Psychotherapy for lesbians: The influence of therapist sexuality

Abstract

This study explored the influence of therapist sexuality upon lesbian experiences of therapy, and particularly the influence of marginal and dominant discourses within the process. It is argued that explorations of discourses of sexuality should be a necessary feature of a psychotherapist's training. A postmodern feminist methodology — Bungay and Keddy's adaptation of Reinharz's experiential analysis — was used in the study. This method involved triangulation of interview, literature analysis and reflective diary methods, with analysis drawing upon a discourse analytic perspective. Two sites of contradiction were explored, indicating the possible emergence of resistant lesbian discourses against the dominant patriarchal, heterosexist and homophobic discourses. The study illustrates the discursive and contextual nature of psychotherapy with lesbians.

Writing therapy in brief workplace counselling: Collaborative writing as inquiry

“…I had previously used more traditional qualitative research methods, questionnaires and semi‐structured interviews and had been dissatisfied with the ‘researcher/researched’ relationship (Wright, ). I had also found the sense of conducting ‘smash‐and‐grab raids on other people's stories’ (Ryden & Loewenthal, ) incongruent with the feminist values referred to previously. There remains a sense of disappointment that Denise decided against being joint author; however what Guillemin & Gillam () refer to as the ‘reflexivity needed to notice this and respond in an ethical way’ has been an important step in our collaboration, in recognising the power I hold as author and the power Denise holds in deciding not to proceed with the co‐authoring.…”

How do you see me? Coming out in counselling

“…It is not surprising given some of these reactions, that a quarter of clients had researched their counsellor before booking their appointments (Ryden & Loewenthal, 2001). Often they went to an agency known to be gay friendly, or to someone recommended to them, or to a counsellor they already knew in a different role, such as in one case the local librarian.…”

Sexuality in the Therapeutic Relationship: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Gay Therapists

“…There is evidence that LGB clients are likely to have a preference to work with LGB therapists, whether working on issues regarding their sexuality or presenting problems unrelated to sexuality (Israel et al, 2008, Ryden, 2001). This has been found to have a number of positive outcomes within therapeutic relationships for clients (Atkinson, Brady & Casas, 1981;Liddle, 1996;Liddle, 1997;Martin, 2005) regarding their comfort with their therapists and increased understanding to build empathic and trusting relationships.…”

“…In an attempt to gain some potential insight it is worth considering Ryden & Loewenthal's (2001) claims that tensions of heterosexism and homophobia could attribute to therapeutic break down. While considering heterosexual therapists and…”