Gender and Sex in Counseling and Psychotherapy

Gender is still largely ignored as an "active" variable in counseling and is typically viewed as pertaining to women's issues or problems. The field has leap-frogged over gender, perhaps because it is too complex, perhaps because we resist change, or perhaps because our gender socialization is sufficiently effective as is. This book makes clear as to why gender must be considered in understanding the client's concerns, the process of therapy, and the counselor's role in the therapeutic interaction. Effective therapy requires an understanding of gender theory and gender processes. The approach taken in this book explains complex concepts in understandable terms, provides summaries of pertinent research findings, and applies theory and research about gender to client case examples. Lucia Albino Gilbert, PhD, is Provost and Professor of Psychology and Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University. Her books include Two Careers, One Family: The Promise of Gender Equality. Murray Scher, PhD, is a psychotherapist in private practice. He has been involved in the study of gender and its effect on counseling and psychotherapy for the last thirty years. He is co-editor of Handbook of Counseling and Psychotherapy with Men.