Feminist Reflections on Growth and Transformation

Asian American Women in Therapy

Debra M. Kawahara, Olivia M. Espin

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9780789034335
• eBook ISBN:
  9781135804633
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: History & Theory in Psychology
• Index: Psychology

Understanding multicultural feminist perspectives is vital for clinicians working to effectively help women in therapy. Feminist Reflections on Growth and Transformation: Asian American Women in Therapy provides therapists with valuable insight and research into the identities of Asian and Asian American women, all toward the crucial goal of being more effective when providing therapeutic help. In-depth explorations into the women's personal experiences and psychological issues provide an empowering multicultural feminist viewpoint that challenges assumptions and stereotypes about their identities while presenting innovative therapeutic approaches.

Identity is made up from several factors, such as worldview, beliefs, values, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, age, and religious orientation. Feminist Reflections on Growth and Transformation: Asian American Women in Therapy explores how these common factors impact psychotherapy approaches for women of Asian American backgrounds. This unique text presents the current research, what the data mean for adjusting clinical strategies, and personal accounts from Asian and Asian American women. Each chapter is extensively referenced.

Topics in Feminist Reflections on Growth and Transformation: Asian American Women in Therapy include:

• breaking free of the passive, subservient stereotypes
  
• defining gender identity
  
• cultural and identity issues
  
• emotional parity negotiations in Chinese immigrant women's marital relationships
  
• suicide as a means of agency rather than simply a cry for help
  
• the use of feminist and multicultural principles with survivors of domestic violence
  
• research on Asian American lesbians' health
  
• integrating multiculturalism and feminism in the treatment of eating disorders
  
• innovative therapeutic approach based on Hindu understandings of Shakti
  
• approaches to work on body image and eating disorders
  
• group counseling with Asian American women
  
• training multicultural feminist therapy practitioners

Feminist Reflections on Growth and Transformation: Asian American Women in Therapy is an insightful exploration of the culturally sensitive knowledge and skills clinicians need to work more effectively with female clients of Asian ancestry. This stimulating work is important reading for therapists, counselors, psychologists, and others in the mental health and social work fields.

Index

Acculturation

of Chinese immigrant women, 76, 81

definition of, 151

as eating disorder risk factor, 151–152, 154

of Filipinas, 66–67, 71, 72

perfectionist tendencies associated with, 151

as suicide risk factor, 88

of young Asian-American women, 39–40

Activism, 18, 185–186

Addiction. See also Alcohol abuse/use; Drug abuse

in suicidal women, 99–100

Addressing Cultural Complexities in Clinical Practice (Hays), 219

Adolescent girls

Asian-American

body image dissatisfaction in, 180

suicide rate of, 88

Filipina, 65

Advocacy, 18, 30

African Americans

identity development in, 21

racialization of, 102–103

Agoraphobia, 99, 100

Alcohol abuse/use

in Asian-American women, 137–138

in lesbians, 135, 137–138

in suicide survivors, 99, 100

Aldehyde dehydrogenase, 137

Amazons, 10–11

American Psychological Association

multicultural therapy guidelines of, 183

Society for the Psychology of Women, 18

AngLee, 14

Anorexia nervosa, 146, 151

Ao, Tang, 13–14

Aphrodite, 10–11

Asian American(s)

U.S. population of, 130, 194

underutilization of mental health care services by, 92, 112, 152, 195

Asian-American adolescent girls

body image dissatisfaction in, 180

suicide rate of, 88

Asian-American female college students, group counseling with, 193–208

boundaries in, 197–202

central themes of, 202–203

content and process of, 202–204

effective processes in, 204–206

first session, 200–201

group format of, 200

group structure of, 197–202

individual screening meetings in, 199–200

limitations to, 206

pr...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Full Title
• Copyright
• CONTENTS
• ABOUT THE EDITORS
• INTRODUCTION
• ASIAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S PORTRAITS OF EMPOWERMENT
• CONSTRUCTION OF IDENTITY
• CLINICAL ISSUES
• THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
• TRAINING
• Index