1 Psych 222 Context & Social Construction Deconstructing categories Deconstructing categories Deconstructing relationships Deconstructing relationships Intro to feminist therapy Intro to feminist therapy Current context of therapy Current context of therapy Current role of therapists Current role of therapists Current challenges Current challenges Assumptions of feminist therapy Assumptions of feminist therapy Core principles Core principles Cases Cases

2 Deconstructing Categories According to your readings: What is the function of the concept of race? What is the function of the concept of race? How does “race” affect lived experience? How does “race” affect lived experience? What is the function of sexual orientation categories? How are we affected by categories? What is the function of sexual orientation categories? How are we affected by categories? What is the function of defining an underclass? What is the function of defining an underclass? What is the “undeserving poor?” What is the “undeserving poor?” How has “disability” been used to justify inequality? How has “disability” been used to justify inequality?

3 Deconstructing Relationships To what extent are all relationships in society structured by domination and subordination? To what extent are all relationships in society structured by domination and subordination? Can categories exist without power differentials? Can categories exist without power differentials? Is it possible for equality to exist in relationships? Is it possible for equality to exist in relationships? What is the therapist’s role in helping people create equality in their own relationships? What is the therapist’s role in helping people create equality in their own relationships? What is the therapist’s role in creating equality between groups? What is the therapist’s role in creating equality between groups? To what extent should therapists be advocates? To what extent should therapists be advocates? To what extent should therapists be activists? To what extent should therapists be activists?

4 Intro to Feminist Therapy Critical Psychology: questions assumptions Critical Psychology: questions assumptions Stems from civil rights movement, rape crisis movement and anti-psychiatry movement Stems from civil rights movement, rape crisis movement and anti-psychiatry movement States: Therapy exists in a cultural context and traditional approaches often reflect and reinforce power arrangements States: Therapy exists in a cultural context and traditional approaches often reflect and reinforce power arrangements

5 Current Context for Therapy: Medical model of clinical psych (Since WW2) Medical model of clinical psych (Since WW2) Clinicians “treat” “psychopathology” Clinicians “treat” “psychopathology” Individual level intervention Individual level intervention After the fact After the fact Emphasis on treatment of “disease” Emphasis on treatment of “disease” Corporate ownership of psychotherapy Corporate ownership of psychotherapy Emphasis on “outcomes” and “accountability” Emphasis on “outcomes” and “accountability” Short term problem focused Short term problem focused Standardization in assessment and treatment Standardization in assessment and treatment Clinical trials as “gold standard,” seen as unbiased Clinical trials as “gold standard,” seen as unbiased

6 Current Role of Therapist Predominance of CBT model Predominance of CBT model Therapists seen as professional experts Therapists seen as professional experts Movement toward manualized treatments Movement toward manualized treatments

7 Current Challenges Drastic cuts in funding for social supports Drastic cuts in funding for social supports Neighborhood support systems diminishing Neighborhood support systems diminishing Punitive policies in schools Punitive policies in schools Emphasize accountability Emphasize accountability Reduce enrichment Reduce enrichment Two tiered system of healthcare Two tiered system of healthcare Increased poverty linked to increased violence, addiction, and risk behaviors Increased poverty linked to increased violence, addiction, and risk behaviors

8 Core Principles of Feminist Therapy Clients stories matter (Phenomenology) Clients stories matter (Phenomenology) Integrative: Can be used with different approaches Integrative: Can be used with different approaches Personal is political Personal is political Context matters Context matters Gender is at the core of power relationships Gender is at the core of power relationships Gender is socially constructed Gender is socially constructed Emphasizes interdependence over autonomy Emphasizes interdependence over autonomy Emphasizes transformation of self and society not just adjustment, symptom reduction, or actualization Emphasizes transformation of self and society not just adjustment, symptom reduction, or actualization Sees therapists as agents of social change Sees therapists as agents of social change Believes good therapy is feminist therapy Believes good therapy is feminist therapy

9 Cases Scott Scott Abby Abby Anna & Sergie Anna & Sergie