Running head: FEMINIST THEORY 1

Employing Feminist Theory in the Case of Gail: A Lesbian Confronting her Parents

Student: AU Student

Student ID #: 3456789

Athabasca University

Psychology 406: Introduction to Theories of Counselling and Psychotherapy

Tutor: Judi Malone

November 2010

NOTE: This paper meets the requirements for 406 Case Study. It is not a perfect paper;
however, it is presented as an excellent example for structure, completeness, accuracy, and
critical analysis. It meets the criteria for to APA 6th edition.

For obvious reasons, this topic or any similarity to it cannot be used.

FEMINIST THEORY 2

Abstract

Acceptance and love are important for everyone. Far too often, those who are oppressed by

society, as well as their own families, feel alone and discarded. This paper introduces Gail, a

female client who is struggling with coming out as a lesbian woman to her parents, whose

religious beliefs are unmistakably against homosexuality, and the application of feminist therapy

to her situation. This approach will serve to help Gail understand that the personal is political,

i.e., that her own personal struggles are a result of social and political origins. Through a client-

therapist egalitarian relationship, Gail should become more empowered and understand how

these political factors and gender stereotypes are affecting her, develop her sense of personal

power, and teach her to challenge societal discrimination. Evaluation of this methodology

illustrates the challenges of using feminism with lesbian clients as well as the need for further,

specific research into how feminist therapy can be applicable to lesbian women who aren’t

necessarily struggling with their sexuality, but who are struggling with coming out to an

oppressive family. Consequently, the case is made that a more integrative approach would be

more flexible in meeting the client’s specific needs.

FEMINIST THEORY 3

Employing Feminist Theory in the Case of Gail: A Lesbian Confronting her Parents

Defining lesbianism is not as simple as merely stating that a lesbian is a woman who

prefers women. “The lesbian lifestyle encompasses not only a sexual preference for woman, but

also a commitment to a women-centered lifestyle that has personal, professional, social and

cultural components” (Worell & Remer, 1992, p. 287). Exploring gender and sexuality freely can

be particularly difficult as they are “bound up … with our deepest social and psychological

needs” (Burch, 1993, p. 359) and can be impacted greatly by societal pressures and stereotypes.

When applying any theory to a client who is homosexual, no matter the gender, it is

important to take into consideration that this faction of society faces a number of unique

challenges. Lesbian women “face massive societal and interpersonal homophobia, stigmatization

and oppression as a minority group, and conflicts about how to deal with the issues that arise in

the context of their personal orientation” (Worell & Remer, 1992, p. 34).

In the case of hypothetical client Gail, she is seeking counselling as she is feeling

strongly that she needs to tell her parents about her lifestyle and really, about her true identity.

This need presents a challenge for Gail as her parents are extremely religious and are highly

intolerant of homosexuality. There is a great deal of risk-taking for Gail to present her true self to

her parents and she tells me that she fears that she will be disowned by her parents if she is

honest with them. Gail is motivated to tell her parents the truth as she is currently in a long-term

relationship and she and her partner have been considering taking steps to adopt a child. If she

and her partner follow through with this plan, there is no way she can continue to hide her sexual

orientation. Gail is feeling frustrated as, although she seeks her parents approval and acceptance

of the person she is, she feels resentment towards them when she thinks of how they are likely to

relate to her decisions.

FEMINIST THEORY 4

Another area of exploration for Gail is that, although she is a counsellor herself, she is

coming to therapy with wanting to clarify her priorities. She explains that she has struggled for

most of her life with hiding her feelings for women and she wasn’t really able to admit to herself

that she was a lesbian until her junior year of college.

Working from a feminist orientation, the following case study will integrate knowledge

of the key concepts, therapeutic processes, techniques and procedures of feminist theory while

evaluating its effectiveness and shortcomings as related to the case of client Gail. As there is

some recorded application of feminist theory to comparable scenarios, it is believed that it will

be a functional approach to working with Gail.

