Towards an emancipatory practice: Incorporating feminist pedagogy in the creative arts therapies

• Feminist pedagogy literature is reviewed in the creative arts therapies (CATs).
• Feminist pedagogy shows promise in teaching the CATs.
• Feminist pedagogy can enhance trends regarding social change in CATs.

This article explores the use of feminist pedagogy in higher education and considers how educators in the field of creative arts therapies (CATs) can incorporate this theory. It outlines the emergence of feminist pedagogy as a response to the lack of equity in higher education and explores feminist pedagogy's evolution as part of the grassroots women's movement to promote social change for oppressed groups, as well as the pedagogical shift towards education for the emancipation of oppressed people. Drawing on literature from the creative arts therapies regarding gender issues, race, and social change, this article offers theory about how creative arts therapies can incorporate feminist pedagogy as a foundation for their teaching in higher education. This suggestion has wide implications for revising curriculum and content; teaching strategies; de-programming the pedagogical banking system; and advocating for social change.