Читать книгу Counseling the Contemporary Woman - Suzanne Degges-White - Страница 33

Although times have changed immeasurably since the birth of the feminist movement, women and other marginalized populations continue to face the institutionalized barriers that feminism aimed to diminish. With an emphasis on the individual experiences of the client as a product of the cultural landscape that surrounds her, feminist therapy is a vehicle that can lead to change at multiple levels. Feminist therapists support and engage in active involvement in advocacy for their clients, self-examination to address their own potential shortcomings, and awareness of the power they wield in their roles as helpers. Integrating the core beliefs of feminist therapy can be effective with diverse clients, including men and boys. To be a feminist practitioner is to be aware of the multiple realities in which people must function and to be committed to the client’s ability to effect personal change and development even in a world in which unfair boundaries have been created that limit the available opportunities based on gender, race, sexual orientation, birthplace, and numerous other factors over which individuals have no control.