Key Concepts

Preliminary thought in using feminist theory in the case of Gail was that because

lesbianism itself is a women-centered lifestyle (Worell & Remer, 1992, p. 287), it would be most

appropriate to use a women-focused therapy to assist Gail in discovering further insight. Calhoun

(1994) makes the declaration that, “There is nothing wrong with using feminist tools to analyze

lesbianism. Indeed, something would be wrong with feminist theory if it could not be usefully

applied to lesbianism” (p. 559). Additionally, feminist theory is appropriately used for a wide

variety of clients: “Diversity in feminist therapy theory means incorporating, appreciating and

building on the differences among women” (Barrett, 1990, p. 41).

This framework was further deemed appropriate when research showed that feminist

theory allows one to learn “self-value in a world which devalues … individuals who are

oppressed” Barrett, 1990, p. 42). Although it is sometimes the case that one can be taught this

value through family support, it is more often the case that people are raised within a devaluing

environment concerning their minority characteristics and, therefore, individuals “must go

FEMINIST THEORY 5

through a process of learning to begin to taking care of themselves with regard to their minority

status” (Barrett, 1990, p. 42). This would certainly be the case for Gail who would have been

raised with her parents, unknowingly, devaluing her because of her sexuality.

There are six principles of feminist therapy that must be considered when applying this

theory to any client. They are 1) “the personal is political,” 2) “personal and social identities are

interdependent,” 3) “definitions of distress and mental illness are reformulated,” 4) “feminist

therapists use an integrated analysis of oppression,” 5) “the counselling relationship is

egalitarian,” and 6) “women’s perspectives are valued” (Corey, 2005, pp. 350-351). Gilbert

(1980) stated that the two main principles that “seem critical in assisting lesbian women in

attaining a positive self-identity,” which is a consistent struggle for lesbian women, are the

“personal is political” and the “egalitarian counselling relationship” (as cited in, Padesky, 1989,

p. 145).

It is imperative that all clients, Gail included, understand that their individual problems

have roots in society and in politics. “The client learns to differentiate between what she has

been taught and has accepted as socially appropriate for her from what might actually be

appropriate” (Gilbert, 1980, as cited in Padesky, 1989, p. 145). Feminist therapy seeks to make

“not only individual change, but social change” (Corey, 2005, p. 350). This is important because

when “external sources of problems” are identified, the response is often anger, “which can be

harnessed as energy to take action for change” (ibid, p. 350). That being said, Gail must view her

concerns about confronting her parents about her sexual orientation and lifestyle choices as not

only her own personal struggle but realize that social intolerance has contributed to her parents’

negative view of lesbianism. This general social intolerance will be as much of a focus in therapy

as the anticipated reactions of Gail’s parents to her ‘coming out.’ If “a major source of pathology
FEMINIST THEORY 6

in the lives of women and men” is the environment, “then the toxic aspects of the environment

must be changed if individual change is to occur.” The goal is to “free both women and men

from the constraints imposed by gender-role expectations” by advancing “a different vision of

societal organization” (Corey, p. 350).

The role of the counselling relationship is also key to the success of feminist therapy. The

relationship must be egalitarian in this approach: “Clients are the assumed to be experts on

themselves” (Worell & Remer, 2003, as cited in Corey, 2005, p. 351). The relationship is

focused on “encouraging the client ‘to be more self-directed and autonomous’” (Gilbert, 1980, as

cited in Padesky, 1989, p. 145) and “is a collaborative process in which clients are viewed as

active participants in redefining themselves” (Corey, p. 351). This relationship will be helpful

with Gail as she wants to re-evaluate her priorities and start living her life as an openly gay

individual. An egalitarian relationship, where Gail is sharing the power and taking an active role

in her development, will be key to her success in achieving her goals in feminist therapy. As a

therapist seeking to achieve such a relationship with clients, it would also be fitting to use self-

disclosure, where appropriate, authenticity and presence with the client, as well as client’s

informed consent (ibid, p. 351).

According to Enns (2004), feminist therapy has five main goals: equality, balancing

independence and interdependence, empowerment, self-nurturance and valuing diversity (as

cited in, Corey, 2005, p. 352). But ultimately, “The goal of feminist therapy is to create the kind

of society where sexism and other forms of discrimination and oppression are no longer a reality

(Worell & Remer, 2003, as cited in Corey, p. 352). Gail is currently struggling in her world,

being oppressed mainly by her parents but also subtly by her own struggles to come to terms

with her sexuality and live an openly lesbian existence. This oppression is fuelled by the fact that
FEMINIST THEORY 7

“cultural, familial and societal attitudes towards lesbians are often very negative. In social

context, therefore, a woman may feel very confused when trying to reconcile her positive

feelings for women with negative reactions from others and her own negative stereotypes of

what it means to be lesbian” (Padesky, 1989, p. 145). In therapy, Gail will be challenged to face

her own stereotypes as well as those placed upon her and become empowered and free from the

constraints of gender-role stereotyping and social oppression. This empowerment should then

allow Gail to be more focused on her independence in terms of shifting focus to pleasing herself

rather than conforming to societal ideals (Corey, 2005, p. 352).

Generally speaking, coping with the stereotypes and oppression placed on women,

specifically lesbian women, cannot be attained solely through one woman’s therapeutic

experience. However, research shows that a “feminist consciousness can be a facilitator of

women’s well-being” (Fischer & Good, p. 437) and can work as a healing force in a woman’s

life as it provides a framework for understanding the world of women (ibid, p. 437), which is

enhanced when they have experienced “prejudice and discrimination” from others (Downing &

Roush, 1985, as cited in Fischer & Good, p. 438).

Therapeutic Process

The overall goal for Gail will be to find a more empowered approach to her life which

will allow her to realize her own strengths and not only be able to apply this more powerful

attitude to her own personal struggles but also help her towards advancing society. The purpose

of this goal will be made apparent through the idea that the personal is political. Kimball (1986)

says, “First, the issues that are dealt with first in therapy are the most personal ones. Thus, a

political analysis of these issue is an excellent way to show the scope and depth to which

political or power issues affect women’s lives” (p. 258).

FEMINIST THEORY 8

Currently, Gail sees her parents’ intolerance as her main aim; however, she did mention

her want to shift her priorities which will be the underlying focus of her therapy. As she had

revealed that she previously struggled with internal acceptance of her sexuality, a feminist

approach will help Gail discover why she had these struggles as well as highlight that beyond

wanting her parents’ acceptance, she may find that her long-term relationship and want to start a

family may be a higher priority. The purpose of this goal will be to help Gail recognize how she

defines herself, how she relates to others and how all of this is influenced by gender-role

expectations (Corey, 2005, p. 352). Gail’s parents’ intolerance of her lifestyle choices are likely

connected to their preconceived notions of gender roles as well as their religious beliefs. Gail

will learn through her feminist therapy that her world is affected negatively by the sexist and

oppressive beliefs of others as well as herself and she will have to learn to evaluate these affects

so she can learn to trust her own experience and intuition (ibid, pp. 352-353).

These goals will not be accomplished unless therapy is conducted in an egalitarian

manner. The therapeutic relationship seeks to have the client “become an equal of the therapist at

least in the area of her own life” (Kimball, 1986, p. 258). In working towards these goals,

feminist therapists must be steadfast in understanding oppression in all of its forms as well as the

impact that oppression has on one’s psychological well-being. They must be present for their

clients on an emotional level, willing to share personal experiences when applicable, be models

of productive behaviour and be committed to their own consciousness-raising process (Corey,

2005, p. 353). Consequently, the therapeutic relationship becomes “a safe microcosm within

which both the therapist ad the client can explore models of equality” (Kimball, p. 258). This

safe environment will be crucial in assisting Gail to see what it is like to have support in the

bounds of an intimate relationship, which is what she wishes to have from her parents.
FEMINIST THEORY 9

Within this framework, it is imperative that the client is an active participant in the

therapeutic process, so that this is not another area of her life where a woman, in this case Gail,

remains passive and dependant. In this active role, Gail will be able to give voice to her

experiences, find validation, and by being treated as an expert by her therapist, she will begin to

trust more in her own power (Corey, 2005, p. 354).

