Women Therapists on Healing Intersectional Essays, Approaches, and Reclamations toward Feminist Futures in Mental Health--11 perspectives on overcoming trauma

11 perspectives on healing trauma from a diverse group of women therapists—intersectional essays, approaches, and reclamations toward feminist futures in mental health

Women Therapists on Healing is a vital reclamation of 11 women therapists in their own voices, on their own terms. They offer diverse perspectives on trauma and go deep on what it takes to be seen, heard, and healed in an industry that—despite its largely female makeup—still privileges the experiences and contributions of men.

Highlighting clinicians at the forefront of healing and transformation, Women Therapists on Healing explores what it means to ask into how women can really heal from trauma—and what it will take to make the world listen. Featuring essays by Jamie Marich, Mimi Savage, Leann Johnson, Claudia Villacova, and others, this anthology is organized into three themes:

• Part 1 offers perspectives on trauma and dissociation from some of the leading voices in the field
• Part 2 explores the impacts and intersectionalities of trauma, patriarchy, and misogyny
• Part 3 discusses different paths to trauma healing, from yoga and dance to talk therapy and more

Additional topics explore trauma, dissociation, and memory integration; coping with sexual assault; nurturing a fun and healthy sex life after sexual harm; healing dissociation created by cultural othering; intergenerational trauma; decolonizing therapy; the healing power of reclaiming ancestral cosmology; and the intersections of disability and mental health.

Susan Pease Banitt, LCSW is an award-winning author and psychotherapist. She has spoken at conferences, retreats, medical facilities, universities, webinars, and workshops. She has served on boards including Oregon’s chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (Treasurer, Legislative Committee, and head of the Private Practice Council) and co-chaired Street Yoga with Mark Lilly as a member of Omega Institute’s Yoga Service Council. She has written two award-winning books: The Trauma Tool Kit (Quest, 2012) and Wisdom, Attachment and Love in Trauma Therapy (Routledge, 2018).


Larissa Banitt is an editor, award-winning writer, content-creator, and nurse. She works as a hospice nurse caring for terminally ill patients and their families. Her work appears on platforms from local non-profit blogs to national publications such as Health and WebMD. She volunteers as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line and serves on the board of the Pacific Youth Choir in Portland, OR.