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 have a passion for helping children heal from trauma and helping families overcome infertility. I utilize play therapy, expressive art, narrative therapy, and mindfulness to help clients connect to their strengths and resilience, understand their responses to trauma are normal, and create their preferred life story. At the nonprofit Families First, I serve children ages 3 to 21, their familie...
Hello, my name is Allen Irish-Zabolotny and I want to thank you for taking the time to look at my profile. My clients come to me because they want to improve their lives. I operate from a belief that most people reach points in lives where they feel “stuck”; for some, this could be prompted by life transitions, relationship struggles, or insecurities. Others come to therapy to work through trau...
You may feel broken, different, and struggle to make all the "pieces" fit together. Perhaps that is further complicated because you are a survivor of trauma, or struggling with immense grief, and find it difficult to maintain healthy relationships or feel balanced. We cannot go back in time, but we have this sacred moment, and I want to help you grasp it and make it genuine. I want to help you...
I offer a warm, engaged, relational approach and am here to support you in understanding and processing what you are going through. If you are struggling to find peace in your day to day life, if you are in pain, feel like something is wrong with you, I can work with you to tend to the places that need your attention and help you care for the soul. I work with depth psychology, psychodynamics,...
I prefer email & text over voice call. I hope to provide a sense of safety, trust, and acceptance. I tend to work with clients who were once like myself, unsure why they never really "fit" into different settings throughout childhood and now adulthood. It can come as feeling a tiny bit different than those around you. Maybe you did well in school and had a couple close friends, but you don't...
My approach to therapy is to provide a safe, non-judgmental place where we can work collaboratively on specific goals to bring about personal growth, healing and healthier living. In a creative and caring environment, I help clients of all ages gain new perspectives, identify negative thinking patterns and express painful feelings. Many times people don’t have the words for what they are going...
Because I believe we grow and learn throughout our life, I delight in working with all people. I see therapy as a supportive environment created for the purpose of encouraging one another in times of need, as well as joy. I have specialized experience working with children and families, empowering each during tough transitions such as toddlerhood and adolescence, while collaborating during...
My work focuses on creating body trust and respect, healing from disordered eating behaviors and thoughts, and recovering from diagnosable eating disorders. I have worked across the continuum of all levels of care, age groups, genders, sexual orientations, races, and religions. My work combines honoring your individual story and path towards recovery while simultaneously providing you with the...
I have worked with client’s from pre-school age to adults very late in life. Life is tough and seeking help at any point helps you become the hero of your story. One of the most amazing things I get to see in this job are people who want to bring positive changes into their lives and are willing to set aside time to work on themselves their growth as individuals, couples and families. My approa...
Many couples come to us initially having difficulty with their communication, trust issues, infidelity, and feeling alone in their relationship. They are often tired of arguing and feeling like the other person does not understand them. In our first session, we help our couples begin to understand the core of their situations and begin to gain control of their relationships again. In our time...
I am a Licensed Social Worker in the State of New York. I use my straightforward nature and sense of humor to connect with clients, particularly those who often feel misunderstood and struggle with remaining confident in tough situations. I see therapy as a place where passionate, driven people come to learn how to cope with challenging emotions and helps them use their innate strengths to buil...
I'm a holistic compassionate therapist, honored to work with many devoted clients in a field I've enjoyed for more than 30 years. Clients include adults and seniors. Foundationally, I work based on relational and empowerment models. Within the therapeutic setting, work begins with mindful development of safe trusting client/therapist relationships. During client/therapist conversations, clients...
I provide individual therapy for adults. My clients are are trying to get past something that holds them back. This root issue can hurt your relationships, cause you to second guess your decisions or think badly about yourself. With a trauma informed approach you can learn a new way to approach and heal that root problem. Our therapy will focus on building safety and trust, and increasing your...
After 15+ years of practice and training other therapists, I have learned working with someone who “gets” you can be nurturing and healing. I believe this happens when the therapist brings their personal authenticity to your session, and research tells us this is one of the most critical elements in therapy. Listening deeply, asking the right questions, and providing honest and helpful feedback...
My expertise is helping adults with chronic anxiety and/or depression, and/or grief feel better. My clients are adults who are competent and skilled in many ways, but not in healing their own spiraling fears and emotional pain. With investment in the therapy process, my clients learn to quiet self-criticism, and calm themselves when distressed. They feel more competent in relationship, and they...
