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GENDER AND PSYCHOTHERAPY:Traditional Versus Feminist Theory

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Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)
VU
Lesson 43
GENDER AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
Most students doing an under graduate or graduate course in psychology are familiar with the various
perspectives or prevalent models in psychology. All of these models have their specific approach towards the
understanding and explanation of mental illness, as well as the therapeutic interventions for treating these
disorders. In our discussion on gender and psychotherapy we will not go into the details of the commonly
known psychotherapeutic approaches that may be around 400 in number.
It is assumed that you are already fully aware of these approaches. Our emphasis, in this segment of this course,
will be upon the feminist approach toward psychotherapy. As discussed earlier, the feminist approach
emphasizes women's issues, the impact of socialization, gender stereotypes, issues specific to women's well
being, and similar topics. Before starting our discussion on gender and psychotherapy, let us try to find the
answer to a question!
What is common between psychoanalysis, Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Existential Therapy
and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy?
If the question puzzles and confuses you, then think about another question!
What is common between Freud, Jung, Adler, Watson, Skinner, Rogers Maslow and Ellis??
We are sure that you have found the answer. In the former question, all the therapeutic approaches mentioned
were given by male psychologists. And in the latter, all the psychologist mentioned are males. Not only that all
these are male psychologists but, more than that they are all male psychologists, from the west, all white.
In our discussion on gender and psychopathology, we mentioned that men are used as norms; stereotypically
masculine gender roles are considered as a standard. As a result, a behavior deviating significantly from this
norm, i.e., feminine behavior, is likely to be identified as pathological. A similar trend has been observed, and
can always be expected, in the therapeutic intervention if the therapeutic process is male-dominated, male-
centered, and male-controlled.
As a result of the feminist movement of the 1960s, psychological approaches, and therapeutic interventions
also saw a shift in focus. Psychotherapists with a feminist approach do not deal with, and understand,
pathology in the same manner as a conventional therapist would usually do. We find two key elements at the
core of the feminist therapeutic process:
a) Gender
b) Power
"It is built on the premise that it is essential to consider the social and cultural context that contributes to a
person's problems in order to understand that person" (Herlihy, and Corey, 2001, P. 343). Herlihy and Corey
have given a very good account of the historical evolution, nature, and process of feminist therapy. "A central
concept in feminist therapy is the psychological oppression of women and the constraints imposed by the
sociopolitical status to which women have been relegated" (Herlihy, and Corey, 2001).
Traditional Versus Feminist Theory
While some psychologists on one hand were trying to give feminist theory a shape and polish it, many others
were looking into the faulty perceptions of genders held by conventional approaches in psychology.
In a similar attempt, Worell and Remer (1992) highlighted six features/characteristics of the prevalent
traditional theories. These characteristic show the outdated assumptions about the role of a person's gender in
behavior. These characteristics determine the nature and process of psychotherapy.
Worell and Remer (1992) described the following characteristics:
Androcentric Theory
Such theories draw conclusions about human nature form male-oriented constructs.
Gendercentric Theory
These theories rest on the assumption that men and women follow separate developmental paths. This
assumption appears to have the underlying belief that men and women are separate entities, and therefore the
course and nature of their development is different.
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Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)
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Ethnocentric Theories
These theories propose that all cultures, nations, and races have the same factual evidence related to human
development and interaction.
Heterosexism
This approach views heterosexual orientation to be normative; therefore this orientation is the socially
acceptable norm and desirable behavior.
Intrapsychic Orientation
It is a tendency towards finding
The origin of behavior in intrapsychic causes. As a consequence instead of finding fault with the circumstances
and other external variables, it is usually the victim who is to be blamed.
Determinism
This a pessimistic approach in the sense that it assumes that behavior, and personality are pre-determined, and
fixed at an early stage of development.
All these characteristics make the nature of conventional therapies quite fixed, inflexible, and single tracked.
Feminist therapy, on the other hand, involves more flexibility, human element, and an interactionist approach .
The Characteristics of the Feminist Theory
Worell and Remer (1992) have shown how the main features of feminist theory can be used as criteria for
evaluating whether a theory for counseling women is suitable or not. Besides describing the characteristics of
conventional psychotherapy, Worell and Remer (1992) have also described the essential elements of feminist
therapy.
i. Gender-free Theories
Feminist theory considers socialization processes to be very important. As opposed to conventional theories
feminist theories explain gender differences considering the experiences of the socialization process to be of
prime importance. The conventional theories take these differences to be stemming for the `true' nature of
people.
ii. Flexible Theories
Feminist theory involves constructs and strategies that are equally applicable to individuals as well as groups, all
ages, races, cultures, genders, or sexual orientations. One can take this feature to imply that feminist therapy
gives due importance to the lifestyle, gender, cultural origin etc. when viewing the problems of the client.
iii.Interactionist Theories
As the very name implies, different aspects of human experience are covered; cognition, affect, and behavior.
Besides, the contextual and environmental variables are also taken into account.
iv. Life-span Perspective
As compared to the conventional perspectives, the feminist perspective does not limit its understanding of
behavior or pathology to socialization in early years alone. The whole life-span is considered important and all
stages of development treated as significant contributors.
Human development is not restricted to the so-called "formative years" alone, but it is a life long process.
Changes, growth, and addition of new facets in personality may take place at any stage.
Principles of Feminist Psychology
Feminist theory is based upon the following principles (Herlihy, and Corey, 2001):
The personal is political
Social transformation should be a goal. We should go for social change, not just individual change.
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Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)
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The counseling relationship is egalitarian:
Feminist theory, counseling, or therapy is not skewed towards the therapists. It gives an important and active
place to the client. The client is perceived as someone who has the potential to not only change (within herself),
but also who can produce change. Instead of being the only, and the final authority, the therapist is just another
source of information.
