating, the socialization process, the social context and

the political perspective, all are taken into consideration.

The definition of distress, pain, and "mental illness" plays an important role. The therapeutic process, in any

type of psychotherapy, depends upon how the therapist understands "mental illness", or distress for which the

client seeks help. For a therapist with a feminist approach, only a part of distress can be understood in terms

of intrapsychic or interpersonal factors. In simpler terms, unlike many other approaches, the feminist therapist

does not treat the client as solely responsible for own distress. Psychological distress is understood as a

communication about the systems that are not just; similarly pain is an expression and proof of resistance, and

the skill and will to survive (Worell and Johnson, 1997). And when a person is resisting, it indicates the

person's ability to remain alive and powerful n the presence of oppression (Brown, 1994). Considering the

basic premises of feminist psychology, one can understand what will be the goals of feminist therapy.

What does feminist therapy aim to achieve?

Feminist therapy is not restricted to females alone, whether clients or therapists. Feminist therapists can be

males as well as females. Similarly the clients are not restricted to the female gender alone. Clients may be

women, men, children, families or couples.

"The primary goal of feminist therapy is transformation, for both the individual client, and society as a whole".

"The major goal of feminist therapy is empowerment, which involves acquiring a sense of self acceptance, self-

confidence, joy, and self-actualization" (Herlihy and Corey, 2001).

Changes targeted at individual level:

The main goal is transcendence, not adjustment. At individual level personal empowerment is the goal.

Personal power is what is worked upon. The clients are helped in three things pertaining to personal power:

a) Recognizing personal power

b) Claiming personal power

c) Embracing personal power

When the clients recognize, claim and embrace personal power, they can realize the impact of the constraints

they had been subjected to as a result of gender role socialization. Personal power not only promises freedom

from these constraints, but also helps the person to think about and consider and opt for other alternatives,

and other options of leading their lives. The person should learn to live as an "individual" and not as a `men' or

a `women'. Societies have fixed, unrealistic, and too demanding gender- related expectations from people.

Clients are helped in attaining self confidence, interdependence, resilience, and trust for self and others. Clients

are also assisted in identifying their true potential, in getting rid of over-concern with body and appearance, and

developing new and healthy perceptions of self.

Changes targeted at societal level:

Feminist therapy gives importance to the person-society relationship. All societies are patriarchal and sexist.

When persons attain personal power, a change in the society also takes place. Feminist therapy has the goal of

replacing current patriarchy with a feminist consciousness (Herlihy and Corey, 2001).

Rather than being sexist, patriarchal, or gender imbalanced, the society should be encouraging relationships that

depend on each other (interdependent), that involve cooperation rather than one gender in the helping and the

other in the "helped" position. The relationships should be mutually supportive.

It can be said that feminist therapy aims to develop and maintain gender equality at individual-societal, as well

as client-therapist level.

The task of the therapist:

The feminist therapist helps and assists the clients in adopting new ways of thinking and perceiving. It is similar

in approach to cognitive therapies, in the sense that it focuses upon the manner in which one perceives one's

self. However, the target areas/cognitions in case of feminist therapy are related to: gender roles; the thinking,

125

Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)

affect and behavior patterns, resulting from socialization, and; one's self concept and perception of self-

appearance resulting form societal expectations, learning and the gender images promoted by media.

The feminist therapists, according to Worell and Remer (1992) help the clients in the following:

◊ "Become aware of their own gender role socialization process

◊ Identify their internalized gender role messages and replace them with their own constructive beliefs

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

◊ Acquire skills to bring about change in the environment

◊ Develop a wide range of behaviors that are freely chosen" (Herlihy and Corey, 2001).

Specific counseling goals pertaining to women:

Worell and Remer (1992) have also described specific counseling goals that the therapist attempts to attain in

efforts to:

◊ "Help women and men to trust their own experience an their intuition

◊ Enable clients to appreciate female-related values

◊ Assist women in taking care of themselves

◊ Help women accept and like their own bodies

◊ Define and act in accordance with their own sexual needs rather than another's sexual needs" (Henlihy

and Corey, 2001).

The clients' experience in the Therapeutic Process:

The feminist therapist may have the background and belief in any of the theoretical perspectives. This may

affect the way the therapeutic process is carried out. However the main goals and targets remain the same.

What the client undergoes and experiences during therapy may vary from client to client, and from problem to

problem. There is a likelihood that the clients may be dealing with the following themes:

◊ "Exploring anxiety and defenses

◊ Understanding power and control issues

◊ Examining external forces that influence behavior

◊ Identifying messages received in growing up

◊ Learning to accept appropriate responsibility

◊ Critically examining social dictates and expectations

◊ Exploring one' values

◊ Reflecting on the meaning of life (Herlihy and Corey, 2001).

Therapeutic Techniques

Although the feminist therapists may use, like any other psychotherapist, a variety of traditional and non-

traditional intervention, certain techniques are more likely to be used (Sharf, 2000; Worell and Remer 1992;

Enns, 1993).

Gender Role Analysis:

The client is helped in understanding the impact of gender-role expectations in her/his life.

Gender Role Intervention:

Placing the client's problem in the context of society's role expectations for women; helping the client see how

social issues affect her problem.

Power Analysis and power Intervention

Helping the client recognize the power difference between men and women. Empowering the client to take

charge of herself and her life; getting prepared for taking responsibility for making decisions for one's life.

126

Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)

1. Bibliotherapy

Encouraging the client and providing her reading materials, to read about various aspects of her problem. The

reading material may include fiction as well as non-fiction. For example a client may be recommended to read

about how the media in particular, and the society in general, promote over- concern with women's growing

age or thinness.

2. Self Disclosure

The therapist relates her/his personal experiences and makes the client realize that the therapist is also

someone like the client, and has undergone similar experiences.

3. Assertiveness Training

The ability to take charge of life, feeling of self confidence, and the courage to say `No' when one wants to say

`No' is developed and encouraged.

Besides these interventions, reframing and re-labeling, group work, and social action are also used.

127

Table of Contents: