Feminist Therapy and Post-modern Approaches Essay Example for Free

Feminist Therapy and Post-modern Approaches Essay Feminist therapy (FT) arose in the 1960s as a result of women’s increasing awareness that discrimination resides in the way traditional psychology views female mental health. It was an attempt to enhance women’s autonomy and it was based on the integration of psychology and feminist theory. According to this theory, women form their identity through a perspective of constantly providing care for others at the expense of their own free will and initiative. This view represents the traditional gender role, which is not biologically determined but rather socially derived. FT emphasizes the principle of equality in all aspects’ of human experience. Its major tenet is that psychological difficulties arise from political and social causes, namely discriminative attitudes not only towards females but also towards ethnic, cultural, religious and sexual minorities (Landrine, 1995 Worell, 1997). FT attempts to provide care through a novel perspective which respects the patient’s wishes and needs instead of rigidly meeting societal expectations according to existing racial and sexist stereotypes. The client holds a central place in the treatment setting, and is encouraged to take initiative and guide the therapeutic process. The therapist is not viewed as an authority but as an equal partner, whose task is to educate and empower the patient. Therapists aim at demystifying the process of therapy in order to enhance clients’ sense of power and self-efficacy. In addition, they are particularly careful at avoiding power display in the therapy setting and may frequently use self-disclosure to restore equality and reciprocity in the therapeutic relationship (Worell, 1997). FT supports the idea that the client knows better than anyone what is best for him/her. Its main aim is to increase people’s awareness of internalized stereotypes and replace them with more realistic beliefs, to elaborate on issues of control and power and how they affect human experience and to enhance independent decision-making. Apart from gaining self-awareness and free choice, clients are also encouraged to actively participate in political and social groups, given that personal experiences are considered deeply political and personal evolution can arise only through social change (Landrine, 1995 Worell, 1997). The vast majority of feminist therapists and clients are women. However, it is a theory that hopes to address issues concerning both genders, ignoring any societal and cultural bias. The principles of FT are fruitfully applied in the field of physical and sexual abuse, eating disorders, body image distortions and issues of somatic health and reproduction. Commonly used techniques include gender-role analysis and intervention, power analysis and intervention, bibliotherapy, assertiveness training and self-disclosure (Landrine 1995, Worell, 1997). FT has provided new insights on managing mental health issues through a social and cultural perspective. It has fought prejudice in the practice of psychology, by adopting an egalitarian approach, regardless of gender, race, religious affiliation or sexual orientation and it has focused on the clients’ individual needs, strengths and wishes. The therapeutic context enhances collaboration and reciprocity and individuals are encouraged to become active members of their society in order to produce change. However, when placing too much value on cultural and social causes of mental disorders, there is the risk of ignoring the significance of personal factors and intrapsychic phenomena. When all psychological difficulties are considered to stem from the abuse of power and the effect of social prejudice and discrimination, then the individual fails to assume responsibility for his/her experience. In this way, true personal evolution may be sacrificed for the sake of social activism. In addition, the collaborative nature of the therapeutic process and the misuse of self-disclosure by feminist therapists may abolish professional and ethical boundaries and further damage the clients’ fragile psyche. Finally, this approach may prove extremely frustrating for people and cultures that place great emphasis on traditional societal roles. Post-modern Approaches Post-modern Approaches (PMA) evolved through the influence of post-modernism on the theory and practice of psychotherapy. Traditionally, philosophy and science have been dedicated to the conquest of the absolute truth. Post-modernism suggests that there is no such thing as objectivity and reality is constructed through