This idea that the client is an expert on her own life is imperative as the collaborative

nature of this approach may be challenged based on variables, including whether or not the

therapist herself were a lesbian. Therapists counselling lesbian clients must have admitted to and

worked through their own biases towards homosexual individuals so as to not re-victimize the

client (Worell & Remer, 1992, p. 290).

As I am not a lesbian personally, I would have to ensure that my worldview and attitudes

were confronted so that they would not impact the relationship with Gail. Gail has disclosed that

she is motivated to confront her parents as she and her partner are looking into adoption I can

applicably use personal disclosure to relate to Gail to the fact that I am a parent and can

understand why it is important to her to want to start a family of her own. Although I did not face

the same oppression from my family or from society, as I fit the gender-role stereotype society

places on women who are mothers, I would strive to “maintain empathy by learning about and

understanding the lesbian identities and needs of lesbians, 3) affirm lesbian women and lesbian

life-styles as viable and legitimate alternative life-choices for woman, [and] 4) validate lesbian

women by acting as change agents” (Worell & Remer, 1992, pp. 290-291).

This empathetic attitude, as well as demystifying the counselling relationship, would be

key to building the relationship necessary for success. I would make sure that Gail was an active

partner in all aspects of therapy, from determining any diagnosis as well as developing the
FEMINIST THEORY 10

treatment process as I understand that this approach is only successful when collaboration with

the client in all aspects of therapy leads to an authentic partnership as well as client

empowerment (Corey, 2005, pp. 356-357).

Techniques and Procedures

The core of success in feminist therapy lies in the relationship between client and

counsellor; therefore, it will be of utmost importance to lay the foundation of this relationship

from the beginning. “Attention to power is central in feminist therapy, and the therapeutic

relationship is egalitarian” (Corey, 2005, p. 351). This attention to power is also imperative when

examining the role that others, including societal pressures and gender-role stereotyping, have

affected and continue to affect Gail.

“Feminist therapists have development several techniques, and others have been

borrowed from traditional methodologies and adapted to the feminist therapy model” (Corey,

2005, p. 358). Predominantly, the techniques that focus on “consciousness raising,” meaning

those “that help women differentiate between what they have been taught is socially acceptable

or desirable and what is actually [acceptable, desirable or] healthy for them,” are most valuable

(ibid, p. 358). Strategies that are typically ‘feminist’ include “empowerment, gender-role

analysis, gender-role intervention, power analysis and intervention.” Other techniques involve

the use of “bibliotherapy, assertiveness training, reframing and relabeling, and group work”

(Corey, pp. 359-361).

Empowerment will be the foundational tool as it is at the nucleus of all feminist

strategies. Empowering the client, Gail for instance, will be necessary for starting the process of

attaining her therapeutic goals and will start in therapy with the therapist demystifying the

therapeutic process by explaining the process. Just because Gail is a social worker who counsels
FEMINIST THEORY 11

others, it will be imperative not to assume that she already knows how therapy works, especially

from a feminist perspective, and how therapy will pertain to Gail personally. Gail will also be

enlisted in the relationship “as an active partner” … “an equal participant” (Corey, 2005, pp.

358-359). Because Gail has come to therapy seeking to make new priorities and to feel like she

can tell her parents that she is a lesbian, it is presumed that empowerment will be at the centre of

all of Gail’s therapeutic ventures.

