Women and work: Supporting female colleagues in psychology

In 2007, the most recent year for which data are available, women comprised 64.4 percent of the 185,000 psychologists nationwide. Sixty-six percent of mental health counselors and a striking 82 percent of social workers were also women (United States Department of Labor, 2008). Despite women\u27s strong presence in the social sciences and mental health fields, women still face unique challenges as they advance through their career. For instance, APA\u27s study of salaries in psychology showed that in 2007, women earned less than men, with the disparities becoming more pronounced with more years of work experience (American Psychological Association Center for Workforce Studies, 2009). Sexual harassment and sexism are still pervasive in many work places, as well as the often-overlooked tensions of balancing multiple roles for working mothers (Oates, Hall, Anderson & Willingham, 2008). Many of the problems women face, as well as their solutions to these problems, are closely intertwined with their religious faith (Hall, Anderson & Willingham, 2004; Hall, Christerson & Cunningham, 2009). This article seeks to identify common issues faced by Christian women working in psychology-related fields, as well as highlight avenues for supporting these women in the workplace. To this end, we will first review some issues faced by working women in general, and then discuss those issues that pertain more specifically to working mothers