Clients have an active role in defining themselves.
i.  Feminist theory honors women's experiences:
Unlike other theories and therapies, men's behavior is not considered as a norm. These theories place women's
experiences at the very core of the therapeutic process in understanding their distress. A goal of feminist
therapy is to replace patriarchal "objective truth" with feminist consciousness, which acknowledges a diversity
of ways of knowing. Women are encouraged to express their emotions and their intuition and to use their
personal experience as a touchstone for determining what "reality" is."
"Theories of feminist therapy evolve from and reflect lived experiences that emerge from the relationships
among the participants" (Herlihy, and Corey, 2001, P. 352).
ii. Feminist therapy reformulates the definitions of mental illness and distress:
Deviating from the conventional approach, feminist therapies define and do not see distress, pain, or
psychological problems as a disease. Only a part of clients' distress, pain, and agony consists of the intrapsychic
and interpersonal factors. These factors only partially explain the problem. The rest can be explained after an
understanding of the external factors.
Therefore, feminist therapy reframes distress as a communication about unjust systems, rather than a disease.
Similarly pain is understood as an evidence of resistance and the skill and will to survive (Worell, and Johnson,
1997). Whereas the conventional approaches may define pain as indicative of some deficit or defect.
iii. The use of an integrated analysis of oppression:
In the understanding of oppression, the feminist therapists use an integrated, all involving, approach. In
understanding and explaining human behavior, or distress, the feminist therapies give importance to the
culturally shaped gender roles; the effect of stereotypical upbringing and differential treatment of genders.
Cultural practices, primarily those of raising children, affect the personalities, perceptions, and attitudes of
both men and women.
When men go for therapy or counseling, they find it difficult to express their emotions as they have learnt
that vulnerability is a weakness; they have this problem even in their daily, routine life.
Women; on the other hand, experience another problem. Since they have not been independent, and have
learned to give prime importance to the family's well-being, rather than their own wishes, they find it hard to
identify and honor what they want out of therapy.
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Table of Contents:
  1. INTRODUCTION:Common misconception, Some questions to ponder
  2. FEMINIST MOVEMENT:Forms or Varieties of Feminism, First wave feminists
  3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:Functionalism, Psychoanalytic Psychology:
  4. Gender- related Research:Andocentricity, Overgeneralizing, Gender Blindness
  5. RESEARCH METHODS FOR GENDER ISSUES:The Procedure of Content Analysis
  6. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH:Limitations Of Quantitative Research
  7. BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GENDERSHormones and Chromosomes
  8. BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GENDERS: HORMONES AND NERVOUS SYSTEM
  9. THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT:The Biological Approach,
  10. THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT (2):The Behavioral Approach
  11. THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT (3):The Cognitive Approach
  12. THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT (3):Psychoanalytic Feminism
  13. OTHER APPROACHES:The Humanistic Approach, Cultural Influences
  14. GENDER TYPING AND STEREOTYPING:Development of sex-typing
  15. GENDER STEREOTYPES:Some commonly held Gender Stereotypes
  16. Developmental Stages of Gender Stereotypes:Psychoanalytic Approach, Hostile sexism
  17. CULTURAL INFLUENCE & GENDER ROLES:Arapesh, Mundugumor
  18. DEVELOPMENT OF GENDER ROLE IDENTIFICATION:Gender Role Preference
  19. GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERSONALITY:GENDER DIFFERENCES IN BULLYING
  20. GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERSONALITY:GENDER, AFFILIATION AND FRIENDSHIP
  21. COGNITIVE DIFFERENCES:Gender Differences in I.Q, Gender and Verbal Ability
  22. GENDER AND MEDIA:Print Media and Portrayal of Genders
  23. GENDER AND EMOTION:The components of Emotions
  24. GENDER, EMOTION, & MOTIVATION:Affiliation, Love, Jealousy
  25. GENDER AND EDUCATION:Impact of Educational Deprivation
  26. GENDER, WORK AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT:Informal Work
  27. GENDER, WORK AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT (2):Glass-Ceiling Effect
  28. GENDER, WORK & RELATED ISSUES:Sexual Harassment at Workplace
  29. GENDER AND VIOLENCE:Domestic Violence, Patriarchal terrorism
  30. GENDER AND HEALTH:The Significance of Women’s Health
  31. GENDER, HEALTH, AND AGING:Genetic Protection, Behavioral Factors
  32. GENDER, HEALTH, AND AGING:Physiological /Biological Effects, Changes in Appearance
  33. GENDER DIFFERENCES IN AGING:Marriage and Loneliness, Empty Nest Syndrome
  34. GENDER AND HEALTH PROMOTING BEHAVIORS:Fitness and Exercise
  35. GENDER AND HEALTH PROMOTING BEHAVIOR:The Classic Alameda County Study
  36. GENDER AND HEART DISEASE:Angina Pectoris, The Risk factors in CHD
  37. GENDER AND CANCER:The Trend of Mortality Rates from Cancer
  38. GENDER AND HIV/AIDS:Symptoms of AIDS, Mode of Transmission
  39. PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH FEMALES’ REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
  40. OBESITY AND WEIGHT CONTROL:Consequences of Obesity, Eating Disorders
  41. GENDER AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY:Gender, Stress and Coping
  42. GENDER AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY:The Diagnostic Criteria
  43. GENDER AND PSYCHOTHERAPY:Traditional Versus Feminist Theory
  44. FEMINIST THERAPY:Changes targeted at societal level
  45. COURSE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF NEW AVENUES FOR RESEARCH IN GENDER ISSUES