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
Life is tough, and I’m here to show you, that so are you! As we move through life, we’re continuously faced with new stressors: pressure from work and school, relationships, finances, health, and sometimes even a world pandemic gets thrown in there. We never truly know what is coming next. As a young adult myself, I have been faced with all of these same challenges over the years. Sometimes we...
My name is Garland Middleton and I am a Licensed Social Worker and therapist. My work is rooted in the understanding that therapy is a vulnerable and sometimes intimidating journey, unique to each person that comes in my office. Feeling safe and comfortable with your therapist is the only way to get to a place of self-exploration and compassion towards self. Through a collaborative experience w...
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Oftentimes the most difficult step in the healing process is the very first one, reaching out. Whether you are seeking guidance moving through difficult life transitions, coping with trauma, exploring your identity, or working through difficulty in family or romantic relationships, I aim to create a safe and accepting space for you to share your own unique experience. It is my belief that you a...
I work with adults and college students to address maladaptive behaviors, overcome histories of trauma, and gain deeper personal insight. I use an integrative approach that draws on humanistic, Gestalt, and psychodynamic therapies to help clients develop a sense of wholeness, congruence, and self-actualization. I also work with children (ages 3-12) to develop a positive self-concept, sense of...
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I make great effort for excellence by working effectively with honesty, skills and compassion. I am committed to working collaboratively with clients to find their inner strength and authenticity, I know from experience that it takes courage and dedication to live well and the benefits are worth it. My personality as a therapist is of nurturing, warmth, genuineness and non-judgmental demeanor. ...
My name is Martha Harris-Luken and I am an independently licensed professional counselor. I have been working in the field of counseling since 1990. I have worked in counseling and social work in many capacities. I have worked with children, adolescents and adults. My areas of expertise are depression, anxiety, victims of abuse (including sexual, emotional and physical), Post Traumatic Stress...
I believe that an authentic, caring, and strong connection between therapist and client is essential to facilitate meaningful change and it is an honor to be invited to participate in another person’s transformational journey. My role as a therapist is to not only help clients heal the inevitable relational wounds, but also to help them cultivate the resilience to live life with courage,...
If you are here searching for a counselor, then something has probably happened in your life to cause you suffering. And, I imagine, you would like something about that to change. Yet, so often you feel stuck! -- stuck in patterns of behavior that keep you entrenched in that misery. I want to help you get to the roots of whatever is causing you pain, to help you make peace with events in life t...
Welcome! Do you have questions about dealing with anxiety? Do you wonder if your past is preventing you from having the life you really want? Wondering if you need trauma counseling? Always getting stuck in the same patterns in your relationships? Do you want to move on but feel trapped? Struggling with believing you don't matter or aren't enough? Held back from pursuing your dreams because...
Sometimes the journey of life hasn't been what we envisioned. Perhaps it is full of anxiety, depression, or stress. Maybe you find yourself angry at everyone around you or angry with yourself. If so, asking for help shows strength not weakness. Contact me so that we can talk about how to find your inner strength and explore the avenues to help you find the life you truly desire. I offer a...
My accepting approach is secured in the notion that we all deserve to be welcomed just as we are, including the problems and struggles we bear. Even if our problems have no straightforward answers, we can learn to live with and through them when we are better connected to ourselves and others. As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I aspire to enable this connection. My training is rooted in Syste...
