CULTURALLY SENSITIVE THERAPY FOR WOMEN OF COLOR

Clinicians have largely based conceptions of mental health on male exp eriences and individual-level factors. Based on the principles of the feminist Consciousness Raising groups of the 1970s, feminist therapy u nderscores the importance of attending to minority viewpoints and exam ining social contexts in discussions of mental health and life distres s. After reviewing ways in which therapists can be culturally sensitiv e, I will argue that-feminist therapy, with its emphasis on sociocultu ral context, advocacy, client-therapist collaboration, and therapist d isclosure is particularly suited to meeting the therapeutic needs of w omen of color.