The Gender Gap in Psychotherapy : Social Realities and Psychological Processes

This collection of readings is designed to clarify the relationship between social structures and psychological processes. Our awareness of the need for such a book derives from our extensive experiences in teaching a for- mal course for mental health professionals on gender and psychother- apy. The material in this anthology emphasizes the clinical implications of the new research and knowledge that has changed our understanding of the psychological development of women and men. Throughout the book, we present ideas that challenge conventional explanations of psy- chological distress in women and men and suggest alternative concep- tualizations of these processes. As will be evident, our work is informed by and contributes to the growing field of knowledge produced by feminist scholars over the last decade. That this book on gender has more to say about women reflects the existence of a substantial body of research that reconceptualizes womens psychology. The corresponding research on men is still in its formative stages, due in part to the later development of a mens move- ment. Although many of the chapters focus on women, we have attempted in our discussion to consider the implications for men. We believe that the fundamental processes explored in this book are relevant to the understanding of both women and men.