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Psychology of Women Quarterly
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DOI: 10.1177/0361684313490915
2013 37: 408 Psychology of Women Quarterly
Ellen Greenwald
Book Review: The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Multicultural Counseling Psychology

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Book Reviews
Book Reviews
Carolyn Zerbe Enns and Elizabeth Nutt Williams (Eds.)
The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Multicultural Counseling Psychology.
New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2013. 528 pp. $175.00
(hardback). ISBN: 9780199744220
Reviewed by: Ellen Greenwald, University of Texas at Dallas,
Richardson, TX; Carmen Cruz, Texas Womens University, Denton, TX
DOI: 10.1177/0361684313490915
In The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Multicultural Counsel-
ing Psychology, editors Carolyn Zerbe Enns and Elizabeth
Nutt Williams definitely meet the purpose and challenge
of integrating feminist, multicultural, and counseling psy-
chologies. Every chapter offers up-to-date history, sum-
marizes research and empirical support, and provides
practical real-world applications. In the style of true feminist
and multicultural inquiry, the authors guide readers with
questions to ponder as well as future directions of theory,
research, and practicethus engaging readers in a dialectic
process. Identifying and threading together consistent
themes such as intersectionality and complexity of identities,
self-awareness/reflection, strengths-based and resilience
approaches, recognition of ecological/sociocultural context,
and the imperative of social justice and activism, the editors
and authors make a potent argument for the convergence and
integration of feminist multicultural counseling psychology
(FMCP).
The handbook is sectioned into four primary parts. Part
one, Foundations of Feminist Multicultural Counseling
Psychology, includes feminist integration of general areas
of psychology (e.g., ethics, life span development) and pro-
vides a helpful framework for the remainder of the book.
Any psychologist or mental health professional who wants
to know the story of feminist multicultural convergence is
urged to read the beautifully told herstory in Chapter 1, writ-
ten by the editors with Ruth Fassinger. Further, Fischer and
DeBord, in Chapter 5, challenge the status quo regarding
social and feminist identity development models and pose a
critical question to readers about how overt and covert power
influences their research, theory, and practice.
Part two, Feminist Multicultural Counseling Psychology
and Specific Social Identities, provides readers with nuan-
ces of many specific identity groups including Muslim
women, women with disabilities, Latinas, lesbians, bisexual
women, and transnational women. Collectively, the authors
balance covering specific identities in depth, while also
speaking to the heterogeneity within these groups.
Mahmoods chapter on American Muslim women highlights
the intersection of spirituality and religion within cultural
analysis, which in spite of recent attention (e.g., Crook-
Lyon et al., 2011) has historically been ignored in the extant
psychological literature. Similarly, Szymanskis inclusion of
the benefits of being lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer is
refreshing, because marginalization and oppression are typi-
cally the focus of multicultural analysis, with some recent
exceptions (e.g., Riggle, Whitman, Olson, Rostosky, &
Strong, 2008). It was particularly encouraging to read Palom-
bis chapter on women with disabilities, given that issues
about able-bodiedness/disability are often avoided in the
field of multiculturalism and feminism and are just now
beginning to receive more widespread attention (Banks,
2010; Mona & Worthington, 2013).We also appreciate that
several authors provided resources for specific populations
and identities, providing tools for potential advocacy and
activism.
Part three, Feminist Multicultural Counseling Psychol-
ogy Applications: Theory, Research and Practice, opera-
tionalizes theory into practice using vignettes and salient
examples to illustrate how to implement Feminist Multicul-
tural Counseling interventions and strategies. Two chapters
on career/vocational psychology made a unique contri-
bution, consistent with primary counseling psychology
tenets. Chapters reviewing political analysis (Morrow and
Hawxhurst), traumatized individuals (Courtois), and body
image/eating disorders (Kashubeck-West and Tagger) elo-
quently illustrate how women have been pathologized based
on their social and cultural identities. Additionally, Nutt
provides a comprehensive overview of how traditional
approaches to couples and families are inherently biased due
to lack of examination of power and gender dynamics. She
integrates specific social identity information and feminism
in a way that is very readable and applicable. Overall in this
section, authors present specific, feminist multicultural alter-
natives for assessment and intervention, using balanced and
affirming perspectives for understanding diverse psychological
issues.
Part four, Education, Advocacy and Social Justice,
challenges readers to question the structures and systems that
reinforce patriarchal power dynamics in our training pro-
grams and practice settings. The authors acknowledge that
social justice is still in the process of becoming a truly inte-
grated practice in FMCP. They point out continued barriers
to social justice/activism, including tenure structures and
Psychology of Women Quarterly
37(3) 408-414
The Author(s) 2013
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procapitalist business practices. The chapters in this section
articulate the many different channels of advocacy and social
justice (pedagogy, supervision, and mentorship). In particu-
lar, Norsworthy, Abrams, and Lindlaus chapter was very
useful in expanding ideas about how to engage in social
justice activism/advocacy, how to identify aspects of ones
work as activism/advocacy, and how to affirm those who are
doing this work.
