COUNSELLING INITIATIVE SUPERVISOR SIGNATURE PAGE

iii Depression is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses and has a rate in women that is two times that of men. In this project, a feminist sociocultural perspective was utilized to develop a handbook for counsellors treating depression in women. An extensive literature review formed the foundation for the project, in which the cultural messages women receive about what it means to be a good woman was the prominent theme. A handbook was developed that offered both process-oriented information about feminist approaches, and content-oriented information with suggestions for specific interventions to address depression. Themes identified in the literature review that formed the framework of the handbook included deconstructing goodness, emotional awareness and expression, behavioral activation, and building connections. The project was synthesized with consideration of its utility, strengths, and limitations. Offering a unique, woman-centered approach to treating depression, this handbook is aimed to provid