League Of Their Own

THE MICHIGAN WOMEN PSYCHOLOGISTS FILLS A NICHE AND PRESSURES THE MEN.

esteem at the age of 12, and
then self-esteem increases
Special to the Jewish News
through the later teen years and
adulthood.
ewish women in leadership
Teenage girls reach a low in
roles is characteristic of the
self-esteem at 13, and their self- ,.
Michigan Women
esteem then settles and does
Psychologists (MWP), the
not rise.
first and only local independent psy-
Researchers are trying to find
chology association for women in the
out
why this happens, Dr.
United States.
Greenfield
says. "Once we
More than half of MWP's past presi-
know
that,
then we can have
dents as well as the current executive
intervention."
board are Jewish women.
In addition to major confer-
Fifteen years ago, nine women in
southeastern Michigan, the majority of ences open to the public in the
fall and spring, monthly net-
them Jewish, met to discuss the for-
working
brunches with speak-
mation of an organization to address
ers
are
planned
for the 195
the needs and interests of women psy-
members.
Members
also organ-
chologists in Michigan. The group
ize monthly cultural diversity
were licensed psychologists, members
meetings at which the psycho-
of the Michigan and the American
logical aspects of a culture are
psychological associations.
then. Today, 50 per-
MAU past presidents
discussed and the culinary
"Our practices were already success-
cent of all students
tastes
of
the
culture
are
sam-
include,
from
left,
ful and we were well recognized by
who enter medical
front:
Drs.
Judith
pled.
our peers in the field, but the leader-
school are female. Dr.
Monthly health events are
Kovach of West
ship positions were always assigned to
Kovach believes that
held on Sundays, usually at the
Bloomfield, Joan
men in the state organization," says
Jewish
female leader-
office of a member. A recent
Greenfield of
Dr. Joan Greenfield, a clinical psychol-
ship
is
derived from a
topic was breast cancer survival. Bloomfield Hills and
ogist in Farmington Hills. "Moreover,
strong commitment to
Some
members'
practices
Gail
Berkove
of
the MPA refused to recognize the gen-
Southfield. Back row: justice that emanates
focus on families, some on
eral topic of women's issues and were
from the Jewish cul-
Dr. Barabara
adults,
and
some
work
with
indifferent to the special needs of
tural tradition of
Feldman
Fischer
of
couples.
Specialties
can
range
women clinical psychologists. As a
objecting to oppres-
from
cancer
survival
to
people
West
Bloomfield
and
result, we formed our own group,
sion. The MWP was
with chronic illness or therapy
Dr. Roberta Toll of
incorporated in 1988, and within a
established with a
for adolescents or children.
Bloomfield Hills.
month we had 115 members."
vision of empower-
"It doesn't seem unusual that
Dr. Greenfield, a former president of
ment rather than a
Jewish
women
are
drawn
into
MWP, says the MPA has changed
focus
on
career
advancement.
psychology,"
explains
Dr.
Judith
completely and several women now
Kovach, an MWP founder. "Women
have leadership positions at the state
were given a nurturing role in Jewish
level.
Shifting Focus
culture. When they became active out
But, "Our group is more aggressive
"Our original purposes were to partici-
of the home they took this nurturing
when focusing on issues that impact
pate in leadership roles actively and to
tradition with them and coupled it
women," says Dr. Greenfield. "For
advocate for social issues regarding
with
the
talmudic
tradition
of
wanting
instance, the state association gave a
women, as well as to be a network and
to
understand
how
the
mind
works.
seminar on violence, which was well
support system among ourselves," says
"Psychology
has
been
a
comfortable
attended. The topics, however, dealt
Dr. Kovach. "The founding members
niche
where
these
interests
could
com-
with actions of physical violence that
were
from southeastern Michigan, and
bine,"
she
says.
"When
I
went
to
col-
relate primarily to men. In fact, all the
our ages ranged from mid-30s to 60s,
lege,
I
wanted
to
be
a
physician.
In
the
speakers were male.
well into successful careers when we
early '60s, not only was there a quota
"Our women's group; on the other
founded MPA.
for women, but there were also quotas
hand, held a recent conference on
"Our politics ranged from liberal to
for Jews and I was encouraged to pur-
depression. The speakers were all
radical
and all were involved in the
sue
another
profession
so
a
Jewish
women and reported on depression
civil
rights
and feminist movements to
male
could
get
into
medical
school."
throughout a woman's life-span."
greater
or
lesser
degrees.
Medical
schools
have
changed
since
She says boys reach a low in self-

RUTHAN BRODSKY

jr

elgt.
AV.
5/18

2001

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"Today, we are a
group that focuses on
educational and pro-
fessional development,
as well as networking
with and supporting
one another."
"We were mindful
that we were all white,
suburban, at least mid-
dle- or upper-middle
class with high degrees
of control of our lives,
disenfranchised as
women psychologists
but privileged.
"Many of us," says
Dr. Kovach, "had long
relationships with dis-
enfranchised commu-
nities in other roles. I,
for example, have long
been active in civil
rights, civil liberties, AIDS issues and
recovery issues, similar to my col-
leagues."
Dr. Gail Berkove, former MWP
president, says Jewish women become
leaders because they are taught to take
action and to give back to the com-
munity. "As a group, we've worked
hard to be inclusive and even have a
few men as members."
Dr. Roberta Toll, legislative liaison
for MPA, works with both the MPA
and MWP to encourage mental
health support in the state. "As pro-
fessional women in the same field,
we gave voice and we're heard by
others, increasing our presence not
only in the psychology association,
but also in public policy and legisla-
tion," says Dr. Toll, another former
MWP president.
In 1990, the state association
changed its bylaws to include a
women's issues committee with full
voting and committee status. That
o several more
was the beginning of
changes recognizing female psychol-
ogists.
ts.
The MWP's male psychologists
join because "this is an organization
for those who want to learn more
about women's issues," says
Greenfield. 7_