Feminist Counselling : A Feminist Perspective

This essay will explore the counselling relationship along with the benefits and limitations as well as discussing other factors that have an important impact in relation to the outcome of counselling. Counselling is an interpersonal relationship between the client and qualified therapist, the relationship involves communicating with the client and using skills to explore the client's feelings. The counselling/ therapeutic relationship can be used in all types of counselling such as psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioural, person centred and cognitive therapy. As mental health disorders increase so does the need to deliver effective counselling, which means that the therapeutic relationship is more crucial than ever. (Miller, Hubble, Duncan and Wampold 2010; Norcross and Lambert 2011).

Ballou (1996) in Ivey (2002) comments on other concepts of feminist therapy. An understanding of pluralism is one. That is, the value of difference. Although focused

With the revival of the feminist movement in the 1960 's many women started to renounce traditional theories of psychotherapy, arguing that these theories were sexist, oppressive, and ultimately detrimental to the psychological and emotional well-being of women. Feminist advocates highlighted the limiting nature of socialized gender roles and the damaging effects of the various levels of oppression experienced by women. In response to the recognition of these perceived injustices, feminist support groups formed and eventually a feminist approach to therapy was collaboratively developed. Feminist therapists practice with an awareness of how gender socialization and systemic

As I was speaking with one of their staff, I disclosed myself to be doing a paper on my visit. The lady gave me a history and the mission of their program. She talked about the fact that their counseling is open to almost everyone; but, mostly women come to their facility. The misconception that their services are only for women is common and since their clients are mostly women, they have facilitated their workshops towards satisfying the needs of their clients. At first, they provided care primarily to women and now they have expanded their service towards men.

The purpose of counselling is to help people develop new ways of coping with problems and to facilitate change, empowering people to manage their own lives. Counselling is a formal process that focuses on the individual needs of the client, such as problems with drug and alcohol, relationships and grief. Counsellors abide by strict ethical principles and accepted practices, concerning matters of confidentiality, professional boundaries and record keeping. The counselling relationship is confidential except for matters that require mandatory reporting, this includes any concerns about a child who may be at risk of harm, and concerns of the client being at risk of self-harm.

Feminist concentrate primarily on ‘gender inequality’. The feminist theory is strongly influenced by the Marx theory.

The goal of Feminist Therapists is to make their clients feel empowered and help them in the daily aspects of life. These aspects that pertain to society’s attitude about them and their place in society. Goals are to define ways that non-Caucasian women are being oppressed and for the client to be familiar with these norms. This will better help her gain power within her everyday life and create confidence in her at work or school. When the client is aware of racism in the world they live in it is easier to make a transformation in the environment they are in. Hence the goal of FT is to bring awareness to feminism and to educate the client on feministic issues within the society. The counselor will give Ana goals and be very supportive of her

Women are humans, humans with emotions and the need for self expression. The men, throughout history, have degraded the female sex, they have always seen women as objects and a machine that helps reproduce and carry on their blood. Society formed the ‘perfect’ role for women and it was expected that they follow it. They were expected to be the loving, responsible, obedient, stay at home wives. Due to such an inequitable lifestyle given to women, they decided to fight for equality and defend their gender. They will later be known as feminists. According to Literary and Cultural Theory by Donald Hall, feminists focal point is to investigate the various ways women have been limited to social power and the liberty to self

By evaluating the situation and lives of women in society, the feminist perspective is defined as a source of social inequality, group conflict and social problems. For feminist, patriarchal society is the foundation of social problems. The patriarchal male dominated society where women are meant to justify the rule through devaluation; however, the definition of patriarchy has dominated the powerful group expanded to include the social devaluation of the power rating (Leon-Guerrero, Anna, 2015).

Feminism is most often thought of as a method used for educating society on the rights of women. It teaches that men and women are equal in every way both civil and societal. Charlotte Bunch, realizing that this is not always the case, also defined feminism as "a way of looking at the world a questioning of power and domination issues". A great deal of feminists attempt to ignore the ideas of a stereotypical women and move them away from people who don’t. They fight to find, study, and do away with biases in a world filled with ignorant men who see women only as objects and not equals. There are however, women who announce their immense intellect, wealth, and vibrant and free personalities to those who oppress them. A woman

Their common theme of power is portrayed in different ways through all three and can be shown through different works of literature. The feminist theory focuses on how women are oppressed in economic, social, and psychological standpoints. How women are seen in all aspects

This is such an important thing to be discussing. I have made a very big point at making sure my personal feminism includes everyone- and educating myself and discussing these topics have really helped.

Some women abuse feminism by using it as an excuse to speak their minds, but others use feminism as a tool to open people's eyes to the often ignored problem of inequality. This belief in a tolerant assertiveness, a claim in human participation and human rights is called power feminism (Wolf, 1993). If used ideally, power feminism effectively accomplishes its task of bringing "self worth. . . to every woman's life," states Naomi Wolf. On the other hand, victim feminism makes a woman out to be a defenseless angel who pleads for the mercy of other by acting as a victim. Seeking power through a powerless position of dependence only slows the feminist movement.

Feminist perspective developed with the ideology that women face large amounts of inequalities in a patriarchal society. They aimed to address and rid the social world of this oppression of women by men. According to Bishop, (2015) “oppression occurs when one group of people use different forms of power to keep another group down in order to exploit them. The oppressor uses the power; the oppressed are exploited” (p. 133-134). Oppression must be by individual experience and not grouped into being the same for all. This includes understanding the original ideology of feminist theory being critiqued as only considering the experiences of middle class, white women. That black women, of lower class experienced oppression much different from the other women. Women are oppressed, thus has to be understood in a different construct that women are similar in some sources, experience of oppression but also experience oppression very differently from one individual to another. Feminist theories have further been expanded do its continuation throughout society and decades to encompass many more issues and arenas than just men and women relationships. Now it seeks to understand and address oppression based on culture, race, class, etc and not only for women but for all. Therefore, Bishop (2014) outlines five components that seem common to all forms of oppression and serve to maintain its presence in society.

Feminism theory according to Merriam-Webster definition is the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes (p.1). There are four major categories of feminist theories- Gender Differences, Gender Inequality, Gender Oppression and Structural Oppression. These theories analyze both women and men’s roles in society, they also question the roles of gender between men and women. This includes how class, race, ethnicity and age are viewed from a feminist perspective. The main reason that feminist theories are used is to educate society and to improve the lives of women by explaining each of the four major categories of feminist theories and how they are structured in society in order to get a better understanding of how they work.