Feminist therapy
Also known as gender-sensitive therapy, feminist therapy is a type of social justice therapy that focuses on empowering individuals, particularly women (both cisgender and transgender) and those affected by gender oppression, to reclaim their voices. This approach provides a foundation that is often integrated with other evidence-based therapeutic modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address issues like self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and trauma in the efforts to promote self-awareness, healing, and societal change.
What are the origins of feminist therapy?
Feminist theory emerged from the women’s movement in the late 1960s based on the contributions of many feminists and psychotherapists, including Jean Baker Miller, Laura Brown, and Carolyn Zerbe Enns. These leaders came together to address the mental health needs of women and to promote social change at a time when doing so was outside the mainstream. Today, feminist therapy has become a conscious awakening in the field of psychotherapy, shedding light on societal inequalities and helping more women attend to their unique needs, desires, and goals.
When is feminist therapy used?
Feminist therapy can be used in individual, couples, group, and family therapy settings, offering a framework that truly understands and speaks to the experiences and challenges that women face.
According to the American Psychological Association, feminist therapy is not only beneficial for cis-gendered women. Its principles support many marginalized groups, including individuals in the LGBTQ+ group, people of color, gender-variant people (e.g. transgender), those experiencing poverty, immigrants, refugees, and people with disabilities.
Some of the common conditions and concerns that feminist therapy helps address include:
- Self-esteem
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Identity and sexual orientation
- Relationship challenges
- Eating disorders
- Trauma (e.g. Complex trauma, PTSD, and sexual trauma)
The strength of feminist therapy is its commitment to inclusivity while also recognizing the cultural context that shapes individual experiences and mental health.
How does feminist therapy work?
Feminist therapy helps clients understand how prejudiced yet pervasive societal norms (“Women should prioritize their families over their careers”), power dynamics (“The man wears the pants in the family”), and other biases (“Women are too emotional to be effective leaders”) impact their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
These societal, power, and cultural factors can contribute to clients’ mental health struggles; for example, clients may feel guilt if their actions or desires are not aligned with what their family or society at large expects of them. This can lead to anxiety and a sense of isolation. Addressing them in the therapy session through the lens of feminism can shed awareness on patterns and empower clients to challenge limiting beliefs, build more resilience, and take control of their narratives.
What is feminist therapy like?
In sessions, feminist therapy functions as a frame of reference to understand the unique struggles and perspectives of women. It’s typically used in conjunction with other modalities.
In the initial sessions of this style of talk therapy, feminist therapists often ask relevant questions to understand the scope of a client’s personal experiences, cultural background and identity, and social factors impacting their mental health. Therapists may inquire about power dynamics in relationships, societal pressures, and gender roles or discrimination as it relates to your current challenges and sense of self.
Within a feminist therapy session, clients can expect to engage in open and collaborative discussions that encourage self-reflection and exploration of values, beliefs, and unique experiences. Common activities, topics, or interventions used during feminist therapy include:
- Self-disclosure and personal power
- Mindfulness and body image
- Consciousness-raising
- Assertiveness training
- Relabelling or reframing
- Gender role analysis
- Power analysis
- Self-care
Following each session, clients are encouraged to apply their insights to real-life situations, such as boundary-setting and challenging limiting beliefs. Affirmative homework assignments may be provided to reinforce these insights (e.g. self-reflective exercises).
How long does feminist therapy take?
Some individuals may require only a few sessions for specific issues, while more complex challenges, such as disordered eating, can take several sessions. Therapy can be weekly or biweekly, depending on individuals needs and goals.
How to find a clinician who practices feminist therapy
If you think feminist therapy might be right for you, it’s important to speak with a licensed and experienced clinician. There are many types of mental health care providers who practice feminist therapy, including licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs) and more.
On top of finding someone specializing in feminist therapy, you want to make sure they meet your other needs. For example, if you’re struggling with an eating disorder, you may want to find a feminist therapist who also specializes in eating disorders. In addition, finding a therapist who accepts your insurance can make therapy much more affordable.
You can find a therapist who accepts your insurance and specializes in feminist therapy by using Grow Therapy. After filtering for your location, insurance, and needs, you can then select “Feminist” from the “Treatment methods” drop-down.