language. In this view, mental illness is considered a social construct, originating from the dominating societal tendency to dichotomize and label all aspects of human experience (Boston, 2000). PMA, which include Solution-Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Social Constructionism, are client-centered. The therapist’s role is not to provide authority-driven solutions but to help the client develop a new communication and new interpretation of his/her experience. Contrary to traditional psychotherapeutic views, they do not focus on symptoms and their historical context but on the present and on clients’ strengths and wishes. Post-modern theories place great value on language as a way of creating reality and consequently as a tool to produce change (Boston, 2000 Walker, 2006). For example, in Solution-Focused Therapy, clients are encouraged to discuss goals for change and means by which this change can be achieved (Gingerich, 2000 Lethem, 2002). Likewise, in Narrative Therapy the explicit description of the presenting problem allows the client to see his/her difficulties as a matter of personal and societal interpretation, distinct from his self-identity, thus contributing to the formulation of a less dysfunctional narrative (Boston, 2000). Post-modern Therapy is based on the individual’s existing strengths and resources. It frequently uses the technique of exceptions by urging clients to contemplate on paradigms where their difficulties were not so prominent. In this way, it empowers clients and provides them with a glance to future change. Another common technique is coping questioning which reveals effective coping strategies already used by the client, when faced with his/her current problems. Problem-free discussion is also used to address non-problematic domains of the client’s experience and enhance his/her sense of self-efficacy and confidence (Gingerich, 2000 Lethem, 2002). PMA have been successfully used in eating disorders, substance abuse and relationships problems. Psychiatric patients, couples, youth and criminal offenders have benefit from their application. Their techniques, which focus on the person and not the diagnostic label, may enhance the therapeutic alliance and the development of empathy, both associated with better therapy outcomes (Lethem, 2002). Social Constructionism which suggests that mental illness is a social construct, a product of medical terminology, has contributed to fighting discrimination and stigma. However, it entails the risk of devaluating all achievements in the field of psychiatric research. In addition, the abolishment of the therapist’s authority may for some individuals produce a sense of insecurity and confusion. Finally, another major disadvantage is that the efficacy of Post-modern Therapy is hard to be scientifically evaluated. Both FT and PMA have challenged traditional views including the classical Christian axioms (Arlandson, 2010). Nevertheless, their emphasis on equality, empowerment hope and motivation for change, seems to be in agreement with the spirit of the Bible’s teachings. To my opinion, counsellors should take into consideration their clients’ needs, strengths and aspirations as both FT and PMA dictate. To be effective, the counselling process must focus on the present and the future instead of trying to unravel mysteries of the distal past. Although most clients come to therapy with certain difficulties, a significant therapeutic force regardless of the counsellor’s theoretical background is the development of an empathetic alliance which can provide a sense of self-efficacy to the client and hope for the future. References Landrine, H. (1995). Bringing cultural diversity to feminist psychology: Theory, research, and practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Worell, J. , Johnson, N. G. (Eds. ). (1997). Shaping the future of feminist psychology: Education, research, and practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Boston, P. (2000). Systemic family therapy and the influence of post-modernism. Advances in psychiatric treatment, 6, 450-457. Walker, M. T. (2006). The Social Construction of Mental Illness and its Implications for the Recovery Model. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation. 10 (1), 71-87 Lethem, J (2002). Brief Solution Focused Therapy. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 7(4), 189-192. Gingerich, W. J. Eisengart, S, (2000). Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: A Review of the Outcome Research. Family Process, 39(4), 477-498. Arlandson, J. (2010). Postmodernism and the Bible: Introduction. The American Thinker, 2010.

