The time has finally come!
If you listened to my podcast episode a week ago, you would know that I’ve been working on my outline of my Yonic Theory™ for many months now….
Well, I am so excited to announce that I have just self-published my seminal article titled An Introduction to Yonic Theory and the Yonic Model of the Self via my own academic journal, which I have titled The Yonic Journal.
To purchase the full article and to get access to The Yonic Journal, click the link below:
This article would not be possible without the support of my subscribers or my clients. As well as the many women in my life who have supported me. Thank you all for sharing your stories and wisdom with me.
As a special sneak peek, I’ve included the first few pages of my article for my subscribers to read for free. To purchase the full article, visit my journal’s website at www.yonictheory.org and stay tune for more articles to come!
An Introduction to Yonic Theory and the Yonic Model of the Self
Since the very foundation of the field of psychotherapy, from which the disciplines of psychology, counseling, and social work derive, the models of the Self that have been presented and taught as theories have all originated from the male experience. Sigmund Freud (1923), Carl Jung (1969b), Carl Rogers (1961;1980), and even modern theorists like Richard Schwartz (2021) have all drawn on their inner landscape, along with their direct experience working with clients, to construct the foundations of their theories. Perhaps the most transparent theorist regarding his own process of self-actualization, or the progress by which an individual becomes their Self (with a capital S), is Carl Jung, whose Red Book (Shamdasani, 2009) offers a detailed insight into his own journey of individuation. Thus, many mental health professionals are told through their educational training that it was Jung’s decision to separate from his close colleague, Sigmund Freud, that inspired his construction of the Red Book and subsequent theory (Safran & Kriss, 2014).
However, it is interesting to note that, while most theories within the field of psychotherapy can be traced back to affluent men, thereby reflecting those individuals’ worldview and lived experiences, there is a significant gap in the literature when it comes to models of women’s self-actualization. Moreover, the models and methods of healing that center the feminine experience or acknowledge the importance of gender differences (i.e. the masculine and feminine) are often dismissed as ‘woo woo’ or non-scientific (Hamilton, 2021). Moreover, this is a finding I have noted in my own research regarding female counselors’ perceptions of the use of holistic and contemporary healing practices, such as Reiki and Tarot (Robichaux, 2024). My research findings revealed that a common theme among the female counselors I interviewed was that they felt the dismissal of practices within the Western psychological and subsequent medical communities reflected a masculine bias towards the notion of evidence-based theories (Robichaux, 2024).
Thus, this raises the question: what exactly is “evidence-based” and who gets to decide which theories are legitimate and which are considered unscientific? As a feminist scholar and researcher on feminine forms of healing, or modalities of healing that emphasize the importance of balancing both masculine and feminine forms of wisdom. I can directly speak to the numerous ways in which my research has been challenged, dismissed, or mocked by male authority figures within the fields of counseling and psychology. In complete transparency, I have applied for tenured faculty positions, research grants, and submitted dozens of journal articles, many of which have been rejected solely based on my research interests. Therefore, it has become increasingly more apparent to me, during the current political climate in which I write this article, that there is an attempt to directly silence the voices of women. To limit women’s autonomy and freedom, which feminist scholar Merlin Stone (1976) and others (Ehrenreich and English, 2010; Blackie, 2022; Hazard, 2023; Murdock, 2020) have noted, is rooted in a desire to control women, thereby maintaining the system of established male authority or the patriarchy.
Therefore, I posit that it is not by accident that within the field of counseling and psychology, there is no widely accepted model of women’s self-actualization, despite research indicating that women are more likely to seek out mental health services than men (Liddon & McLeod, 2018 and Alanazi et al., 2025). Yet, even among seasoned counseling professionals, it seems odd to me, as a researcher, that we do not pause to ask ourselves why we are not using models specifically designed for women to treat their unique experiences? Perhaps the only model that can come close to encapsulating women’s experiences is that of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, created by Marsha Linehan (1987). Moreover, it is crucial to note that Linehan (1987), who developed her model to treat her own diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder, a disorder that is still disproportionately over-diagnosed in women (Shaw et al., 2005), was transparent that her model which emphasizes mindfulness and balancing what she refers to as the “rational mind” with the “emotional mind,” was heavily inspired by her understanding of Eastern traditions like Buddhism.
Therefore, as a researcher, I must consider whether there is a correlation as opposed to caution here. Is Borderline Personality Disorder really that prevalent among women? Or like the diagnosis of Hysteria, which Sigmund Freud (Freud & Breuer, 1895; Safran & Kriss, 2014; Steer, 2015) used to construct his theory of the Self and the concept of the unconscious, could it be that these diagnoses are actually reflective of a lack of masculine understanding regarding women’s mental health or their lived experiences? Thus, it reveals the inherent bias towards the feminine and women within the field, which, oddly enough, owes a great deal to women from its very construction.
Without the case of Anna O. (whose real name was Bertha Pappenheim) Joseph Breuer’s patient and as Freud’s muse, Freud would not have been able to construct his Psychodynamic Theory (Freud & Breuer, 1895). Without Sabina Spielrein, Jung’s former client, turned student and romantic interest, Jung would not have encountered his anima projection, which led him on his own journey of individuation (i.e., the construction of his Red Book) shortly after the termination of their relationship (Lothane, 2015; 1999). In fact, it seems that the common denominator for many of these male theorists in their construction of their theories is that they are inspired, in part, by the female clients they work with, who act as muses for their own self-actualization process. Carl Rogers had Gloria (1965), and Richard (Dick) Schwartz’s former client, the famous Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, wrote the introduction to his theory book on Internal Family Systems (2021). Therefore, a common denominator among these men is that their own models of self-actualization appear to be heavily influenced by the women they work with, who revealed hidden or unknown information to them regarding the contents of their own Psyches. Thereby, it directly links the concept of the psyche to the feminine…
To read the full article, click on the link below to purchase:
OX
Your Dark Fairy Godmother
Suggested Citation:
Robichaux, M. (2025). An introduction to yonic theory and the yonic model of the self. The Yonic Journal, 1(1), 1-87.