FEMINIST THEREAPY PROVIDES COUNSELING FOR WOMEN BY ENCOURAGING THEIR DEVELOPMENT AS HEALTHY, FULLY FUNCTIONING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT LIMITED, CONFINED, OR DEFINED BY SEX-ROLE STEREOTYPES. FEMINIST THERAPY CHANGES THE ATTITUDES OF THE WOMEN WHO FEEL GUILTY ABOUT BEING BATTERED. AFTER THERAPY, THESE WOMEN ARE MADE TO THINK THAT THEIR LIVES ARE PRODUCTIVE AND THAT THEY HAVE MORE PERSONAL POWER. ANOTHER ASPECT OF FEMINIST THERAPY IS TO TEACH THE WOMAN TO BE SELF-NURTURING; I.E., LEARNING TO SEEK HELP AND BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT. ONLY AFTER THIS HAS OCCURED CAN THE WOMAN CONSIDER LEAVING HER HUSBAND AND RETURNING TO SOCIETY AS A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER. MANY BATTERED WIVES EXHIBIT LEARNED HELPLESSNESS, WHICH IS THE BELIEF THAT BATTERING AND ABUSE ARE NORMAL AND IS USUALLY THE RESULT OF HAVING SEEN ONE'S MOTHER BEATEN OR OF HAVING BEEN BEATEN ONESELF AS A CHILD. HELPLESSNESS IS ALSO A RESULT OF OVERSOCIALIZATION INTO STEREOTYPED FEMININE ROLES. THESE WOMEN FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN AND HAVE NO EXPERIENCE IN DECISIONMAKING. LACK OF CONCERN ON THE PART OF NEIGHBORS AND LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES ADDS TO THE FEELING OF HELPLESSNESS. THERAPY BEGINS WITH THE DETERMINATION OF THE CRISIS LEVEL. SINCE THE WOMAN HAS COME FOR HELP, SHE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED AND TAUGHT WHERE ELSE SHE MAY SEEK ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE WOMAN SHOULD BE CONTINUALLY ENCOURAGED, BUT NOT TO THE POINT OF THE THERAPIST PLAYING 'RESCUER' FOR HER. THERAPY ALSO INCLUDES SOME ACTIVITIES WHICH SHOULD GIVE THE WIFE A FEELING OF INDEPENDENCE -- THE BUDGETING OF SOME FAMILY MONEY FOR HER OWN USE, PRIVATE SPACE IN THE HOUSE WHERE SHE MAY WORK OR RELAX, TIME SET ASIDE DURING THE DAY FOR HER OWN ACTIVITIES, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUTSIDE TALENTS. THE INITIIAL EMOTIONAL REACTIONS OF BATTERED WOMEN, SUCH AS HELPLESSNESS, FEAR, EMBARRASSMENT, ANGER, GUILT, AND INSANITY, SHOULD ALL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, AND A THERAPY PROGRAM OF ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING BEGUN. THE ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING CLARIFIES THE RIGHTS OF THE WOMAN AND DEVELOPS A PERSONAL BELIEF SYSTEM FOR HER. ALTHOUGH SOCIETAL VALUES MUST BE CHANGED IN ORDER TO ALLEVIATE THE CAUSES OF WIFE BATTERING, THERAPY MUST SERVE IN THE MEANTIME TO REDUCE THE FEELINGS OF HELPLESSNESS EXPERIENCED BY BATTERED WOMEN. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (BAC)