An Intersectional Feminist Approach to Pakistani-American Women’s Gender Roles in Therapy

Abstract

Pakistani-American women exist at the intersection of multiple cultures and identities that have profound impact on their experiences. Therapy from an intersectional feminist lens can be empowering for Pakistani-American clients. Patriarchal expectations for Pakistani-American women are impacted by historical and political events as well as social and cultural values, which will be expounded upon in the manuscript. These expectations impact Pakistani-American women’s presenting concerns in therapy. Counseling implications that address how patriarchal expectations may influence clinical work with this population are discussed. A case vignette that presents intersectional feminist therapy between a counselor and a Pakistani-American client is explained.