Censorship :: essays research papers

Censorship My life has been nothing but censorship since the time I was born. When I was very young and lived in Chicago there were all sorts of interesting things around to play with. My parents physically censored me by putting me in "baby prison." They felt that certain things needed to be censored from me because of their potential danger. So I was kept out of harms way in the playpen or crib. As I grew older and was no longer watched by my parents 24 hours a day, I realized that I was censored by others. In school, it was constantly no to this and no to that. All that negativity is not good for children, all day long. It was always interesting to me as to why we recited the pledge of allegiance in school, what if you are not American? I also was not allowed to watch the news. My parents felt it was "real violence", and not appropriate for me, that was parental censorship. When I was old enough to go out with my friends I became confused when my parents said I could see an "PG-13" rated movie but the theater wouldn't let me in. When I argued that "my parents said I could go see it!!", the theater management always said things like I need to be 13 or must be accompanied by a parent and so on. I then proposed this question, my parents said I could see it, now why can't I see it? The answer to that question is the government doesn't think I am old enough. My mom said live with it, there is nothing you can do. I think that made me more inquisitive. That was just the beginning, I was too young to go on certain rides and too young to go into stores like Sharper Image and I was too young to purchase the music that I really enjoyed. When I was able to get my hands on a Compact Disc I had wanted, it sometimes had a "Explicit Lyrics" warning sticker on it. I would go home, listen and enjoy only to get lectured by my parents. They said things such as; you can't have anything that contains profanity, or any type of objectionable material. "Then again I am only going to encounter it in the real world!!!", I would reply. Obviously there are many different views to take on this issue, and I knew there was a long and difficult battle ahead of me until I was 18. I contend that censoring music is a necessary evil but, it should be

Non Commissioned Officers in the Army

With the attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941, the United States found itself in another major war. Mobilization greatly increased the numbers of Army non-commissioned officers. Ironically, mobilization, combined with other factors, created a staggering growth in the percentage of non-commissioned officers to total forces. The proportion of non-commissioned officers in the Army increased from 20 percent of the enlisted ranks in 1941, to nearly 50 percent in 1945, resulting in reduced prestige for many non-commissioned officer ranks. Coupled with this growth in numbers, the eight-man infantry squad increased to twelve, with the sergeant then staff sergeant, replacing the corporal as its leader. The rank of corporal came to mean very little, even though he was in theory and by tradition a combat leader. Basic training in World War II focused on hands-on experience instead of the classroom. NCOs conducted all training for soldiers. After basic training, a soldier went to his unit where his individual training continued. The major problem was that the rapid expansion of the Army had led to a proportionate decrease in experienced men in the non-commissioned officer ranks. Making this condition worse was the practice of quickly advancing in rank soldiers who showed potential while combat losses reduced the number of experienced NCOs. Fighting in the Pacific and Europe required large numbers of men. Millions of men enlisted and America drafted millions more. Still the Army suffered from manpower shortages. In 1942 the Army formally added women to its ranks. By 1945 over 90,000 women had enlisted in the Army. Women served in administrative, technical, motor vehicle, food, supply, and communications, mechanical and electrical Positions during the war. http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/nco_history/history-of-the-nco-from-f.shtml World war II made more demands on non commissioned officers corp. and had a greater impact upon the NCOs role and status than any previous conflict in American history. By the end of the war, there were 23,328 infantry squads in 288 active infantry regiments. More than seventy separate battalions, including armoured infantry and rangers, raised the total number of such squads to over 25,000, all needing non-commissioned leaders. Drafted, trained, and promoted during the hectic months of 1942 and 1943, these citizen soldiers carried our their duties as non commissioned officers superbly, in countless engagements on every front during WWII, but especially those where small unit leadership was at a premium, such as jungle warfare of new guinea in the pacific and the Hurtgeen forest battle in Europe. There were many Heroes of WWII and you could choose any one of them but here we have the first secret hero America had in World War II. WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 29, 2005) — Fifty years ago an Army