Chapter 1 2 Feminist Therapy Flashcards
Using male-oriented constructs
to draw conclusions about human, including female,
nature.
Androcentric
These feminists believe oppression
stems from society’s devaluation of women’s
strength, values, and roles. They believe the
solution to oppression lies in feminization of the
culture so that society becomes more nurturing,
intuitive, subjective, cooperative, and relational.
development.
Cultural feminists
Assumes that personality patterns
and behavior are fi xed at an early stage of
Power should be balanced
in a relationship. In feminist therapy the
voices of the oppressed are acknowledged as authoritative
and valuable sources of knowledge.
Deterministic
Egalitarian relationship
The idea that one’s own cultural
group is superior to others and that other
groups should be judged based on one’s own
standards.
Ethnocentrism
Uses concepts
and strategies that apply equally to individuals
and groups regardless of age, race, culture,
gender, ability, class, or sexual orientation.
Flexible–multicultural perspective
Believing that there are two separate
paths of development for women and men.
Gender-fair approaches Explain differences
in the behavior of women and men in terms of
socialization processes rather than on the basis
of our “innate” natures, thus avoiding stereotypes
in social roles and interpersonal behavior.
Gendercentric
Explains differences
in the behavior of women and men in terms of
socialization processes rather than viewing gender
differences as fi xed in nature.
Gender-neutral theory
Used to help clients understand
the impact of gender-role expectations
in their lives. Some feminist therapists prefer to
use the term “social identity analysis” rather than
gender-role analysis, to refl ect the importance of
assessing all relevant aspects of a client’s identity.
Gender-role analysis
Provides clients
with insight into the ways social issues affect
their problems.
Gender-role intervention
An organized set of mental associations
people use to interpret their perceptions
about gender.
Gender schema
This approach
takes a worldwide perspective and seeks
to understand the ways in which racism, sexism,
economics, and classism affect women in different
countries.
Global/international feminism
Views a heterosexual orientation
as normative and desirable and devalues samesex
relationships.
Heterosexist
Concepts specifi c to the thinking,
feeling, and behaving dimensions of human
experience that account for contextual and environmental
factors.
Interactionist
Attributing behavior
to internal causes, which often results in blaming
the victim and ignoring sociocultural and political
factors.
Intrapsychic orientation
This group of feminists
views women’s oppression as related to heterosexism
and sexualized images of women.
Lesbian feminists
These feminists focus on
helping individual women overcome the limits
and constraints of traditional gender-role socialization
patterns; they argue for a transformation
from accepting traditional gender roles to creating
equal opportunities for both women and men.
Liberal feminists
Assumes that human
development is a lifelong process and that personality
patterns and behavioral changes can
occur at any time.
Life-span perspective
Individuals’ personal
problems have social and political causes. Therapy
is aimed at helping clients change their
own behavior and become active participants in
transforming society.
Personal is political
This group of feminists
provides a model for critiquing other traditional
and feminist approaches, addressing the issue of
what constitutes reality and proposing multiple
truths as opposed to a single truth.
Postmodern feminists
Emphasis is on the power
difference between men and women in society.
Clients are helped to recognize different kinds
of power they possess and how they and others
exercise power.
Power analysis
This group of feminists focuses
on the oppression of women that is embedded
in patriarchy and seek to change society
through activism and equalizing power.
Radical feminists
A technique whereby the counselor
changes the frame of reference for looking at an
individual’s behavior. There is a shift from an intrapersonal
(or “blaming the victim”) stance to
a consideration of social factors in the environment
that contribute to a client’s problem.
Reframing
An intervention that changes the
label or evaluation applied to the client’s behavioral
characteristics. Generally, the focus is
shifted from a negative to a positive evaluation.
Relabeling
A perspective suggesting
that a woman’s sense of identity and selfconcept
develop in the context of relationships.
Relational-cultural theory
The idea that a woman’s sense
of self depends largely on how she connects with
others.
Self-in-relation
Participating in some activity
outside of the therapy office (such as some
kind of volunteer work in the community) that
is likely to empower clients by helping them see
the link between their personal experiences and
the social context in which they live.
Social action
These feminists aim to
transform social relationships and institutions.
They focus on multiple oppressions and believe
solutions to society’s problems must include considerations
of class, race, sexual orientation, economics,
nationality, and history.
Socialist feminists
An invisible package of unearned
assets White people enjoy that are not extended
to people of color.
White privilege
This group of feminists
believes it is essential that feminist theory
be broadened and made more inclusive by addressing
multiple oppressions, taking into consideration
privilege and power, and emphasizing
activism.
