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

My ideal client is looking for therapy to help them and wants to change their life for the better. I am a caring and compassionate therapist who offers a calm home office setting for your therapy sessions. I love to help others by meeting clients where they are so they are able to make changes to live a much better life. I specialize in helping clients work through any type of trauma and PTSD w...

Saba Aqel

Chicago

Illinois

I serve clients who look to expand their self-awareness, emotional intelligence and seek to uncover and process traumas and psychological wounds. I have experience working with clients who struggle with anxiety, depression, acute and chronic trauma, OCD, BPD, Schizophrenia, and other mental health disorders. I enjoy working with immigrants and refugees dealing with acculturation, racial identit...
My special areas of interest include: Women's Empowerment, Relationship Issues, Anxiety, Depression, Grief/Loss and Mindfulness. I did an additional study in LGBT affirmative therapy while in graduate school. I work mainly with individual clients (one-on-one) and believe that seeing each other weekly, is the best way to achieve significant, long term improvement. I am passionate about helping...
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Kate Schwab

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

I believe that we are living in an increasingly complicated world; we are all doing our best, and therapy can support you to live in a way that is deeper and more authentically aligned with your values. I am interested in building creative and collaborative relationships with clients, and working within a psychodynamic and trauma-informed framework. This means that I’m interested in helping you...
**ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS AND COUPLES. I operate from an attachment perspective, and I believe that we must establish safety in order to grow and change for the better. I aim to help clients heal past traumas, work through difficult emotions, and find their inner strength and truth. I help clients build and strengthen relationships with themselves and others for transformation and healing. My 5...

Amanda Arciero

Jersey City

New Jersey

Reaching out for help or support can make us feel vulnerable, and finding someone who you can trust enough to open up to about your deepest thoughts and feelings can feel impossible. What I can offer to you is a supportive environment, free of judgement and criticism, regardless of what it is you’re struggling with. My approach combines traditional models of therapy (cognitive and dialectical...
I am currently accepting new clients during COVID-19 Are you feeling overwhelmed with life and not sure how to cope? Are you struggling with unresolved childhood issues? Is your past impacting how you are functioning in your daily life? Are you having issues with your friendships, marriage, or children causing you to feel overwhelmed or confused? I can assist you with creating goals to reclaim...
We live in a world where we are constantly being told we need to do more, we need to work harder, we are not enough just as we are. This mentality is causing us to push ourselves to the point of extreme stress, anxiety and burnout. What we really need is balance, peace and a clearer vision of who we are and what we personally need to thrive. This extends beyond ourselves into our relationships....

Thomas Michael Peterson

Charlotte

North Carolina

I have a preference for utilizing many of the counseling techniques within cognitive behavioral therapy because I believe that although individuals will undoubtedly experience hardship and difficulty within their lives, I feel that problems with emotions and behaviors are many times a result of how one thinks and feels about a situation. Because I believe that counseling is not a...
**Not accepting new clients at this time!** Many of my clients often seek therapy during seasons of heightened anxiety, depression and other mood-related issues. Some clients choose to address past traumas and/or grief and loss while others seek help in navigating relationships and our society with issues regarding race, gender, sexuality, ability, spirituality, etc. I enjoy working with young...

Sierra K Briscoe

Los Angeles

California

Seeking therapy is a brave step. Whether you are presently in crisis or simply feeling a bit stuck in life, I honor the effort & courage that it took you to get here. It suggests that—regardless of how you might feel in this moment—some small (or large) part of you believes in the possibility of a more peaceful, fulfilling life. As a therapist, I am here to not only affirm and amplify that beli...

Chi Nguyen

San Jose

California

The decision to seek out therapy could be because you are struggling in one or more aspects of your life, or are looking to explore parts of your deeper self. My approach to therapy is to provide a safe, nonjudgmental, and compassionate environment for clients to process through their struggles and pains. I believe that the therapeutic relationship with my clients is an essential component in t...

Cassandre Moore

Boise

Idaho

**Not accepting new clients at this time, but will email referrals if requested.** Hello :) My name is Cassandre Moore and I am licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) for the state of Idaho. I'm from Boise and have lived in the Treasure Valley the majority of my life with the exception of a handful of years in Montana. I feel a special connection with those who share love for our beautiful stat...
In the current world of ongoing and chronic stress, life issues can interfere with anyone's ability to live their life to the fullest. Sometimes these issues are life crises like the death of a loved one, new life phases like parenting and adjusting to a new born, or downsizing when the last child leaves home. Sometimes these issues are related to efforts to manage what feels like overwhelming...