Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Feminist Therapy
From a feminist perspective, the foundations of contemporary psychology and therapy are a scandal. The origins of the contemporary therapeutic relationship are based on Freud's "talking cure" for "hysteria" -- and it is worth noting that "hysteria" was, one hundred years ago, a mysterious mental illness that mainly affected women, simply because they were women. The word "hysteria" itself derives from the Greek word for "uterus"! The illness that Freud began his career by examining -- and which he thought he could cure simply by talking with the patient -- was treated like it was simply a pathological form of womanhood.
As an African-American woman, I myself am aware that we must bear witness to the past, and we must learn from the past, in order that we do not repeat it. So when we approach a feminist critique of contemporary therapeutic practices, I think it is important to recognize that in 2014 nobody is going to apply the...
Whereas a hundred years ago, this sort of pathologizing might have been commonplace. However, this is a function not inherently of gender relations, but of power relations -- medical and psychiatric science can always be used to justify the inherent status quo on behalf of any powerful group.
In 1851, a white medical doctor in Louisiana (Dr. Samuel Cartwright) published an article in a medical journal in New Orleans discussing a new form of mental illness called "Drapetomania" -- this mental illness only affected enslaved African-Americans, and its chief symptom was that it made them attempt to run away from plantations. In other words, a real medical journal published an article which claimed that the Underground Railroad was a form of mental illness. Now it is important to note (in fairness to the medical profession) that most doctors did not…
In 1851, a white medical doctor in Louisiana (Dr. Samuel Cartwright) published an article in a medical journal in New Orleans discussing a new form of mental illness called "Drapetomania" -- this mental illness only affected enslaved African-Americans, and its chief symptom was that it made them attempt to run away from plantations. In other words, a real medical journal published an article which claimed that the Underground Railroad was a form of mental illness. Now it is important to note (in fairness to the medical profession) that most doctors did not agree with Dr. Cartwright's racist suggestion -- in fact, he was generally mocked for publishing the article.
This story is important today for showing the way in which the general power dynamics of society can be reflected within the medical profession. We know today that slavery is evil, and that women are allowed to vote -- nobody in 2014 thinks that a slave who flees from a plantation or a woman who suggests that women should have the right to vote is suffering from mental illness. But it is important to understand the history of these issues to show that the assumptions made by therapists can frequently reflect the power dynamics of society in the worst ways.
We should also note that, just as our ideas of justice can change over time with history, so too can the definition of psychological problems change over time. To return to the starting example of "hysteria" -- the mysterious female psychological condition which Sigmund Freud began his career by investigating -- we should observe that the actual symptoms that Freud was examining do not exist anymore. Female hysterics of the late nineteenth century were placed under medical care because they had the sudden paralysis of an arm or a leg, and had not suffered a stroke or any other physiological cause that would explain the paralysis. Instead the paralysis was understood to be psychological in origin. In 2014, we would have to look for a long time to find anyone with symptoms like this, even though the symptoms were common enough 125 years ago that psychiatrists could examine multiple patients displaying different versions of these symptoms. So where did this disease go? The simple fact is that symptoms may in fact be a reflection of the society in which patients find themselves. The crucial thing is to know that therapist and patient are both part of historical processes they did not cause.
The roles of various members of the society are a dictate of the culture between the people involved. For instance, culture has always been behind the dictates that have led to the creation of separation among family members. Culture states that it is the responsibility of the family man to provide for the family. Failure to do that will result in conflicts within the family. In essence, many families
Domestic violence is an ongoing experience of physical, psychological, and even sexual abuse in the home that is often a method used by one adult to establish control and power over another person (Flitcraft et al., 1992). Exposure by children to marital aggression is now a recognized public health concern. The investigation of the effects of the exposure to this type of aggression on the functioning of a child is
The following describes the process of Gestalt therapy: Gestalt therapy is a phenomenological-existential therapy founded by Frederick (Fritz) and Laura Perls in the 1940s. It teaches therapists and patients the phenomenological method of awareness, in which perceiving, feeling, and acting are distinguished from interpreting and reshuffling preexisting attitudes. Explanations and interpretations are considered less reliable than what is directly perceived and felt. Patients and therapists in Gestalt therapy dialogue, that is,
Why Are Support Groups Good Support groups have long been a valuable resource for individuals coping with various life challenges, whether they be related to health, personal issues, or psychological conditions. These groups provide a platform for individuals to share experiences, offer emotional support, and gain practical advice from others facing similar situations (Katz, 2002). The significance of support groups can be seen through various lenses, such as psychological benefits,
Adlerian Therapy and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) There are two main theories that have largely influenced my counseling practicum as nurse. The two theories are almost totally disparate form one another, but, nonetheless, I have used them both separately and in fusion to guide my practice. These two theories are Adlerian Therapy and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) . Whilst the first is an offshoot of psychoanalysis and indeed psycho-dynamic with
Disability and Society in Scotland, UK Analysis of theoretical Perspectives on Disability in Scotland Corbett (1991) is of the opinion that the idea of 'normality' that is present in the British culture has a contradiction. He says that it generally creates a fear of being different, while at the same time laying great stress on retaining ones individuality. To achieve this individuality people try to stand out in different areas of life