The month of May is Women’s Health Month, so let’s shed light on one of the newer types of counseling…feminist therapy. Before you assume that this therapy is only for women, read on because there’s more to it than meets the… title. This theory of counseling was actually developed in the late 1800s with the first wave of feminism. But it did not have a strong enough foundation, which was further built in the 1960s. And unlike most theories in the counseling world, feminist therapy was founded by a collaboration of feminists, not an individual. Its development is quite reflective of its practice.
Feminist counseling takes into account how a person’s social, cultural, and political experiences affect them. It’s a systematic approach as opposed to an individualistic perspective. It acknowledges that an individual has different cultural identities which include but are not limited to religious, gender, sexual, political, age, socioeconomic, education, and ability status.
Feminist theory was constructed to have a gender-fair approach. All gender identities are acknowledged because feminism values equality and equity. Marginalized voices are valued, and it recognizes how oppression impacts people in a variety of ways. A therapist who integrates feminist theory values an egalitarian relationship with their client; a strong bond and trust is important between the two. Feminist theory also focuses on the strengths of the client, and tries to reframe a person’s perspective so that it will serve them; essentially, how do you turn your weaknesses into strengths? Empowerment is greatly valued, and the therapist will provide you with a skillset to face your challenges.
Another interesting thing about feminist theory is its view on diagnoses. The feminist framework views the DSM diagnoses as being based on the dominant culture’s view of normalcy. Plus, many modern medical standards are based on tests done primarily on men and there is a lack of testing done on other races and ethnicities. Diagnoses can overlook important cultural differences. Feminist therapists do not dismiss giving patients diagnoses all together, but are more collaborative to understand and address the underlying problem with their client as opposed to imposing a diagnosis on them.
Therapists who practice feminist therapy use techniques such as empowerment, bibliotherapy (education through books), assertiveness training, reframing, social identity analysis, social action, and group work. These are just a few of the techniques used. And most therapists who use feminist theory integrate it with other theories such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or humanistic theories. It is easy to incorporate the values and techniques with other types of therapy because of its emphasis on systemic/cultural practices; everyone is affected by their culture and the systems they are a part of.
If you are thinking about getting therapy, and this type of therapy interests you, ask a potential therapist what techniques they like to incorporate, and if that feminist therapy interests you.
References
Corey, G. (2017). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Cenveo Publisher Services.