2 Hours / 2 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Counseling with Women Applying a Mujerista, Relational Approach is presented by Patricia Arredondo, Ed.D.

Disempowered and colonized women seeking support through psychotherapy. Yet, these theories continue to be taught without particular recognition of gender role stereotyping that views women, particularly underrepresented women, through a deficit lens. The Mujerista model is about liberation and equity, preparing counselors to engage with women from a positivist position, one that recognizes societal practices that perpetuate inequities for women. The Relational feminist model recognizes women’s relationship strengths, empathy, and attention to others as assets. Counselors applying these models with women in psychotherapy create an environment of affirmation and authenticity that invites women to see themselves as relevant, confident, and capable of self-advocacy. Narrative therapy is the most culturally responsive approach, inviting women to tell their stories.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe women-centric models that empower and lead to self-efficacy
  • 2 Describe the liberating aspects of the Mujerista and Relational Feminist frameworks
  • 3 Describe ways to create an affirming and empowering counseling setting with women

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for counselors, therapists, and mental health professionals who are interested in applying culturally responsive, feminist, and empowerment-based approaches in psychotherapy with women, particularly those from underrepresented or marginalized backgrounds. It is highly relevant for practitioners focused on social justice-informed practice, as well as those utilizing narrative or relational feminist approaches in their work.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Counselors
    • Therapists
    • Social Workers
    • Psychotherapists
    • Clinical Psychologists
    • Marriage and Family Therapists
    • Social justice-informed practitioners
    • Professionals using narrative or relational feminist approaches

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at varying levels of experience with women-centric, liberation-focused counseling models.

    • Beginner: Participants new to women-centric and multicultural counseling models who seek foundational knowledge about the Mujerista, Relational Feminist, and narrative therapy approaches.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience applying feminist or multicultural frameworks who wish to deepen their skills in creating affirming, empowering environments for disempowered and colonized women in psychotherapy.

  • Practice Setting

    Practitioners work in culturally affirming, trauma‑informed, and equity‑centered counseling environments that prioritize safety, liberation, and client voice for disempowered and colonized women. Guided by Mujerista and relational feminist frameworks with narrative practices, they cultivate authenticity, relational warmth, and empowerment to support self-advocacy while challenging deficit-based stereotypes.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Community mental health clinics
    • Private practice offices
    • University and college counseling centers
    • Hospital and outpatient behavioral health programs
    • Nonprofit and advocacy organizations serving women
    • Integrated primary care–behavioral health clinics
    • Domestic violence shelters and trauma recovery programs
    • Telehealth platforms
Presented By

Patricia Arredondo, Ed.D

Dr. Arredondo has addressed inequities in counselor and psychology training and as a consultant, in a range of work settings. A licensed psychologist, she is known for her development of multicultural counseling competencies for the American Counseling Association and multicultural guidelines for the American Psychological Association. Her scholarship is inclusive of immigrants and their families, Latinx mental health, Latinx Immigrants, women's leadership, and organizational change through a focus on DEI. A ground-breaker, she is the first Latina president of the Association of Multicutural Counseling and Development and the American Counseling Association. She is the founding president of the National Latinx Psychological Association. Dr. Arredondo is president of the Arredondo Advisory Group and a Mujerista of Mexican American heritage. 


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CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).


Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.