Comparing Person Centred Therapy And Feminist Therapy

PERSON CENTRED THERAPY AND FEMINIST THERAPY

In looking at comparing person centred therapy with feminist perspectives I first thought that they were quite similar. However, with further research I discovered that in fact they are quite different approaches to therapy. In this essay I will compare and contrast both of these approaches to therapy. I will pay particular attention to key concepts, therapeutic goals, theory of change, the therapeutic relationship and situations where the therapies are appropriate and also inappropriate.

Key concepts

One of key concepts of person centred therapy is the belief that the client has the ability to become aware of their own problems and has the inherent means to resolve them. In this sense, the client directs themselves (Corey, 1996).

This differs from feminist therapy in that the counsellor may take an active role in educating the client as to the source of the problems and although feminist therapist believe that a client makes their own decisions and chooses their own direction, feminist therapists believe that education may be required in order to give clients the skills to resolve problems. Clients may be referred to other services.

Person centred therapy is based around discrepancy between one's 'ideal self' and 'real self' ie. the discrepancy between what one wants to be and what one is. This is not so dissimilar to feminist therapy however, while person centred therapy concentrates on a personal journey, feminist therapy is centred around the "belief that society and the person are inextricably linked and awareness of oppressive forces of society are necessary in order to move toward a more ideal way of being" (Fook, 1993). Social context and oppression (particularly women but also other diverse groups) are a key concept of FT.

Both therapies acknowledge the key social work principle as outlined in AASW Code of Ethics (1999) of respecting human dignity and worth. In PCT this is in the concept of respecting everybody's individual uniqueness and experience of the world. In FT this is also true, but central to this is the awareness of the systematic oppression of women created by patriarchal and sexist social structures that impact on women and their sense of worth in our society. Feminist therapy goes further in their ethical practice to include other characteristics of diversity such as race, and class.

Further, central to the concept of FT is the need to activate for social change as identified as the 2nd main principle outlined by the AASW Code of Ethics (1999). Not only is it important for women to overcome the problems caused by systematic oppression, but it is in fact, key to many feminist therapists that within the therapeutic environment they promote the need for social change. This is something that is not tackled by PCT. Indeed, PCT concentrates solely on the client-counsellor relationship and the internal process of self-actualisation.

Herein lies another difference. While PCT concentrates on the discrepancy between ideal self and real self, FT holds that the personal is political, and for women to become empowered, awareness needs to made of the social discrimination contributing to their position. That is, FT looks at the person in relation to their environment and believes that this is a major failing of traditional therapies (Chaplin, 1999). PCT concentrates on the individual and does not go into the political arena.

In this sense, FT hold that they have an educative role in bringing to awareness the gender discrimination embedded in social structures. Through this, clients can overcome social limitations and thus enabling personal liberation (Ivey, 2002). This is done through consciousness raising and encouraging women to put that awareness into practice (Chaplin, 1999; Fook, 1986). PCT is not educative in the sense that through reflection and personal exploration a person will come to their own awareness and self actualisation.

Both PCT and FT do not believe in pathologising or diagnosing, however the premise for both is slightly different. While PCT believes in the personal uniqueness of individuals, this is also true for FT, however, FT goes further by explaining that the history and methodology of health and medicine means that women are organised/pathologised according to a masculine view of the world (Hurst 1995).

Both PCT and FT do not claim to be a methodology in themselves but a practice that can be taken to other therapeutic techniques. Central to PCT is the therapeutic relationship between client and counsellor and this is one of the key concepts that with the right environment and relationship a client can move toward positive change (Payne 2005). This is also important for FT practitioners who emphasise an egalitarian approach. Both maintain that the counsellor is not the expert and believe in active listening, empathy and positive regard as tenants of the relationship. Both believe in the value of self disclosure. However, the central concept of feminist therapy is the gender issues and sexism embedded in our social structures. PCT does not enter into or comment on these external factors as priority and concentrates on the internal world of the individual.

Ballou (1996) in Ivey (2002) comments on other concepts of feminist therapy. An understanding of pluralism is one. That is, the value of difference. Although focused

on women it respects the multidimensionality of people and the understanding of power - that is that one cannot be free if others are restricted. PCT put this in different words, the uniqueness of every individual and respect for everyone's different life experience and view of world.

In my reading, PCT doesn't comment specifically on gender issues, except for the universal respect for each individual. FT maintains that incorporating a sex-neutral position is not enough, as it continues the masculine domination of language and culture. More than avoiding sex-biased language, FT promotes an a continued unpacking of language. This is why there is no diagnosis, that it is a process not a cure - something that is also important to PCT. Also, developing the 'rhythm model' rather than the 'control model' (Chaplin, 1999) as it is more feminine and respects all feelings and positions and isn't hierarchical in the sense that some feelings etc are 'better' than others eg independence over dependence, joy over sadness. Although PCT doesn't talk in this language, by creating a non-judgemental