Reserve non-commissioned officer performed an act of heroism that led to him becoming America's first secret hero. Manning a hilltop position near Taejon-ni, Korea, Cpl. Hiroshi Miyamura, formerly of the Enlisted Reserve Corps, was a long way from his home in Gallup, N.M. on the night of April 24, 1951. A major Chinese Communist offensive had been launched against the United Nations line. Miyamura, a machine gun squad leader in Company H, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division, was 25/5/07 Ordered by his platoon sergeant to take 15 men — machine gunners, riflemen and ammo carriers — to a hill south of the Imjin River and hold the position against the Advancing Chinese Communists as long as possible. He did exactly that throughout the night, Miyamura directed the heavy and light machine guns of his squad as they held off repeated attacks by the Chinese. The combat was savage. Miyamura kept yelling at his gunners to use short bursts. He joined in with automatic fire from his carbine and threw grenades at the enemy, whose attacks were accompanied by bugles, whistles, flares, and supporting mortar bursts. At one critical point, he charged the enemy with his bayoneted carbine and killed ten of them in close-in-combat, breaking up the attack. Finally, it was time for those Americans still alive to fall back. Miyamura slid into the heavy machine gun position and told the unwounded members of the crew and two riflemen to help the injured soldiers away; he would cover them. They moved out and Miyamura was alone, waiting. Then the bugles and whistles sounded again. The Chinese were coming up the hill again. Miyamura fired his machine gun until it ran out of ammunition. He then threw grenades towards the advancing Chinese. With his final grenade, he destroyed the machine gun and took off for a nearby trench, where he literally ran into a Chinese soldier. Despite the surprise encounter, he shot the Chinese and wounded him. The Chinese got off a grenade, which Miyamura kicked away. It exploded, killing its thrower and wounding Miyamura in the leg. As enemy soldiers poured up the hill, Miyamura tried to get away but stumbled into American barbed wire in the dark, causing him further injury. Freeing himself, Miyamura dropped into a hole playing dead while the Chinese swarmed over the area. One Chinese soldier was not fooled and he pointed a pistol at the young corporal, telling him to get up. Four days later, a task force from Chinese around Miyamura's machine gun position. There was no Trace the 3rd Division recaptured the hill. There were more than 50 dead of Miyamura among the dead G.I.s of his section. The man who so fiercely defended that hill joined the Army during World War II and became part of one of the most famous units in American military history, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. This unit, composed entirely of Americans of Japanese Ancestry, except for some white officers, was — for its size and length of service — the most decorated unit in the Army. Along with the attached 100th Infantry Battalion, its members earned more than 18,000 individual decorations, to include one wartime Medal of Honour, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, 588 Silver Stars, 5,200 Bronze Stars and more than 9,480 Purple Hearts. We cannot of course forget Ira Hayes the hero, On February 19, 1945, Hayes took part in the landing on Iwo Jima. He then participated in the battle for the island and was among the group of Marines that took Mount Suribachi four days later, on February 23, 1945. The raising of the second American flag on Suribachi by five Marines, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, and Mike Strank, and a Navy Corpsman, John Bradley, was immortalized by photographer Joe Rosenthal and became an icon of the war. Overnight, Hayes (on the far left of the photograph) became a national hero, along with the two other survivors of the famous photograph, Rene Gagnon and John Bradley. Hayes's story drew particular attention because he was Native American. Hayes was promoted to the rank of corporal before being discharged from the Marine Corps. His decorations and medals include the following: Commendation medal with â€Å"V† combat device, Presidential Unit Citation with one star (for Iwo Jima), American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four stars (for Vella Lavella, Bougainville, Consolidation of the Northern Solomons, and Iwo Jima) and the World War II Victory Medal This then is the Heroes, now we will have a look at the weapons. The total allied forces in the Second World War were, Tanks 210,950 added to this vast number of fighting machines we had the help of Merchant Shipping, which totalled 44,431,300, and of course the Warships of which there was a grand total of 10,853,200 in the allied forces. Of course you also need to mention the warplanes that numbered 582,500. But the biggest weapon that we used and is still not recognised as such is the terrific amount of manpower that was needed, 109,705,100 men fought in the war and they above the weapons need to be mentioned, yes the weapons helped but it is the sheer blood and guts of the men and women that fought so bravely that got us all through. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/weapons_and_manpower.htm Part of the creed of NCOs is as follows and tells us what his duties are. Competence is my watchword; my two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind. Accomplishment of my mission, and the welfare of my soldiers. I will strive to remain tactically and technically proficient, all soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership and I will provide that leadership, I know my soldiers and I will always place their needs above my own. I will communicate consistently with my soldiers and never leave them uninformed. I will be fair and impartial when recommending both reward and punishment. Officers of my unit will have ample time to fulfil their duties. They will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my soldiers. I will be loyal to those I serve, seniors, peers, and subordinates alike. I will exercise initiative, by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders. I will not compromise my integrity. Nor my moral courage, I will not forget nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are professionals. Non-commissioned officers, and leaders. http://ncohistory.com/files/Origins.pdf Throughout history, training noncommissioned officers of the United States Army had been accomplished using on-the-job training (OJT) in the unit, and many believed that is where it should stay. Training noncommissioned officers was conducted by officers in the regiment and was the commanding officer’s responsibility. It was accepted that unit training was the best means of developing noncommissioned officers and potential noncommissioned officers. In most early writings the NCO was regarded with the Enlisted man and as such received little interest. They should teach the soldiers of their squad how to dress with a soldier like air, how to clean their arms, accoutrements, etc and how to mount and dismount their Firelocks. {Instructions for the Sergeant and corporal Von Steubens 1779 Blue Book} Citation Page http://ncohistory.com/files/Origins.pdf http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/weapons_and_manpower.htm http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/nco_history/history-of-the-nco-from-f.shtml   ;

The Explorations of Structure Essay - 1332 Words

Since the inception of the motion picture, business has served as the primary influence on the entertainment industry. Although film allows for freedom and experimentation within storytelling techniques, the classical Hollywood cinema style emerged as the front runner of cinema; it told a story, it made money, and it entertained. However, this became stagnant and formulaic, artists not only wanted to entertain, but to provoke and inspire viewers. This mindset is what inspired cinematic innovation within the post-war period— art movements such as the French New Wave and Italian neo-realism emerged. Filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard rejected the traditional conventions of cinematography, editing and structure and chose to create their own.†¦show more content†¦Just as 8 ½ is self-reflexive with its character, the title references nothing within the plot but instead the amount of films that Fellini directed leading up to 8 ½. The title itself encapsulates the film†” it’s incomplete, similar to Guido’s film, but also creates ambiguity and curiosity, leaving viewers pondering the true purpose. The first scene of 8 ½ captures the structure of the rest of the film. As Guido sits in his car during a traffic jam, smoke begins to fill the car and he is unable to get out as his friends and co-workers stare at him from surrounding cars. All of a sudden, he is floating above the car and flying out to sky— only to find himself tethered like a kite, with his manic producer demanding that he return to the ground. This scene is not only an incredible hook to the film, but can be interpreted as the basis for the overall structure of the film; when Guido is trapped, he retreats to his dreamland only to discover that he can’t fully appreciate it. Just as the first scene depicts Guido’s dream, its told in the same manner as the rest of the film, with fantasies, memories and reality all blending into one another seamlessly . Although Guido’s stream of consciousness can come off random, Fellini carefully crafted it to create distinct parallels about Guido. Guido is a walking contradiction, wanting one thing but instantly regretting it after. Earlier inShow MoreRelatedExploration of the Political Structure of the Roman Empire4418 Words   |  18 PagesExploration of the Political Structure of the Roman Empire The public sphere of Rome, which included religious norms, social settings, as well as some other cultural divides, has been known to greatly affect the Roman political system throughout, from its inception to its fall. Our world has seen many great empires and perhaps the most popular one by name is the Roman Empire. A great number of books have been written on this subject, many movies have been made, and the Roman Empire remains richRead MoreThe Depositional Environment, Petrology, Mineralogy, Structure, Exploration and Processing of Oil in the Greater Green River Basin3236 Words   |  13 Pages The purpose of this paper is to explain the depositional environment, petrology, mineralogy, structure, exploration, technology, methods of extraction and processing, as well as the applications and economics of oil in the Greater Green River Basin. This paper will mainly focus on the oil shale within the basin but will also touch on some of the more conventional oil and gas plays as well. According to Crawford and Killen (2010), Oil Shale is defined as being â€Å"a sedimentary rock embedded with organicRead MoreRequirements For Querying The Web Of Linked Data1244 Words   |  5 PagesData. 