It can be assumed that Gail has faced some of her issues with being a lesbian woman as

she states that it did take her until her junior year of college to actually admit to herself that she

was in fact a lesbian. She has also conquered the learning curve of dating, as she states that she is

in a serious and committed long-term relationship. These successes are significant in the coming

out process and in the development of Gail’s personal identity. As Worell and Remer (1992)

state that helping the client to identify and own the strengths that they possess as well as pointing

out the coping strategies that they have used thus far in surviving in an oppressive environment

will be important steps in becoming more empowered (p. 293). As a result of seeing how

successful she has already been in overcoming significant barriers, Gail will start to reframe how

she views herself as well as having increased self-esteem and reduced identity confusion (Worell

& Remer, p. 293).

Although Gail lives her day-to-day life as a lesbian woman, she still shields this living

from very important people in her life, her parents and she feels resentful toward them as she

thinks about how they will react to her choices. If she is more confident in who she is, she will be

more confident in exploring this idea with her parents, as it will begin to matter less how they

feel as she will know that she is who she is despite how her parents attempt to apply their

gender-role stereotypes to Gail.

FEMINIST THEORY 12

Therapy will help Gail in understanding that although it will hurt that her parents may not

accept her lifestyle choices. “Once [she] has evaluated her own experiences and developed more

balanced beliefs about lesbians [in general], she [will be] in a better position to cope with the

negative attitudes in others” (Padesky, 1989, p. 151). Through the techniques of reframing and

role play, I would assist Gail in having a conversation with me. That is, I would play Gail and

she would play her parents. Through this role play, I could help Gail to reframe how she sees her

parents’ reactions. When Gail, acting as her parents, reacts negatively to her coming out, I (as

Gail) would say something like, “I know this is difficult for you. When I first realized I was a

lesbian, I wasn’t 100% sure about the idea and had similar feelings and it took me time to realize

that this was good for me.” This may elicit a response from Gail, where she begins to become

conscious of the fact that her parents have not had many experiences to evaluate their

experiences with lesbianism. By reframing the situation in this way, Gail may be more willing to

see that attitude changes in others will be a process that will take time (Padesky, pp. 151-152).

As Gail is feeling resentful towards them in anticipation of their reactions, this learning may be

key in helping her face her parents without as much prejudgment. It may also be the case though

that some people in Gail’s life “will be so completely rejecting [of her] or unwilling to change

attitudes that she will have to learn ways to cope with this rejection” (ibid, p. 152).. If this is the

case with Gail’s parents, therapeutic goals may be revised to include how she will cope with

such “negative experiences without permanent damage to her own positive self-identity”

(Padesky, p. 152).

I may also employ bibliotherapy with Gail as a supplement to other techniques used. I

would find suitable resources that would be applicable to Gail’s struggles, such as books about

the experiences of other homosexual women who faced and successfully dealt with oppression
FEMINIST THEORY 13

and rejection by their families. “At times, a novel may be extremely therapeutic…and will

increase her expertise and decrease the power difference between [Gail] and her therapist”

(Corey, 2005, p. 360). Reading would act as a “supplement to what is discussed in the therapy

sessions” and would enhance therapy as Gail can find comfort in what others have experienced

and she can “explore her reactions to what she is reading.” which may bring her to new

conclusions or new avenues for exploration in her own life (Corey, p. 360).

As Gail becomes more empowered and self-confident in her life-style choices, she will

need to learn that it is her right to ask for what she wants and needs. Assertiveness training

would then be a very useful strategy to employ in therapy as through the “teaching and

promotion of assertive behavior, women become aware of their interpersonal rights, transcend

stereotypical gender-roles, change negative beliefs, and implement changes in their daily lives”

(Corey, 2005, p. 361). Through this training, Gail will increase her own power and subsequently

be able to approach her parents with the attitude that she has the right to ask for them to be

accepting and open to what she is telling them. While she cannot have power over their

reactions, it is well within her rights to ask for what she needs and wants from them.

