Feminist Therapy Test Questions
with Answers
Both feminist and postmodern thought asserts that psychotherapists must not replicate
societal power imbalances or foster dependency in the client. Rather, therapist and
client take active and equal roles, working together to determine goals and procedures.
A common denomina- tor of both feminist and postmodern approaches is the avoidance
of assuming a therapist role of all-knowing expert.
Describe the importance of an egalitarian relationship and how collaboration works in
the therapy process. How are feminist therapist the same as post modern therapist? -
Answer-A defining theme of the client- counselor relationship is the inclusion of clients
in both the assessment and the treat- ment process, keeping the therapeutic
relationship as egalitarian as possible. Feminist therapists clearly state their values
during the informed consent process to reduce the chance of value imposition. This
allows clients to make a choice regarding whether or not to work with the therapist. It
also is a step in demystifying the process.
They work to demystify the counseling rela- tionship by sharing with the client their own
perceptions about what is going on in the relationship, by conveying clearly that the
client is the expert on her or his life, and by using appropriate self-disclosure.
Identify standard feminist therapy procedures such as therapist self- disclosure,
reframing, relabeling, gender-role analysis and intervention, power analysis and
intervention, and social action. - Answer-Feminist therapists have been sharply critical
of past versions of the DSM classification system (DSM- III through DSM -IV-TR), as
well as of the current DSM-5 edition (Marecek & Gavey, 2013).
To the degree that conceptualization and assessment are influenced by subtle forms of
sexism, racism, ethnocentrism, heterosexism, age- ism, or classism, it is extremely
difficult to arrive at a meaningful conceptualization, assessment, or diagnosis.
Feminist therapists refer to distress rather than psycho- pathology (Brown, 2010), and
they use diagnostic labels quite carefully, if at all. They believe diagnostic labels are
severely limiting for these reasons:
(1) they focus on the individual's symptoms and not the social factors that cause
distress and dysfunc- tional behavior; (2) they are part of a system developed mainly
within psychiatry, an institution that reinforces dominant cultural norms and may
become an instru- ment of oppression; (3) they may reflect the inappropriate application
of power in the therapeutic relationship; (4) they can lead to an overemphasis on
, individual solutions rather than social change; and (5) they have the potential to
dehumanize the client through labeling.
Feminist therapists believe that external factors and contextual factors are as important
as internal dynamics in understanding the client's presenting problems (Evans & Miller,
2016).
Due to the cultural and gender limitations of diagnoses, Eriksen and Kress (2005)
encourage therapists "to be tentative in diag- nosing those from diverse backgrounds,
and to, as a part of a more egalitarian rela- tionship, co-construct an understanding of
the problem with the client, rather than imposing a diagnosis on the client" (p. 104).
Reframing symptoms as resistance to oppression and as coping skills or strategies for
survival and shifting the
Understand the value of empowerment as a basic strategy. - Answer-Feminist therapy
does not prescribe any particular set of interventions and tailors interventions to clients'
strengths with the goal of empowering clients while evok- ing their feminist
consciousness (Brown, 2010). Nonetheless, they have developed several unique
techniques and have borrowed others from traditional approaches. Particularly
important are consciousness-raising techniques that help women dif- ferentiate between
what they have been taught is socially acceptable or desirable and what is actually
healthy for them.
At the heart of feminist strategies is the goal of empowering the client. Feminist
therapists work in an egalitarian manner and use empowerment strategies that are
tailored to each client (Brown, 2010; Evans et al,, 2011).
Example:
Alma, age 22, comes to counseling reporting general anxiety about a new job she
began a month ago. She states that she has struggled with depression off and on
throughout her life because of bullying as a child and rejection from much of her family
after coming out as a lesbian at age 14. Alma identifies as Dominican and continues to
struggle with the loss of her place within her family of origin. She now believes coming
out was a selfish mistake and is trying to make amends by keeping her feelings
regarding her sexual and affectional orientation hidden. Due in part to past experiences,
she is worried that if she comes out to her coworkers the company might find a reason
to fire her. Alma says, "I would like to cut my hair short again because it is more
manageable and I also prefer to wear what is considered to be more masculine clothing,
but I am worried this will cause people at work to ques- tion my femininity. I really like
my job, and I worked very hard to get it. I am afraid if I show them who I really am, they
won't want me there anymore."
Alma's therapist wi
