Dr. Sparrow EPSY 6363
Feminist
• Arose primarily among therapists who believed
that the prevailing systems of therapy reflected
male-driven assumptions about the structure of
healthy relationships.
• Believed that modern therapy upheld traditional
gender roles that discriminated against women
(and men), minorities, and marginalized
individuals.
• Believed that therapists should not impose their
views of roles and power, but enter into the
relationship with a sensitivity to disenfrancised
members. (Social constructionist)
Feminist Theory and
Therapy
• Some of the theories
against which Feminist Theory
takes a stand:
• anthrocentric theory–the bias favors male-oriented
constructs, such as a preference for selfassertion, individuality, and achievement over a
cooperative, relationship emphasis
•
gendercentric theory–the belief that there
separate paths of development for the different
genders
•
ethnocentric theory– the belief that human
patterns are the same, regardless of culture and
gender
Feminist Theory and
Therapy
•
heterosexist theory–the position that devalues
same-sex relationships, on religious or moral
grounds
•
intrapsychic orientation–disregards the influence
of culture and societal predjudices, thus blaming
the victim
•
determinism–the belief that gender patterns are
fixed at early age
Feminist Theory and
Therapy
• Acknowledges that women search for relatedness
or connectedness, rather than autonomy.
• Mutually empathic relationships are crucial.
• Principles
• Personal problems have social and political
roots
• Personal and social identity is interdependent
(systems theory)
Feminist Theory and
Therapy
• Definitions of distress and mental illness are
arbitrary and formulated by dominant
members of a society, e.g. resistance can be
seen as effort to survive in unfair social
context.
• Feminists use integrated analysis of
oppression, that is, they realize that men, too,
are victims of oppressive cultural
assumptions.
• Therapeutic relationship is between equals
• Womens’ perspectives are valued.
Feminist Therapy
•
Therapy involves:
•
becoming aware of gender-role socialization
process
•
identify internalized messages that support gender
bias and discrimination
•
understand how oppressive societal beliefs have
hurt them, regardless of their gender
•
Develop sense of personal and social power that
is independent of social stereotypes
•
Realize the importance of connectedness
Feminist Therapy
• Case example: On the basis of interpreting
some ambiguous messages from a professor,
and from two friends, Mary begins to think
that most people don’t like her, and so she
withdraws from relationships. She avoids the
professor’s gaze, starts to do poorly in the
class, and avoids her friends. She waits for
her friends to contact her, and when they
don’t, she feels even more strongly that they
don’t like her, and that she isn’t likable. She
becomes depressed and unable to work and
socialize.
Feminist Therapy
• Therapy with Mary might include:
• Becoming aware of gender-role socialization process–
therapist would track the sources of Mary’s oppressive
views of herself as a woman.
• Identifying internalized messages–therapist would
examine what Mary heard and accepted about women
that holds her back.
• Understanding how oppressive societal beliefs have hurt
her–Therapist would explore what gender-related social
biases Mary holds that could be at the root of her problem.
Feminist Therapy
• Developing sense of personal and social power–
therapist would assist her in exploring what she can do
to make a difference.
• Realize the importance of connectedness–therapist
would support her in taking active steps to reconnect
with professor and friends