Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Department

Social Work

Faculty/School

Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work

First Advisor

Martha Keniston Laurence

Advisor Role

Thesis Committee Member

Second Advisor

Nick Coady

Advisor Role

Thesis Committee Member

Third Advisor

Richard Walsh-Bowers

Advisor Role

Thesis Committee Member

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate feminist therapeutic practice from the practitioner's perspective. The initial goals of this study were to explore practitioner perspectives on feminism and power and their impact upon feminist practice. Additionally, the researcher sought to discover how practitioners found congruence between their feminist-informed values and therapeutic practice and if, in the course of practicing as a feminist, ethical dilemmas arose. Based on a sample of eight women who identified themselves as feminist practitioners, the researcher used semi-structured open-ended interviews to investigate the participants' beliefs, values and perspectives on clinical practice. From the application of a generic qualitative analysis to the interview transcripts, five themes, twenty categories, and eighty-six sub-categories emerged. The five major themes reflected perspectives on feminism, power, feminist therapeutic practice, congruence between feminist-informed beliefs/values and therapeutic practice and ethical dilemmas. When offered, participants' strategies and/or suggestions for working through ethical dilemmas were recorded and have been presented where applicable.

Convocation Year

1995

Convocation Season

Fall

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