As a whole, this book brings readers up-to-date by giving
a thorough history and providing a deeper understanding of
the process of integration of FMCP. Although the identities
section is less than comprehensive (p. 19), as the editors
humbly acknowledge, the book as a whole is quite thorough
and beneficial. This handbook is relevant for many different
individuals. Specifically, this book is helpful for students who
have interest in feminism and/or multiculturalism, yet are not
learning FMCP tenets in their psychology programs. In addi-
tion, the handbook appeals to those who have some knowl-
edge of feminism and/or multiculturalism but have not been
exposed to integrative information. Those who identify as
feminist multicultural psychologists are likely to embrace this
handbook and find the collection to be affirming and
reinforcing of their lived work. In particular, we genuinely
appreciate that the handbook is unapologetically clear about
its values. In this way, it would make an ideal companion
volume to such resources as the Handbook of Multicultural
Competencies (Cornish, Schreier, Nadkarni, Metzger, &
Rodolfa, 2010), published by Association of Counseling
Center Training Agencies.
As a point of critique, although peripherally included,
transgender identities seem marginalized within the hand-
book, and we questioned the implicit gender binary pers-
pective that was often present. In a future edition, it would
be more affirming and informative to include a stand-alone
chapter on gender spectrum and transgender identities.
Although these issues are noted in the chapters on Lesbian
and Bisexual Women, Feminist Therapy in Counseling
Psychology, Feminist Therapy with Men, and in Sinacore,
Ginsberg, and Kassans integration of queer theory into fem-
inist multicultural pedagogy, further attention is warranted. It
appears to us that feminism and multiculturalism is already
shifting toward a new paradigm regarding sex and gender,
consistent with editors first theme in their afterword. Seeing
gender and sex more as a continuum of expression, which we
believe is most congruent to individuals lived experiences,
is one of the critical next steps in feminist multicultural
awareness.
In summary, the handbook does an outstanding job
of emphasizing foundational aspects of feminism and multi-
culturalism and of challenging us to question ourselves,
the models we use, and the power lens we have in any situ-
ation. In the FMCP handbook, multiple authors remind us
to keep working on recognition of locations of privilege,
power, and interlocking oppressions. Regarding acceptance
of lifelong learning and challenging the self, Miville in
Chapter 23 astutely points out that continuing education
is more than just an accrual of credit hours to maintain
ones license and should be infused with the same FMCP
values and expectations that are elucidated throughout this
handbook.
Overall, we believe this is an extraordinary contribution
to the field of psychology. It is time for the next paradigm
shift. Keeping feminism, multiculturalism, and counseling
psychology separate perhaps only perpetuates the false
assumption that one is more powerful than the other. In their
closing chapter, Enns and Williams challenge us to trans-
form the historical feminist phrase to make the political
personal. The FMCP handbook provides inspiration for
us to take up the charge to continue the process of feminist
multicultural integration on personal, professional, and
political levels.
References
Banks, M. E. (2010). 2009 Division 35 presidential address:
Feminist psychology and women with disabilities: An emerging
alliance. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 34, 431442.
Cornish, J. A. E., Schreier, B. A., Nadkarni, L. I., Metzger, L. H., &
Rodolfa, E. R. (Eds.). (2010). Handbook of multicultural compe-
tencies. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.
Crook-Lyon, R. E., OGrady, K. A., Smith, T. B., Jensen, D. R.,
Golightly, T., & Potkar, K. A. (2011). Addressing religious and
spiritual diversity in graduate training and multicultural educa-
tion for professional psychologists. Psychology of Religion and
Spirituality, 4, 169181. doi:10.1037/a00226403
Mona, L., & Worthington, R. (2013, January). Disability as an
avoidable topic in multicultural psychology. Difficult dialogue
presented at the National Multicultural Summit, Houston, TX.
Riggle, E. D. B., Whitman, J. S., Olson, A., Rostosky, S. S., &
Strong, S. (2008). The positive aspects of being a lesbian or gay
man. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 39,
210217. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.39.2.210
Author Biography
Ellen Greenwald, PhD, is Practicum Training Coordinator at the
University of Texas at Dallas Student Counseling Center.
Carmen Cruz, PsyD, is Training Director and Assistant Director at
Texas Womans University Counseling Center.
Book Reviews 409
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