Finally, to incorporate all of the above strategies and to continue to assist Gail in

developing a positive lesbian identity, it will be important to revisit the idea that the personal is

political. Through gender-role intervention and social action, Gail will learn to cope with

oppressive environments and start to bring about change in both a personal and institutional

sense. Gail must learn about how social issues are affecting her personally. By placing Gail’s

concerns in a social context, she gains insight into how social expectations are affecting her.

Participating in social activities, like letter-writing campaigns, volunteering in the gay

FEMINIST THEORY 14

community, etc., will empower Gail and help her “see the link between [her] personal

experiences and the sociopolitical context in which [she] lives” (Corey, 2005, p. 362).

Evaluation

The decision to choose feminist therapy for the case of Gail was partially because it

seemed to me an obvious choice as lesbianism is a woman-centered lifestyle and, therefore, a

natural fit with a woman-centered therapy. I also felt it would be an appropriate fit as I typically

lean towards the humanistic approaches where the client is an active participant in the

therapeutic process and where I would not be held strictly to using particular interventions or act

as the expert. Gail is dealing not only with confronting her parents negative views of

homosexuality, but she has also ultimately struggled and will continue to struggle with the fact

that “as a group, lesbian women face massive societal and interpersonal homophobia” (Worell &

Remer, 1992, p. 34). Further to the choice of this theory is that the research shows the

applicability of this therapy because if feminism were not useful in the analysis of lesbianism,

something would indeed be wrong (Calhoun, 1994, p. 559).

Now, keeping in mind that Gail is facing oppression from her parents as well as society

as a result of their flawed assumptions about homosexuality, it may a fair criticism to say that the

fact that I chose to utilize a therapy that primarily focuses on women was a stereotypical choice

in and of itself. I made the immediate decision to utilize the feminist approach without really

feeling as though another option might be better suited. It is key, in all therapies, that the

therapist evaluate her own values and beliefs… [and] identify their own distorted biases for and

against different aspects of lesbianism” (Padesky, 1989, p. 154).

Feminism tends to place women into exclusive groupings, depending upon their situation,

i.e., lesbians, multicultural women especially in “specific periods of time and for given reasons it
FEMINIST THEORY 15

can be helpful for …individuals to focus on their special situation” (Barrett, 1990, p. 47). This

can be a limitation as this grouping can become “exclusionary” and this “can also be dangerous”

(ibid, p. 47). Separation from the general population or from women generally “can become a

way of being without further meaning” and “it can become a place of stagnation rather than

growth” (ibid, p. 48). This limitation could be the case of Gail if she is concentrating solely on

the fact that she is a lesbian and gets so entrenched in the negative reality that lesbians face, she

may exclude others from her world instead of fulfilling her goal of including her family in her

lifestyle.

Another limitation of feminist therapy is that “feminist therapists never take a neutral

stance,” which is to say that they are always acting from a feminist point of view (Corey, 2005,

p. 372). They consistently “advocate definite change in the social structure, especially in the area

of equality, power in relationships, the right to self-determination, …. This agenda could pose

some problems when working with clients who do not share these beliefs” (ibid, p. 372). In the

case of Gail, it is not clear in the case description if she would be able to commit to this type of

agenda. She does say that her parents’ faith is strongly against homosexuality, which she

obviously takes issue with but what if this faith that she was raised with is contradictory to the

agenda of feminism and, therefore, she too many not share in all of the beliefs that feminism

promotes.

Another limitation may be the social and political motivation of feminism. The idea that

the personal is political in and of itself may be a drawback of this therapeutic approach, as not all

clients may want to take on the task of pushing for societal change while they are attempting to

make changes in their own lives. As well, it may be intimidating to individual clients to hear the

struggles of the many; this may create more interpersonal conflicts rather than solve them. That
FEMINIST THEORY 16

being said, a major contribution of feminist therapy is “reminding all of us that the proper focus

of therapy includes working to change oppressive factors in society rather than expecting

individuals to merely adapt to expected role behaviors” (Corey, 2005, p. 370). In the case of

Gail, this is an important realization because she must learn that, despite her parent’s reactions,

she should be able to be proud of who she is, in and amongst the general population, and that is

not always possible. Feminist therapy will help her to see that she can help push for change and

that change is possible.

