Relational-Cultural Theory: A Framework for Relational Competencies and Movement in Group Work With Female Adolescents

Abstract

Relational-cultural theory (RCT) is an evolving feminist model of human development that places emphasis on growth-fostering relationships as building blocks for wellness. This article demonstrates the use of RCT in addressing relational aggression, including cyberbullying, in counseling a group of adolescent girls. The group counselor's facilitation of an RCT curriculum allowed participants to acknowledge and address social stratification within their relational networks and supported their vulnerability in creating growth-fostering connections within, and eventually beyond, the group. The group's transformation indicates the value of RCT in dismantling lateral marginalization by fostering members' mutual empathy and yearning for change.