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Abuse Services
Domestic Abuse Treatment Program Philosophy
FYI
. . .
Some of the Minnesota
Guidlines for court-ordered domestic abuse
treatment:
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24 sessions or 36 hours of group treatment is standard,
unless probation officers recommend otherwise, or group
treatment is deemed to be inappropriate.
•
Every program must conduct an individual intake session.
•
Programs must collaborate with victims and court services
to hold offenders accountable for their behavior.
• Marriage, couple, or family counseling is not appropriate
until an abuser completes court-ordered treatment, or until
all violence, intimidation, and coercion end and the victim
feels safe to participate. |
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Domestic abuse . . .
. . .is a learned behavior. It is at the same time a legal, social, moral and
mental health problem. It occurs across all ages, incomes, educational levels,
religious affiliations, and cultural backgrounds.
Abusers have learned to use violence or the threat of violence in order to
establish and maintain control over others. In spite of the fact that assaultive
behavior
is illegal, our society in significant ways endorses the use of aggression to
resolve conflicts. Historically, our culture has also encouraged men to believe
that they are superior to women and entitled to power and control over them.
More recently, there has been increasing social acceptance or encouragement for
women to behave aggressively.
On an individual level, men and women may also have developed unhealthy attitudes
that are expressed in their behavior, sense of self, and ways of coping with
life. When they feel vulnerable or powerless, they may act out to defend against
these feelings or exploit others who seem like easy targets. In either case,
they lack the skills to deal with stress and conflict in healthy ways. These
skills can be learned.
Treatment . . .
Group treatment is the core of our therapeutic programming.
In these groups, men and women learn to take full responsibility
for their own behavior, and to develop a greater sense of empathy
and compassion for others. This happens as they share the details
of their aggression with their group and explore the effects of
their behavior on others. They are challenged to look hard at problems
in their family of origin that contributed to their attitudes and
behavior, and to evaluate the impact
of domestic abuse on their children.
Groups are staffed by licensed therapists, small enough to allow
for individual attention, large enough for good group process.
Sessions include lecture, group discussion. role-play, videotape
materials, and homework assignments. Because these are therapy
groups, clinical staff have the skills and resources to individualize
treatment as necessary. This may involve individual treatment,
couples or family work, or referral to other mental health resources.
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