#WeToo: Feminist Therapist Self-Disclosure of Sexual Violence Survivorship in a #MeToo Era

Abstract

In this article, we present a review of the #MeToo movement alongside therapeutic, feminist self-disclosure by situating feminist self-disclosure in dialogue with and in response to the current #MeToo era of mainstream self-disclosures regarding sexual violence. We consider issues of transference and countertransference when therapists who are survivors work with survivors of sexual violence in therapy, and we employ the categories of the Feminist Self-Disclosure Scale as a guiding framework for the possible benefits of therapist self-disclosure in relation to #MeToo. We discuss different and provocative ways in which feminist clinicians conceptualize self-disclosure as compared to dominant therapeutic models, while also exploring potential ethical questions. Importantly, we present eight suggested practices that have developed through our engagement with clinical work. These suggested practices range from exploring the therapist’s use of office décor to utilizing supervision as a modality for discussing survivorship; within each suggested practice, we provide a clinical example to illuminate the practice and provide a concrete way in which the reader might employ the practice. We also provide ideas for therapists who are not survivors themselves to convey allyship.

Keywords:

• Feminism
• #MeToo
• self-disclosure
• sexual violence

Notes

1 We call to the reader’s attention that it is crucial not to misrepresent a space that could be construed as confidential when a survivor sees signage indicating that a space is safe in regard to potential disclosure; this is particularly important in regard to mandated reporter statuses and/or Title IX regulations on college campuses.

2 The reader will notice that we have provided labeled examples, attached to our names, of what each of the other suggested practices look like in the therapy room, yet we leave this final suggested practice anonymous. We recognize the immense professional complexity inherent in attaching our initials to a form of disclosure that may garner mixed, even very critical, response from our broader field. Such disclosure is especially risky for early career therapists and academics, which is how some of us are situated.