AbstractWe hold many different beliefs and values which are generally shared by the culture we are part of (or families of origin that matter) which are accepted as if they were basic truths, rarely acknowledged, discussed or questioned. This applies to everyone, ourselves as therapists as well as the families with whom we work. This paper considers some aspects of systems theory which can incorporate the wider cultural context with particular reference to developing a gender-sensitive approach in therapy. I will briefly discuss the concept of circularity, power relations and the practical tools of circular questions, reframing and positive connotation