Therapy that examines power
The Impact of Isms
Being socialized as female gives many gifts - valuing communication, empathy, collaboration, relationship. We are taught to be compassionate, to care about people’s feelings, to value working together. Although these things are not valued explicitly by the larger culture, they are worthwhile and important things.
However, people raised as female are also given a lot of harmful messages. By the white hetero-patriarchy, women are perceived as irrational, unintelligent, “too emotional.” Women are taught that we are responsible for other people’s emotions, that if we are angry we must be bad, and we better not go out without our hair and make-up done because why else are we here but to be beautiful?
Why bring up sexism?
Systems of power and privilege play a real role in keeping us in a state of powerlessness. Depression and anxiety don’t come out of nowhere - life experiences, including both family and societal, play a role in our mental health. There’s some really interesting research about how childhood experiences can affect our physical health.
Negative effects of a sexist socialization can amplify or influence experiences of depression and anxiety. For example, you might feel depleted because you are focusing on other people’s needs, and you might be focusing on other people’s needs because that’s what you were taught, and what has been reinforced over many years in your life, not just because of other experiences from your life and your personality.
And it’s not just sexism - any of the “isms” have substantial effects, for example the systemic trauma living as a Black or transgender person, living in poverty, or with undocumented status. The harm that systemic injustices incur increase stress levels on a daily basis, which over time can lead to health problems including things labeled as depression and anxiety.
You are in charge
Simple awareness of the fact that larger systems are impacting you can create a significant psychological shift. Once this is in your consciousness, we can explore what you want to keep from your socialization, and what you want to reject. You get to define who you are. And that’s powerful.
Systems are made up of individuals, and although big change takes a long time, it is possible. Working collectively for structural change is also incredibly powerful and can also be an important part of healing.
Interested in getting more support in defining who you are?