THE POVERTY OF PRIVILEGE - THERAPY WITH WOMEN OF THE UPPER CLASSES

Despite the seeming freedom from many of the economic and other pressu res encumbering women in more palpably disadvantaged subgroups, women of the upper classes are faced with considerable numbers of psychologi cal problems. prevalent among the presenting problems include depressi on and other disorders related to powerlessness, relationship problems , alcohol and substance abuse, and eating disorders. While increasing numbers of women in lower socioeconomic groups work outside the home, the upper class wife represents the last vestige of the classic patria rchal family: her raison d'etre is to assist her husband and children in perpetuating the power and privilege of her family and class, often leaving her with nothing that is truly her own. She is most likely to present in therapy when widowed or confronted with ''losing it all,'' finding herself with few marketable skills or even basic life compete ncies. Therapy issues include how to help her develop greater self-acc eptance and begin to identify and pursue some of her own dreams; count ertransferential issues, such as envy or impatience, may also need to be addressed. The conclusion is reached that ultimately gender transce nds class as the major determinant of the quality of upper class women 's lives, and that it is crucial that any therapy geared toward helpin g them become happier and more effective be informed by a strong femin ist awareness.