(Due to circumstances beyond the presenter's control, she was unable to present at the conference. Her summary is
provided in case others might like to contact her for further information.)
Jennifer Duque, MA, LCPC
Crisis Center for South Suburbia
7700 Timber Drive
Tinley Park, IL 60477
Domestic violence counseling is a very specialized type of counseling that requires additional training for counselors.
During this presentation, a discussion will take place regarding the fundamental issues that need to be addressed with
domestic violence victims as well as well as intervention strategies when working with domestic violence clients. This
presentation will also focus on the effects of domestic violence on children.
Domestic violence counselors need to have a full understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence and how those
dynamics effect victims. Counselors need to know what domestic violence is; they need to know about the various types of
abuse, why victims stay in a relationship, the cycle of violence, power and control issues, and most importantly, safety.
Without a full understanding of this information, it is impossible for counselors to be empathic and truly see the point of
view of their client. Furthermore, a crucial aspect of domestic violence counseling is to be able to educate your clients on
the dynamics of abuse. Helping your clients understand the dynamics of abuse breaks down the isolation that they so often
feel and helps them to realize that being abused it not their fault.
Domestic violence counseling is looked at largely in part as an opportunity to provide options and information. A first
session with a domestic violence victim may be the only session that you will ever have with that client. So it is very
important to review a client's options with them. Many times in domestic violence relationships, victims are so isolated
that they are unaware of the options available to them. This presentation will discuss in detail what is important for clients
to know during a first session.
Additionally, this presentation will focus on several intervention strategies based on the feminist counseling theory. A discussion will take place on how to work through issues, how to empower clients, how to validate their experiences, and how to review safety with each client.
Finally, a discussion will take place on the effects of domestic violence on children. Children are the silent victims of domestic violence. Studies indicate that trained professionals lessen the negative effects of domestic violence if children receive appropriate interventions. It is important to use techniques with these children that not only help them to understand and deal with the violence but to teach empowerment issues.
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