Women of color feminists
1. Although feminist therapy addresses social and political issues pertaining to gender-role stereotyping, this approach does not address most other forms of oppression.
f
T F 2. One of the goals of feminist therapy is to help women understand how sexist and oppressive societal beliefs and practices infl uence them in negative ways.
t
T F 3. A criticism of feminist therapy is
that it was developed by White,
middle-class, heterosexual women.
t
T F 4. Therapist self-disclosure is rarely
used in feminist therapy.
.
f
T F 5. Gender-role analysis involves a cooperative
exploration by client and
therapist of the impact of gender on
the client’s distress.
t
T F 6. In feminist therapy, clients are viewed as active participants in redefi ning themselves in the context of the therapeutic relationship, rather than the therapist being viewed as the best or “expert” source
t
- Feminist therapy is an approach
that is applicable to women but not
to men.
f
T F 8. Instead of being diverse, feminist
practice is a single and unified
approach to therapy.
f
T F 9. Women now are assuming positions of leadership in government and business, and this can be interpreted to mean that women no longer have difficulty making life choices.
f
T F 10. It is probably accurate to say that
in today’s society barriers no longer
stand in the way of gender equity.
f
11. Which branch of feminist therapy provides a model for critiquing the value of other traditional and feminist approaches? a. postmodern feminism b. women of color feminism c. lesbian feminism d. global/international feminism e. none of the above
a
12. All of the following are considered aspects of the “third wave” of feminist perspectives except for a. postmodern feminism. b. women of color feminism. c. lesbian feminism. d. cultural feminism. e. global/international feminism.
d
13. All of the following are ways feminist therapy differs from traditional therapy except for a. viewing problems in a sociopolitical and cultural context. b. demystifying the therapeutic process. c. accepting the premise that diagnosis is a basic prerequisite for effective treatment. d. creating a therapeutic relationship that is egalitarian. e. recognizing that clients know what is best for their life and are experts in their own life.
c
14. Which of the following interventions is least likely to be used by a feminist therapist? a. analysis and interpretation of transference b. sex-role analysis and intervention c. power analysis and intervention d. encouraging clients to take social action e. assertiveness training
a
15. Which of the following is considered to be a major contribution feminists have made to the fi eld of counseling? a. pioneering research in the therapy process b. creating a brief, solution-focused therapy approach c. integrating a diagnostic perspective in counseling practice d. paving the way for gender-sensitive practice
d
16. A goal of feminist therapy is to empower all people to create a world of equality that is refl ected at which of the following levels? a. individual and interpersonal b. institutional c. national d. global e. all of the above
e
- Feminist therapists refer to
a. women’s problems as a refl ection
of hormonal imbalances.
b. distress rather than psychopathology.
c. feelings of emptiness and invisibility
as defi cits in one’s psychic
structure.
d. women’s anger as a refl ection of
the aggressive drive.
b
18. The feminist philosophy that emphasizes the differences between women and men and views the goal of therapy as being the infusion of cooperative values in society is a. liberal feminism. b. cultural feminism. c. postmodern feminism. d. social feminism.
b
19. The feminist philosophy that emphasizes helping individual women overcome the limits and constraints of their socialization problems is a. liberal feminism. b. cultural feminism. c. global/international feminism. d. social feminism.
a
20. This approach to feminism focuses on multiple oppressions and has the goal of transforming social relationships and institutions. a. liberal feminism b. cultural feminism c. radical feminism d. social feminism
d
21. Feminist therapists use self-disclosure to a. equalize the client–therapist relationship. b. normalize women’s collective experiences. c. empower clients. d. establish informed consent. e. all of the above
e
22. Part of the feminist critique of assessment and diagnosis is that these procedures a. are often based on sexist assumptions. b. minimize the effect of environmental factors that infl uence behavior. c. provide different treatments to women and men who display similar symptoms. d. tend to reinforce gender-role stereotypes and encourage adjustment to the status quo. e. do all of the above.
e
23. Which of the following is not considered to be a basic principle of feminist therapy? a. All types of oppression are recognized. b. Commitment to social change. c. Defi nitions of psychological distress and mental illness are based on the DSM-IV-TR. d. Counseling is based on a relationship that is egalitarian. e. The personal is political.
c
24. What perspective calls for feminist theory to include an analysis of multiple identities and their relationship to oppression? a. postmodern feminism b. lesbian feminism c. radical feminism d. cultural feminism e. liberal feminism
b
25. Which of the following statements about feminist therapy is not true? a. Therapy is relatively short term. b. The model underlying practice tends to be static. c. A goal is to replace the current patriarchal system with feminist consciousness. d. Women are encouraged to defi ne themselves rather than being defi ned by societal demands. e. Feminist therapy differs from traditional therapy in a number of ways.
b
