What is Feminist Psychotherapy?

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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

Are you looking for greater joy and satisfaction in your personal relationships and professional achievements? I am a psychotherapist with over 40 years of experience. I am a graduate of The Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University. I am a graduate of the Washington Square Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, The Group Therapy Training Program of the Post Graduate Center ...
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Virginia Cox Evans

Louisville

Kentucky

For over 30 years I have been treating depression, anxiety & addictions with a specialty in eating disorders. I'm a founding fellow for The Academy of Cognitive Therapy and also integrate other strategies in helping my patients actualize their full potential. I provide individual, marital, family, and group therapy. From adolescence to later life years, I help clients improve their physical,...

Christine Mia Kerno

Minneapolis

Minnesota

I specialize in trauma focused EMDR, substance use issues, and the care and treatment of the LGBTQIA community including transgender folk. I have developed a practice serving this very vulnerable and under-served population including trans women of color. As a male to female transgender person and a mental health professional I provide culturally specific services to the LGBTQIA community. I am...
As a therapist, I believe that people have the strengths and potential within themselves to make changes but sometimes circumstances get in the way of discovering and utilizing those strengths. My role is to act as a guide through the process of uncovering your strengths and achieving your goals. I believe that each individual is unique and I tailor my approach to each client's individual needs...

Araceli Cortes

Los Angeles

California

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist working with infants, children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. I value the diversity of each person’s story and find it essential to consider the cultural, social and political context that may be contributing to your distress. My hope is to assist you in gaining an empowering and positive reauthoring of your story. Aveces es dificil tom...
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I am a mental health counselor and a university administrator. My 10 years of experience in student affairs, with special emphases in diversity and inclusion, LGBTQ+ and sexual assault survivor advocacy have helped guide my work in mental health. I use an integrative approach to therapy that is crafted around each individual in a safe, empathetic and supportive space. It’s of paramount importan...
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Currently full. During these challenging times, are you trying to balance multiple demands, school, work, family, self-care and finding it overwhelming? Do you feel stressed, anxious, have concerns about relationships, parenting, dealing with loss? Are you going through a change or transition in your life that feels unsettling? Do you wish you could change some of your stuck patterns to bring m...

Paula Terán-Prado

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

If you want to work in a collaborative manner, without judgement but being challenged about your thoughts, emotions and behaviors, and their relation to socialization, my integrative approach might be a good fit for you. I've been working with individuals, couples, families and in group settings for over 20 years, in formal and informal settings. I work with people from different ethnicities,...
I am a licensed clinical social worker in Ohio with certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. I received my MSSA from Case Western Reserve University. I have experience working with at-risk adults who are living with severe mental illness in both agency and community settings. My areas of expertise include: moderate to severe mood and behavioral disorders, trauma-related disorders,...
I believe that trauma is the universal experience --we all carry trauma with us--which is why I'm a trauma therapist with a focus on complex PTSD. I am EMDR-trained and it is a primary part of my practice, but I draw on many therapeutic modalities to meet my client's needs. To me, therapy is about releasing the things that prevent us from moving toward ease in our daily lives, in our...
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I'm a licensed social worker and chemical dependency counselor who has experience working in higher level of care treatment, outpatient and school-based settings. I have seen the impact that difficulty communicating needs, low self-esteem, limited social supports and coping skills can have on one's life. I am here to assist you in identifying ways to improve how you feel whether it is with your...