Book excerpt: Art therapy has been slow to embrace the critical and theoretical viewpoints, including feminism, that have made a huge impact on other areas of the humanities and social sciences. Art therapists are ideally situated, however, to respond to the growing awareness of how language, media and images influence gender inequality and the pressures that can lead to poor mental health, and diminished well being, among women. The contributors explore the ways in which gender issues can be addressed through art therapy. By being sensitive to the socio-cultural dimensions of women's lives, therapists can become more receptive to the needs of their female clients. The case studies included here illustrate how issues of class, ethnicity and gender introduce a social element into what is sometimes described as a purely personal, cathartic process. By discussing empowerment, sexuality, pregnancy and childbirth, this volume provides a comprehensive survey of women's issues within art therapy and will prompt a reevaluation of current training and practice in the field.