Women's Health

This book provides a feminist lens to the approach of mental health and medical care; it challenges the traditional notion of gender to expand beyond biology. The chapters in this volume also confront the status quo in the care of trans*, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals necessitating the inclusion of gender identity as part of the treatment approach and plan. Additionally, this book supports the utilization of systemic (couple/marriage and family therapy) and medical family therapists with a focus on advocacy, improved access, and a deeper understanding of the definition of gender around the globe. It also highlights specific pain conditions experienced by biological women and how the intersection of power imbalances and health stressors contributes to a lack of appropriate care and successful outcomes. The goal is to present and promote the unique benefits of incorporating feminist family therapy to the care of women. This book is essential reading for students, professionals, educators, and policymakers in the fields of mental health, medicine, and gender studies. It is a vital resource for anyone committed to advancing gender equity in healthcare. The chapters in this book were originally published in the Journal of Feminist Family Therapy.

Kristina S. Brown is Professor and Chair of the Couple and Family Therapy Department at Adler University, USA. She is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Feminist Family Therapy and Editor of the new AAMFT Systemic Ethics Textbook. Dr. Brown is a feminist qualitative researcher with a broad focus on the experiences of women across identities as represented in her scholarly work. She lives in her "empty nest" in the Chicago Loop with her husband of 30 years and their two polydactyl cats, Cameron and Ferris.

Introduction - Women's Health: Gender and Pain 1. Disrupting Cisnormativity, Transnormativity, and Transmisogyny in Healthcare: Advancing Trans Inclusive Practices for Medical Family Therapists 2. Reducing Barriers: Integrated Collaboration for Transgender Clients 3. The Interaction of Health Stressors and Power Imbalances in Partnered Women: Wellbeing Outcomes 4. Experiencing Gender and Culture Differences in Global Healthcare Settings: American Students Providing Therapy in Jordan 5. Fibromyalgia in Women across the Lifespan: A Family Feminist Therapy Approach 6. Women and Chronic Pain: Understanding the challenges and empowering for change