What is a Feminist Approach to Therapy?
Here’s a bit of history…the feminist approach to psychotherapy is a branch of psychology that shook things up during the late 20th century, particularly during the second wave of feminism. This approach is all about challenging the traditional ways of therapy and recognizing how societal power structures and gender inequality affect our mental health. It was like a breath of fresh air in the world of psychology, because it is a move away from white-male-centered dominant thinking within the field.
Digging Deeper, Together: An Inclusive Support Group for Black Men
I heard somewhere that the first time some Black men receive flowers is at their funeral. This stark reality, upon reflection, doesn’t sound much like news—right? Flower-giving, in the broad sense, is a tradition of encouraging intimate connections with one another, conveying warmth, and communicating emotions; to say, “I see you.” Though, for a lot of Black men, being seen is often a luxury, stemming from a culture that rarely, if ever, acknowledges our emotional needs, let alone meets them. This can be damaging to one’s sense of self. When the need to feel connected is neglected by those around us, these feelings can be internalized and cause us to strain or blur our connection with ourselves. How we deal with our emotions is often influenced by how the world around us. From loved ones to the culture we live in, all interactions affect our emotions, especially how they are reflected back to us.