Feminist Counselling: My first passion when it comes to counselling is feminist work. I feel that this is the area I most align with, and would like to continue to work with. From my education at the Assaulted Women and Children's Counsellor/Advocate program to my work on the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre, the feminist, anti-oppression approach to counselling is interwoven into the work I do with clients.
Feminist therapy focuses on the concepts of gender and power in the therapeutic process, and theorizes that women and men are socialized to oppress women (Corey, 2009). It holds a socio-cultural view of human nature, and aims for change on an individual as well as societal level (Corey, 2009). A major theme in feminist counselling is anti-violence. Violence against women is an ongoing issue in our society and as stated by clinical psychologist Janet Wolfe (1995, p.154), “If any other ethnic, national or religious group were attacked, dominated and maimed at the same rate, it could be said to constitute a state of emergency or war”. However, as violence against women is normalized in our society through media, the impact of abuse seems lost on many.
The normalization of violence and other oppressive, patriarchal structures in society are seen to be a large contributor to psychological dysfunction, and therefore the feminist counsellor must take into account the social, political and cultural context of the client (Corey, 2009). A major assumption in feminist theory is that the personal is political, meaning that individual lives are greatly impacted by oppressive systems in our society. Feminist therapists believe that as oppression in our society is a major contributor to psychological disturbance, discussions and discovery of this phenomenon with the therapist will help to empower the client and thus, lessen her or his psychological dysfunctions (Corey, 2009).
Feminist counselling is typically performed in women's shelters and community agencies, but can also be used in private practice. I have had experience with this type of counselling over the Toronto Rape Crisis Line as a volunteer. It differs from traditional types of counselling in that it is more focused on the social, political and cultural context of the client. Acknowledgement of the oppression that women face in our society is also ever-present in the therapy work (Corey, 2009). In my own personal opinion, I find feminist counselling to be more supportive, and less directive than other approaches, such as CBT.
In terms of gaining more experience in this area, I am currently looking for positions in women's counselling centers, such as the Barbara Schlifer Clinic. Here is a link to their website: http://schliferclinic.com/. This clinic is an excellent resource for women, as it provides free counselling, legal advice and referrals for women who are survivors of abuse.
Feminist therapy focuses on the concepts of gender and power in the therapeutic process, and theorizes that women and men are socialized to oppress women (Corey, 2009). It holds a socio-cultural view of human nature, and aims for change on an individual as well as societal level (Corey, 2009). A major theme in feminist counselling is anti-violence. Violence against women is an ongoing issue in our society and as stated by clinical psychologist Janet Wolfe (1995, p.154), “If any other ethnic, national or religious group were attacked, dominated and maimed at the same rate, it could be said to constitute a state of emergency or war”. However, as violence against women is normalized in our society through media, the impact of abuse seems lost on many.
The normalization of violence and other oppressive, patriarchal structures in society are seen to be a large contributor to psychological dysfunction, and therefore the feminist counsellor must take into account the social, political and cultural context of the client (Corey, 2009). A major assumption in feminist theory is that the personal is political, meaning that individual lives are greatly impacted by oppressive systems in our society. Feminist therapists believe that as oppression in our society is a major contributor to psychological disturbance, discussions and discovery of this phenomenon with the therapist will help to empower the client and thus, lessen her or his psychological dysfunctions (Corey, 2009).
Feminist counselling is typically performed in women's shelters and community agencies, but can also be used in private practice. I have had experience with this type of counselling over the Toronto Rape Crisis Line as a volunteer. It differs from traditional types of counselling in that it is more focused on the social, political and cultural context of the client. Acknowledgement of the oppression that women face in our society is also ever-present in the therapy work (Corey, 2009). In my own personal opinion, I find feminist counselling to be more supportive, and less directive than other approaches, such as CBT.
In terms of gaining more experience in this area, I am currently looking for positions in women's counselling centers, such as the Barbara Schlifer Clinic. Here is a link to their website: http://schliferclinic.com/. This clinic is an excellent resource for women, as it provides free counselling, legal advice and referrals for women who are survivors of abuse.
Multicultural/Diversity Counselling: Another area I would like to continue to specialize in is multi-cultural competence. I feel that in today's diverse world, it is necessary to be sensitive to cultural differences in our clients. To me, 'multi-culturalism' means many things, not just visual differences such as skin colour, or colourful representations of culture, as represented in this picture. It also includes social location: gender, class, privilege, ability, health and so much more.
At my practicum site at York University's counselling center, I am privileged to work with clients from many different backgrounds, and I have been able to learn so much from my clients. It is important to hear each individual client's story. For example, even if you have worked with a many clients from that have the same chronic illness, everyone has their own set of experiences and way of viewing the world and this impacts their experiences. Although I may do some general research to help me better understand a client's issue (i.e. reading up on the medical aspects of the illness), I will make a point to hear how it affects the client, and not let other influences give me 'selective hearing' on what the client is telling me, so it fits in with my hypothesis of this 'illness profile'.
In order to gain more experience in this area, I fortunately will not have to go far. Toronto is a diverse city, representing an array of different cultures and social locations. I will be searching for employment in places such as community agencies where there will likely be a diverse representation of culture. Furthermore, I plan to take workshops on multi-cultural competence throughout my career.
At my practicum site at York University's counselling center, I am privileged to work with clients from many different backgrounds, and I have been able to learn so much from my clients. It is important to hear each individual client's story. For example, even if you have worked with a many clients from that have the same chronic illness, everyone has their own set of experiences and way of viewing the world and this impacts their experiences. Although I may do some general research to help me better understand a client's issue (i.e. reading up on the medical aspects of the illness), I will make a point to hear how it affects the client, and not let other influences give me 'selective hearing' on what the client is telling me, so it fits in with my hypothesis of this 'illness profile'.
In order to gain more experience in this area, I fortunately will not have to go far. Toronto is a diverse city, representing an array of different cultures and social locations. I will be searching for employment in places such as community agencies where there will likely be a diverse representation of culture. Furthermore, I plan to take workshops on multi-cultural competence throughout my career.
Reference:
Corey, G. (2009). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (8th Ed.). Belmont, CA:B rooks/Cole.
Corey, G. (2009). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (8th Ed.). Belmont, CA:B rooks/Cole.