Counselling for women: The contribution of feminist theory and practice

Abstract

Much of the literature on the theory and practice of counselling is gender-blind, the assumption being that the emotional worlds of women and men are the same. This view is challenged, the author reviewing the work of feminist theorists and practitioners. Central to this discourse is the argument that to understand the internal psychic structures of women, her concepts of se& we have to acknowledge the effect of external and oppressive structures on her psychological development. This can assist us in our understanding of how the therapeutic relationship might address women's needs and provide the ‘space’ for her to grow and change.