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
*Not Accepting New Clients* I am a licensed masters level social worker (LMSW) who has experience working with pre-teens, adolescents and adults. I spent time working as a behavioral specialist with youth ages 6-16 and also worked in a therapeutic high school. At the therapeutic high school I worked with youth on the autism spectrum as well as adolescents who had other mental health and behavio...
Do you find yourself stuck, or struggling somehow? I believe that people are doing the best they can, with the experiences and knowledge that they have. Sometimes, however, life throws so much at you that it overwhelms your ability to cope, and you might find yourself on a website like this one, saying, "maybe I need a therapist?" Whether you know exactly what's wrong (like a challenging...
The goal of my work is helping individuals fulfill their highest potential and lead happier lives. My experience includes working with individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, wanting to discover life purpose, gender identity expression or sexuality, life transitions, chronic and acute medical conditions, internet and gaming addictions, and trauma. Together, we will focus on replacing...
For me, therapy begins by first establishing a healthy and therapeutic relationship that is supported with a safe environment. Through therapy we will work together in conquering struggles, problems, discussing life events and building from the ground up. Our work will be honest and empathetic because I believe that this is what begins the stages of healing. My work comes with nine years of...
The act of coming to therapy is a brave one, and you should commend yourself for doing it – you are taking proactive steps to create the life you want. I view therapy as an opportunity for you to evaluate the stories you and others tell about who you are, identify the storylines that are not serving you, and construct new narratives that focus on your strengths which can help you take a more...
The circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic are difficult and may be adding to stressors you were facing before the pandemic became a challenge in our lives. If you are looking to address relationships, circumstances, thoughts, emotions, or health difficulties, clinical therapy can help. My approach provides clients with an opportunity to gain better understanding and tolerance of complex...
*Not currently accepting new clients* Life can be complicated, wonderful, devastating, exhilarating, and challenging. The mind as well as life’s circumstances often hinder our ability to achieve our aspirations, and we end up hurting ourselves and those we love most. Whether it’s an overwhelming feeling of incompetence and failure, struggling with negative thinking, feeling unhappy or...
I believe that within each of us there lies uncharted terrain, eagerly waiting to be explored. Therapy can be a great tool to explore those domains. My primary therapeutic approach is Relational Psychodynamic Psychotherapy which means building an authentic therapeutic bond, exploring relational themes from childhood, and dynamics in the present moment are key components to my therapeutic work....
It is my passion to help my clients create the life they desire. I believe we are often our harshest critics and learning to be kinder to ourselves can have an immense impact on our lives. Counseling can help heal emotional wounds through processing, self-compassion and goal setting. I offer an eclectic approach, blending CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), mindfulness, DBT (Dialectical Behavio...
Wild and Free Painting is a nourishing space created for children, adolescents and women. I love working with women who are navigating a major life transition but are finding themselves, exhausted by their inner critic, judging themselves to the point of bring stuck and shut down from their creativity. Many of the women I work with come out of therapy saying that they have, a new, positive...
I believe in meeting each individual where they are in their journey with acceptance and curiosity. I offer compassion, authenticity, and care to help you uncover and satisfy your unmet needs. Many of us are wounded, but we are not broken. When we discover and meet our needs, our nervous systems reset and offer up a whole new place from which to live life. Counseling can help you understand and...
A client in my practice should be prepared to engage in self-reflection, self-compassion, and demonstrate an openness to interpersonal feedback. While I hope to provide support and foster growth for a wide range of presenting concerns, the willingness for insight and change is universal in therapy. I also strive for a warm therapeutic relationship, using humor, humility, and emotion to connect...
I work with individuals, couples, families, and groups from adolescence through adulthood. I support clients with depression, anxiety, trauma recovery, relationship issues, and life transitions. With young adults, I explore challenges related to college, academics, gender identity, sexuality, relationships, family conflict and career. As a German Chancellor Fellow, I focused on arts-based thera...
Karina Garcia treats adults, adolescents, couples and families who have a wide range of presenting problems. I have particular interests in trauma, relationship issues, including couples therapy, mood disorders, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, sexual abuse, ADHD and men's vulnerability. I have specialized training, experience, and interests in the treatment of children with behavior problems and...
We can sometimes find ourselves journeying through difficult and uncertain times; believing ourselves to be lost and without a clear direction - therapy offers an opportunity to gain tools for that journey with someone who will believe in your potential for change, and help you to witness your narrative through a more objective and empowered lens. A therapist is a mirror, enabling you to see th...
