| For more than twenty years feminists working in family therapy have challenged the incorporation of normative expectations regarding gender roles and family functioning. Feminist family therapists reject the notion that men and women are equal participants in the relational dance. They also demand that therapists see the family as more than an interactional unit; it is a political institution that reflects the culture in which it is immersed. This research investigated the experiences of a family therapist and three families who engaged in a therapy informed by feminist theory and narrative practice. The foundations of social constructionism formed the contextual frame of the study, particularly in relation to the writings of Kenneth Gergen, Sheila McNamee, Judith Myers Avis, Lynn Hoffman, and Jean Turner. The therapy and research were undertaken by the same person, a feminist-informed therapist/researcher. The study, engaging in a phenomenological research approach, interprets the therapeutic stories from the perspectives of the therapist and seventeen family members. Findings suggest that women, men, and children are interested in, and capable of, creating alternate gender arrangements within their families when invited to do so in a collaborative, respectful manner. An unanticipated finding was that two of the four participating men experienced significant depressive symptoms while engaged in therapy. Speculations are offered about this development and a caution for monitoring is put forth. The findings of the study offer therapeutic suggestions for family therapists working with men and boys, suggestions designed to enhance the lives of women and girls. Ethical considerations are posed and future research possibilities with gay or lesbian parents, other cultures, and marginalized people are explored. |
