A phenomenological exploration of how person-centered counselors integrate their feminist values with person-centered counseling practice

This study aimed to explore the experiences of feminist women who are person-centered counselors. While sexism has long been embedded in patriarchal society, gender has become an increasingly political issue. Person-centered counselors who solely focus on the individual as the agent of change can be at risk of colluding with gender ideology and its embedded inequalities. Influenced by my feminist researcher stance, I chose the qualitative method of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Through purposive sampling, three participants were recruited and rich data generated through semi-structured interviews, focused on the reality of everyday therapeutic practice. Analysis resulted in the emergence of two Group Experiential Themes: gender and inequality, and being person-centered. Reviewing these findings alongside the literature highlighted the challenges to congruence and authenticity that can occur when counselors view their person-centered practice through the lens of their feminist values. Patriarchal ideology was evident in the client, the counselor and their relationship. This research will contribute women’s voices to the qualitative knowledge base of counseling practice, specifically in terms of gender based oppression. As well as improving my own practice, the dissemination of this research will encourage other counselors to reflexively scrutinize the influence of entrenched societal systems on client and counselor.