Feminist Psychotherapy emerged as an approach to counseling as the waves of feminism gained popularity in mainstream western society. It examines the unique way women relate to the world around them after being seen as inferior to men for many generations. It’s also a response to the once male-dominated field of psychotherapy as a whole.
Feminist therapists aim to treat all genders as equally deserving of respect and dignity and accept. They believe in the historical marginalization of all genders besides males.
Critical to Feminist Psychotherapy is an analysis of power dynamics. Power dynamics are inherent in any relationship, specifically within the counseling relationship. Usually, a counselor is an “expert” with high levels of education and status. The client then is thought to be less than. Feminist Psychotherapy, instead of ignoring this power dynamic or using it to their advantage to tell clients what they ought to do, seeks to highlight it and converse about it. Bringing up how the power dynamics affect the counseling relationship helps people examine the power dynamics in all other areas of their life.
Feminist Psychotherapy can be helpful for a range of mental health concerns, can be utilized for a person of any gender identity, and can be used in group settings, family settings, or individual counseling.
Critical to Feminist Psychotherapy is the idea that people grow through relationships with others. Your therapist might help you analyze your patterns of relating to significant others in your life and might ask you to recall some of your early relationships with parents or other caregivers.
Feminist Psychotherapy does not have a list of techniques necessary for treatment. It focuses on the ideas of empathetically relating to you, from one human being (your counselor) to another (you). A healthy relationship with your counselor becomes a model for all of your relationships.
Therapists Who Specialize in Using Feminist Psychotherapy
I work with clients who are ready to be better. Face it. Therapy isn’t easy. It’s uncomfortable. I know. But would you rather let the problems in your life fester? Constant worrying, feelings of sadness, conflict with your partner? Won’t those just continue if you keep doing nothing? Drop the old patterns of behavior, grieve the loss of your ex, figure out why you’re so anxious all the time and...
Let’s talk about you. Your perspective about your life is valid and essential. Everyone needs someone on their side that will listen with an open heart and open mind. I work with people where they are. I use a strengths based perspective to help you advocate for yourself in your own life. Life happens. Hardships happen. Neurological differences, psychological and medical diagnoses are not a lif...
TELETHERAPY AVAILABLE I enjoy challenges and diverse people and helping those who are in difficult situations. I specialize in responding to crises, trauma and workplace problems. So ideally I approach each situation, person or group with an open mind and a non-anxious-presence. I strive to provide that same level of confidence and trust to people in therapy. My strength is understanding comple...
Not accepting new clients at this time. Life can throw many unexpected changes your way and sometimes navigating those changes can be difficult. Often we find that family and friends provide support, but sometimes we need more. Regardless if these struggles are new for you or have been brewing for years, it is never too late or too soon to reach out for help. Today make a choice to prioritize...
Life can be stressful, overwhelming and exhausting at times. We might see it in our kids, who struggle adjusting to a new change, or overcoming a situation. They throw tantrums, hit, or become overly shy and anxious. As we grow and experience life ourselves, things get more and more complicated. Family relationships, romantic life, career choices and work/life balance, are only a few examples....
The most important relationship that you have is the one with yourself. People come to therapy for a variety of reasons - regardless of your reason, my goal is to walk through the journey with you. Whether it be navigating relationship difficulties, trauma, anxiety, depression, or grief and loss, my goal as a therapist is to help people grow and learn to navigate life's challenges. I believe th...
As a somatic-based counselor, my aim is to support you in reinhabiting your innate wisdom and sense of belonging. Many of the difficulties that we encounter are due to separation, whether it be from caregivers, community, or our own body and heart. Healing can begin by reaching out to another for guidance and reestablishing connection. Many of my clients seek me out to reconnect to their sense ...
Are you feeling the strain of prolonged social distancing? Is your relationship with your partner or child tense due to sheltering-in-place? Are you grieving the loss of a loved one, loss of a job, loss of a relationship? Are you feeling overwhelmed/anxious/depressed because of all the uncertainty? Are you, or do you love, an Essential Worker/Healthcare Provider coping with trauma/exceptional...
Carrie received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern Maine and is a Licensed Master Social Worker with a conditional clinical license (LMSW-CC). She has been working with individuals and groups in a therapeutic setting for over six years, most recently at The Island Institute for Trauma Recovery in downtown Biddeford. In addition to her clinical experience she is...
I believe we all need and deserve to feel understood and appreciated in our complexity throughout our lives. Many of us have experiences that have a lasting impact on our relationships with ourselves and our sense of belonging with others. We have emotions, beliefs, and behaviors that seem to get in the way of reaching our potential in work and relationships. If you are struggling with parentin...
I think everybody has a story worth telling. Unfortunately, sometimes what has happened in our past can strongly affect our present moods and behaviors. I have a trauma-focused orientation to the therapy that I practice. I am proficient in treatment of Anxiety Disorders, Depression and PTSD. I also specialize in the treatment of elderly people and people with chronic illnesses. I enjoy working...
***OFFERING TELEHEALTH SERVICES! Please note that our waitlist for children (12 and under) is currently closed due to long wait times.*** Family Counseling Associates is proud to provide the highest level of outpatient counseling services. Whether you would benefit from individual therapy, couples or family therapy or therapy for your child, we are here to help. Family Counseling Associates is ...
I enjoy working with adolescents & adults who have felt alone, disconnected, and/or like they don't belong; who have chronically found themselves in relationships that don't feel supportive and/or reciprocal & are seeking ways to shift their ways of relating and connecting; and who are experiencing chronic depression and/or anxiety & struggle with self-love. I am passionate about exploring the...
Someone once told me that everyone is walking around with an 'under construction' sign above their head, meaning that behind the scenes everyone is working on something. My goal is to help you fix your perception of you and to assist you in finding your way to living a life you deem fulfilling. Occasionally in life, we are found at a crossroads and are in need of some type of support, or change...