5.1.1 Live Exploration Approaches. This kind of approach make use of the character of (â€Å"Webs of Linked Data†), in the existence of data links. To execute a requested Linked Data query, live exploration systems perform a recursive URI lookup process during which they incrementally discover further URIs that also qualify for lookup. Thus, such a system explores the queried Web by traversing data links at query execution time. While the data retrieved during such an exploration allows for a discoveryRead MoreSpace Exploration : The Final Frontier1241 Words   |  5 Pagescitizens have their way. Some concerned citizens are pushing for the removal of Space Exploration from our national budget.Lots of people who are against space exploration don’t understand how it benefits them and their families. Space Exploration needs to continue because it unifies and benefits many of the major countries of the world by delivering much needed scientific and medical advances. Space exploration has had a great impact on many countries on Earth. Many countries, including most EuropeanRead MoreStaff Had The Opportunity For Review The Previous Version Of The Subject Proposed Article1415 Words   |  6 Pagesaddressed by the O+G Article and the associated rules to assure protection of HHE. The general comments contained the following areas of concern: 1. The actual and potential effects of petroleum and gas exploration, production, and storage activities: 1.1. Gas/vapor intrusion in enclosed structures such as residences, etc.: identification of potential exposure, prevention and mitigation 1.2. Explosion hazard due to gas and vapor intrusion: identification of explosion potential, prevention, mitigationRead MoreData And Appraisal Of Dangers Connected With Erp Post Execution1619 Words   |  7 PagesThe motivation behind this article was to distinguish, survey and investigate potential dangers connected with ERP post-execution. The creators had did their experimental examination utilizing a quantitative methodology. They received a deductive exploration configuration in view of a cross-sectional poll review for 118 substantial organizations to analyze dangers of ERP post-execution. Be that as it may, a few confinements ought to be considered. This basic survey, including the scrutinize of the examinationRead MoreData And Appraisal Of Dangers Connected With Erp Post Execution1619 Words   |  7 PagesThe motivation behind this article was to distinguish, survey and investigate potential dangers connected with ERP post-execution. The creators had did their experimental examination utilizing a quantitative methodology. They received a deductive exploration configuration in view of a cross-sectional poll review for 118 substantial organizations to analyze dangers of ERP post-execution. Be that as it may, a few confinements ought to be considered. This basic survey, including the scrutinize of the examinationRead MoreAn Investigation Of Verbal Communication1580 Words   |  7 Pagesturns at talking, the community oriented creation of specific activities, or issues of comprehension. The investigation is constantly in view of sound or visual recordings of collaboration, which are precisely interpreted in subtle elements. The exploration ought to be data driven, as in ideas and speculations ought to be founded on watchful thoughts of the information, recordings and transcripts, as opposed to drawn from hypothetical assumptions or ideological inclinations. While initially imaginedRead MoreExploring Stem Through Nas A System With Many Regions And Dynamic s1701 Words   |  7 Pagesthe knowledge of the realm (Virginia’s Role, 2015).Through collaboration and research, experts can comprehend the questions and apply the knowledge to both Earth and Space Exploration (Why Explore, 2015). The Earth System Presently NASA has explored the Earth system and its many layers. Better understanding of its structure and dynamics helps us predict events of natural disasters and changes because of humans (Earth Science, 2015). To help, the Science Mission Directorate created the Focus AreasRead MoreThe New Zealand Rail Framework Essay1302 Words   |  6 PagesPacific. The perspective is brilliant, with the Kaikoura Ranges rising steeply on one side and the Pacific Ocean swells washing over a harsh coastline on the other. Seals and penguins can frequently be seen on the stones. RESEARCH DETAILS: This exploration will demonstrate the examination on how New Zealand railroads have been ceaselessly neglecting to meet the necessities of clients. This report has been created to cross check the offices specified in railroads arrangements. I ve made an overview