There is, however, the consideration that feminism and lesbianism together makes for a

complicated scenario, as many theorists believe that feminism and lesbian, although obviously

connected, should be looked at as separate entities, each with its own unique theory. Research is

consistent in this message: “The question of the relations between lesbian studies and feminist

studies – their shifting configuration over the past twenty-five years, the limits, limitations,

boundaries, and constraints of their alliance, the notion of alliance itself – is a tangled knot of

issues” (De Lauretis, 1997, p. 42). While this topic extends far beyond the bounds of this case

study, it is fair to say that this complicated relationship between the two cannot be ignored when

considering the use of feminist therapy with a lesbian client.

Overall, I am not certain that feminist therapy is the best or worst approach when

working with Gail. There is safety in using feminism, as mentioned earlier, in that it is a woman-

centered approach, which would be consistent with Gail’s lifestyle and there is certainly

evidence, as presented throughout this case study, that she could find success through this type of

therapy. There are other approaches that may also be suitable in assisting Gail attain her

therapeutic goals, including cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy would be useful in helping Gail

develop a positive self-identity as Gail could test out her individual and social “beliefs based on
FEMINIST THEORY 17

[her] own prior experiences and carefully constructed social experiments” (Padesky, 1998, p.

155). This would help her to “come to a more balanced view of the possibilities” and is still

conducted “through a collaborative relationship,” where Gail could be the expert on herself and

enhance her personal sense of power by teaching her how she can apply her learning to future

problems. Despite the name cognitive, this therapy focuses on the whole person and could help

lesbians like Gail challenge their maladaptive beliefs and gain a more positive identity (ibid, p.

155). Cognitive therapy has had “high levels of satisfaction with most lesbians.” which leads

researchers to believe that “this foundation is then likely to be maintained by positive

experiences and continued practice of the cognitive methods learned in therapy” (Peplau et al.,

1983, as cited in Padesky, p. 155).

Potentially, an integrated approach, which combined aspects of both cognitive and

feminist therapy, may be effective. These therapies are very similar as the structure and process

have consistent principles, such as empowerment, separating the internal from the external and

emphasizing change. Using the techniques and approaches from both of these therapies may be

more compelling that either or used singularly.

Another approach I may consider would be Family Systems therapy, as it would bring

Gail together with the varying members of her family (her parents, her partner) and work with

them in an environment that believes that “neither the individual nor the family is blamed for a

particular dysfunction” (Corey, 2005, p. 453). The family would be “empowered through the

process of identifying and exploring” patterns within the family system and recognize that they

“are affected by outside forces” (ibid, pp. 453-454). Exploring these patterns without pointing

the fingers of blame, combined with recognition of external forces at play, they would have “an
FEMINIST THEORY 18

opportunity (a) to examine the multiple perspectives and patterns that characterize the [familial]

unit and (b) to participate [together] in finding solutions” (Corey, p. 453).

Combining this systems approach with the techniques and beliefs of the cognitive and

feminist therapies might better help Gail find resolution for her current struggles. It is my firm

belief that one theory alone would not be acceptable in truly helping Gail, or many other clients

for that matter. I would lean towards an integrated approach with a humanistic foundation so that

the client really is participating actively in the whole of therapy while achieving the best

outcome for their individual circumstance.

Discussion and Conclusions

Realistically, it would be safe to say that utilizing feminist theory in the case of Gail, and

as it applies to the difficulties faced by lesbian woman, could be effective as an initial approach.

