Questions
Answer should be at least 100-175 words and reflect critical thought. Whenever possible, please try to relate the course content to real-world applications from your work experience. Be sure to cite all sources as well. The questions are highlighted.
1. What are some important aspects of the therapeutic relationship in feminist theory? How does this differ from other theories?
2. When considering solution-focused therapy, what aspects do you like, and which do you not like? Why will you use or not use this approach in your counseling practice?
3. As we explore feminist theory, what are your thoughts on the wage gap amongst men and women? Specifically, do you think the field of counseling is impacted by the wage gap?
4. More recently, the constructively perspective on career counseling has emerged. Constructive approaches to career counseling are well suited to incorporating life roles in the client's formulation of a subjective narrative frame of reference. The constructively approach holds that clients construct their own personal meanings and that these personal meanings are reflected in past and present experiences in a variety of life roles. The counselor reconstructs (uncovers and explores) with the client the life story that has been and is currently being lived.
The themes across the client's life experiences reflect the personal meanings held by the client. By deconstructions (opening up) these themes, the client is able to see different perspectives, find exceptions, imagine different experiences, and reveal the client's preferred way of being. Clients have the opportunity to construct (author) their future story based on the personal meanings that they wish to implement in their lives.
Another common environment to find the constructive approach is in a learning environment such as a classroom. The approach is applied by teachers posing questions and problems to students, the idea is to guide students to help them find their own answers. How effective to you think this approach would be in an attempt to encourage clients to "find their own answers" in a traditional counseling environment?
5. I think need to raise your awareness about wage gaps. I myself have worked in the government sector at the state and local levels. While they pay scales you should be cognizant that not everyone starts out at the same amount on the pay scale. For example, when I was as psychological associate for the state, I started at the same time as a guy.
We held the same license and the same amount of experience however; he started out on the higher end of the scale while I started at the beginning of the scale. Once I was made aware I bought it to my supervisor's attention and requested a pay increase. Human Resources reviewed the documents and made the adjustments accordingly. I was lucky to have a good supervisor that was willing to fight for change, everyone isn't as lucky. Do you think there will ever be equal pay?
6. I definitely believe that the wage gap exist I just personally don't know anyone and haven't worked for an organization where it has been a prevalent issue in the hiring process. It really is terribly unfair and unacceptable.
I hope that in my lifetime the wage gap will be resolved but I don't know that realistically it will happen. I know over the last few years many organization have become more cognitive about the issue. Also, with more and more women taking on managerial and leadership positions I think we have a far greater chance of the issue being resolved. Do you believe that topics such as maternity leave influence this issue?
7. I was married to military for 17 years, and they can be tough. Thankfully, I was never in a situation quite that extreme, but I do understand what you meant when you said "you had something to prove in front of all of those Marines and coworkers." I had a few run ins with military authoritarians in my day. I don't know whether it was the fact that my mom's views that "a woman can do anything a man can do" rubbed off on me or whether it was just that type of controlling person got on my last nerve, but I have always bulked when met with that kind of attitude.
Maybe it is both, my mom's influence, and the fact that controlling personalities rub me the wrong way. I believe my mom raised my sister and me to be strong, independent, outgoing, and often outspoken confident women. However, my husband was old-fashioned and believed a woman's place was at home barefoot and pregnant, needless to say that viewpoint created a great deal of discord in our marriage until he finally realized that a woman's place is wherever she chooses it to be. Any thoughts?
8. I completely understand what you meant when you referenced society establish roles for women. My mother was an independent soul and she worked my throughout my entire childhood. She helped my dad in his welding shop and services stations, and was known to do many jobs as good if not better than men. In her own way I think she changed societal opinions regarding gender roles, at least in our small community.
Even some of the most judgmental men would come to the station and ask for my mom to fix their bent rims because she could weld better than most men, and she took extra care to go above and beyond so that nobody could come back and say that she didn't do a good job, or that a woman shouldn't be doing that kind of work. Your thoughts?