

WHAT KINDS OF ISSUES HAVE YOU HAD TO DEAL
WITH IN YOUR PRACTICE?

One of
the most difficult interviews I ever had, years ago, was at Radcliffe College.
I was in practice perhaps 12 years by then, and the group who was interviewing
me, who I think were half and half women and men, asked me the most amazing
questions. Had I actually gone into the field and done field supervision?
Had I done all those drawings? And I found myself explaining, well, eight
years ago I did, yes, and now there are people I work with who are assisting
me and doing that. But I found myself explaining to these women, who were
extraordinarily doubtful. It was a mixed group, but I think I probably went
in thinking, "Now this is a group that is liable to understand and be
particularly inclined to accept us." But that was surprising. So I think
that in a way that was an environment in which there were a substantial number
of women who were very conscious about women who work, so I think that
happens.
Women clients are as diverse as men clients in their expectations, it's
hard to generalize. I think there is often, though not always, a kind of base
understanding, because those women clients have come through much the same
kinds of challenges. So there's a I think a degree of connection there that's
a little bit different, but women clients are quite different, can be very
demanding, can be uncertain of other women, just as you know we're all
uncertain of ourselves, that uncertainty can extend to other women.