Autonomy and the Struggle for Female Identity: Implications for Counseling Women

Abstract

Many feminist writers have seen autonomy as a male developmental issue rather than as one appropriate for women. When a woman strives to become an equal member of society, however, her internal programming often gets in the way. Whether dealing with inequity in the workplace, with friends, or with family, many women find themselves giving up their autonomy to accommodate others. This article discusses different views of autonomy and some cognitive behavioral approaches that can help women raise their self-esteem and overcome dependency. Other methods are suggested for helping women become more autonomous without giving up such attributes as being caring and showing compassion.

Making the Hurt Go Away: Psychological and Spiritual Healing for African American Women Survivors of Childhood Incest

“…In addition, men are generally not socialized to be attracted to angry women who are often perceived as difficult. McBride (1990) said, "to act out of their own self interest and motivation is, for many women, experienced as the psychic equivalent of being a destructive person" (p. 24).…”

Recognizing and Addressing Gender Issues in the Classroom

“…and image disturbances, such as exhibited by eating disorders (Brouwers, 1990;Cleary, 1987;Cook, 1990;Gilbert, 1987;Good, Gilbert, & Scher, 1990;McBride, 1990;Scarano & Kalodner-Martin, 1994;Sharkin, 1993). For men, gender issues have included denial of affect, addictive disorders (e.g., substance abuse), and difficulties in forming committed relationships with women (Cleary, 1987;Cook, 1985Cook, ,1990Good, Dell, & Mintz, 1989;Mintz & O'Neil, 1990;Rabinowitz, 1991;Sharkin, 1993).…”

“…This feeling of academic inadequacy may also deepen into one of personal incompetence. As McBride (1990) noted, "Too often the attempts of the women to speak out for themselves have not been valued or rewarded" (p. 23).…”

“…Regarding student anxiety, many helpful resources are available to classroom teachers and counselors (Burns, 1980;Carter, 1988aCarter, , 1988bCramer, 1990;Purkey & Novak, 1988;Tubesing, 1982;Waitley, 1993). Suggested methods for improvement include meditation, appropriate use of humor, journaling, relaxation techniques, and support groups (McBride, 1990). Care should be taken, however, to ensure that the choice of anxiety reduction techniques includes methods accepted by both male and female students.…”

“…As a result, many interventions for handling these behaviors have been proposed, Most of these interventions focus on a combination of strategies that address both physical and psy-chological issues underlying the behavior (Scarano & Kalodner-Martin, 1994). Recommended approaches have included cognitive restructuring and group counseling in a structured setting, with emphasis on decision making, goal setting, values clarification, and vocational information (McBride, 1990). Family counseling is also recommended (Brouwers, 1990), as well as modeling and mentoring by genderaware females (i.e., teachers and counselors [Good, Gilbert, et al, 19901).…”