1. FEMINIST THERAPY CHAPTER 12 INDIVIDUAL THERAPY SSIT311 2015

2. BACKGROUND  Traditionally, psychotherapy has let women down – marginalised them in fundamental ways.  FT developed out of a deep dissatisfaction with traditional approaches to psychotherapy, the emergence of a psychology of women and gender, and the feminist movements of the 1960s and 1970s.  No one person developed FT. Rather is emerged from the application of feminist political philosophy.  An early feminist was Karen Horney, a psychoanalyst who rejected the idea of penis envy.

3. BASIC PHILOSOPHY  Brown (1994): feminism is “the collection of political philosophies that aims to overthrow patriarchy and end inequities based on gender through cultural transformation and radical social change”.  Patriarchy = pervasive norms in most cultures which favour men over women, automatically giving them power (particularly white, male privilege), while simultaneously devaluing women and keeping them in a subordinate position.  Ultimate cause of psychological dysfunction resides in the oppression of the individual by society.

4.  Women, in particular, are expected to adhere to a rigid set of expectations, and both over adherence to and deviation from these behaviours are labelled as mental illness.  Feminists are always aware of power differentials and are attentive to features of human interaction that promote such differentials.  Language is one of the means by which power is maintained – for example men are typically referred to by their last name, whereas women are typically referred to by their first name. Also, the pronouns he and him are often used to refer to both sexes.

5. CENTRAL CONSTRUCTS GENDER  Social manifestation of sex.  Sex = biological differences (anotomical differences).  Gender = term used to emphasise that differences between men and women are more than the product of biology.  Social learning and social context are important influences on what our culture defines as ‘male’ and ‘female’.

6.  Liberal feminists (women are equal within a rational framework) will thus consider gender to be a social construction.  Example: the socialization of young boys and girls from a very young age – parents reinforce behaviours that are considered gender appropriate such as the kinds of toys that children play with – boys play with trucks and tool kits and girls with dolls and kitchen sets.

7.  The view of radical or social feminists (oppression based on gender is the most fundamental form of injustice) differs from the perspective that they consider gender differences to be inherent to the sexes, rather than socially constructed. Their view would be that the differences between men and women should be celebrated, rather than being treated as a consequence of socialization.  An integration of these different perspectives (liberal and radical/social) takes the stance that while certain biological facts are immutable, there are some aspects of the difference between men and women which is influence by social context.  Thus sex and gender are inextricably intertwined – this provides a more holistic understanding of differences between men and women.

8.  All feminist approaches acknowledge that society, through socialization, has devalued women and the qualities associated with them.  Thus power and gender are intimately connected to one another in most culture in the world.

9. HEALTH AND DYSFUNCTION  Society devalues traits and behaviours that are typically associated with women, labeling them as unhealthy in comparison to male-associated traits.  Health therefore normally resides in male qualitites such as independence, competitiveness, assertiveness, etc.  FT rejects these ideas.  They do no agree with diagnostic systems like the DSM, stating that is problematic to lable all forms of distress as abnormal, when they are often a normal reponse to the problem inherent in an oppressive society, e.g. eating disorders.

10.  Distress or ‘dis-ease’ is a communication about the oppression of unjust systems.  Symptoms are normal responses to oppressive environmental conditions.  Symptoms are signs of strenght because they signal attempts to resist patriarchy.  So FT focuses on strengths rather than dysfunction.

11. NATURE OF COUNSELLING  Traditional approaches to counselling are considered to maintain the androcentric, patriarchal status quo by assisting women to ‘adjust’ rather than challenge stereotypes and oppression.  FT is therefore directed towards helping the individual to grow and develop as a unique individual.  The counselling relationship must be based on egalitarian principles.  It must also privilege women’s experiences and focus on strengths.  The goal is to empower clients and create feminist consciousness.

12.  The counselling must be ‘value-free’ – the counsellor must be aware of their values and beliefs (particularly to do with sex, gender, race and class).  The counsellor must also be aware of their privilege, whereever it comes from (race, socioeconomic status, etc.)  The counsellor will seek to demystify the counselling process, by not using jargon and using careful self-disclosure. All of this seeks to empower the client.

13. CAN MEN BE FEMINISTS?

14. TECHNIQUES  Have very few techniques.  Any therapeutic technique can be used, provided it is used with feminist goals in mind.  Some counsellors adapt counselling techniques, such as psychoanalytic to a feminist perspective.

15. GENDER-ROLE ANALYSIS  Client is supported in a personal examination of what the cultural rules are about female and male behaviour and how these relate to the distress of the client.  Socialisation processes are discussed in terms of how they relate to the client’s current behaviours in the interest of detoxifying them.  The client is helped to understand the origins of her behaviours in social norms and opressive environments as well as the possible consequences of changing them.

16. SELF DISCLOSURE  The counsellor can judiciously self-disclose in order to assist in equalising the power balance in the relationship.  It must be in the interests of the client and not to satisfy any need of the counsellor.

17. ASSERTIVESNESS TRAINING  This helps the client to be able to pursue their rights without violating the rights of others.  Assertiveness is distinguished from aggression (violation of the rights of others) and nonassertiveness (allowing your rights to be violated).  Nonassertive behaviours are typically associated with stereotypicall ideas about being a woman – putting the needs of others first, withholding opinions and ‘being nice’.

18.  Assertiveness training was developed to teach women to abandon their culturally approved nonassertive behaviours.  Normally conducted in groups.  Four components:  Teaching the difference between assertive, nonassertive and aggressive behaviours and helping client observe their own behaviour.  Teaching clients a philosophy that respects individual rights and supports assertive behaviour.  Removing or reducing the salience of factors that inhibit assertive behavoiur.  Teaching skills through practice.

19. EVALULATION OF APPROACH  Has come from both within and outside the feminist movement.  Feminists have been labelled as ‘man-haters’ that engage in male bashing.  It has also been criticised for being a political stance and not a theory of counselling.  Because of the variety of views with FT, it has been charged with not being clear as to what it is, beyond a set of beliefs.

20.  Radical feminists reject FT because any kind of counselling is a tool of the patriarchal, oppressive society.  Cultural feminists believe that FT is based on the experience of white, middle-class women and therefore neglects discrimination and disempowerment based on other factors, such as race, social class, sexual orientation, etc.