There is clear evidence that feminist therapy would contribute to empowering Gail and showing

her, through an egalitarian relationship, how she can have power over her life while seeing

herself in a positive regard. This would teach Gail to be more self-nurturing and learn “to value

oneself as a woman, learning to value other women as women, and receiving mutual support and

nurturance from other women” (Gilbert, 1980, as cited in Padesky, 1989, p. 146). While this

empowerment will not ‘cure’ her problems, it will help her have better perspective and give her

new insight as well. Considering also the complex “relationship between feminism and

lesbianism has never been easy, less at times because it has at times been structured by mutual

hostilities that it has been difficult to specify with any precision” (Jagose, 1997, p. 124), it should

been fair to say then that there may be other avenues to pursue to avoid certain lack of

productivity between the to schools of thought. That being said, feminist approach on its own

would not be a solution to Gail’s want for her parents’ acceptance.

FEMINIST THEORY 19

As such, it can be concluded with relative ease that there would need to be more research

into how feminism can be effective with lesbian woman who aren’t necessarily struggling with

their sexuality, but who are struggling with coming out to an oppressive family/society. I found

little research specifically using feminist theory in this way with lesbian women and its

effectiveness; therefore, I would say there is a need for further current exploration of this topic.

There were a number of papers that alluded to the fact that much feminist research was based on

the opinions and ideals of white heterosexual women. Barrett (1990) says that, “As feminist

therapists, we absolutely must facilitate the flow of information from theorists who look at the

experience of minority women as well as those who focus on the majority” (p. 49).

To that end, using feminist therapy with the case of Gail would merely be a stepping-

stone in the process and it would be generally more effective to utilize an integrated approach

with greater flexibility rather than simply focusing on the women-centered aspect of her case.

Being able to utilize techniques and ideas from a variety of carefully chosen approaches, the

therapist could be more flexible in meeting the special needs and circumstances of the client.

While many lesbians struggle with acceptance and the coming out process, each individual has a

wide range of complex reactions and experiences during their struggle and, therefore, they

should be able to receive therapy that is just as unique.

FEMINIST THEORY 20

References

Barrett, S. E. (1990). Paths toward diversity: An intrapsychic perspective. In L. S. Brown & M.

P. Root (Eds.) (1998), Diversity and complexity in feminist therapy (pp. 41-52).

Binghamton, NY: Hawthorn Press. (See also: Barrett, S. E. (1990). Paths toward

diversity: An intrapsychic perspective. Women & Therapy, 9(1&2), 41-52.

doi:10.1300/J015v09n01_03)

Burch, B. (1993). Gender identities, lesbianism and potential space. Psychoanalytic Psychology,

10(3), 359-375. doi:10.1037/h0079454

Calhoun, C. (1994). Separating lesbian theory from feminist theory. Ethics, 104(3), 558-581.

doi:10.1037/h0079454

Corey, G. (2005). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (7th ed.). Scarborough,

ON: Brooks/Cole.

De Lauretis, T. (1997). Fem/Les scramble. In D. A. Heller (Ed.), Cross purposes: Lesbians,

feminists and the limits of alliance (pp. 42-48). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University

Press.

Fischer, A. R., & Good, G. E. (2004). Women’s feminist consciousness, anger and psychological

distress. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51(4), 437-446. doi:10.1037/0022-

0167.51.4.437

Jagose, A. (1997). ‘Feminism without women’: A lesbian reassurance. In D. A. Heller (Ed.),

Cross purposes: Lesbians, feminists and the limits of alliance (pp. 124-136).

Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

FEMINIST THEORY 21

Kimball, M. M. (1986). Developing a feminist psychology of women: Past and future

accomplishments. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 27(3), 248-259.

doi:10.1037/h0084338

Padesky, C. A. (1989). Attaining and maintaining positive lesbian self-identity: A cognitive

therapy approach. Women & Therapy, 8(1&2), 145-156. doi:10.1300/J015v08n01_12

Worell, J., & Remer, P. (1992). Feminist perspectives in therapy: An empowerment model for

women. Chichester, NY: John Wiley & Sons.