Special Considerations and Essential Resources for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
I'm thrilled to contribute to the Counselor Brief on Resources and Strategies for Supporting Clients Facing Domestic Violence and share insights from my work with survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Supporting IPV survivors is a complex and delicate process, and Iām grateful for the opportunity to highlight key strategies that can help counselors provide informed and compassionate care.
The following is my piece:
Working with survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) is unique and complex. It's difficult to identify an abusive relationship if people aren't aware of the different forms of abuse. These behaviors are often subtle and can escalate over time.
In my clinical work, what's unique about working with IPV survivors is the type of psychoeducation provided, the difficulty of sustaining opposing feelings, and helping them recognize unhealthy patterns in their past connections. Many clients that I've worked with only recognized physical or sexual assault as legitimate forms of abuse. However, maltreatment comes in multiple forms including emotional, financial, isolation, coercion, among other types. For that reason, I review the wheel of power and control as psychoeducation. Another aspect that complicates the therapeutic process is holding both loving and difficult emotions toward the perpetrator. For many clients, having conflicting feelings is confusing. Others internalize this and find faults within themselves. Feelings of guilt, shame, or grief are not uncommon. For clients no longer in abusive relationships, I have them identify unhealthy behaviors, explore their values, and establish boundaries. For clients within abusive connections, safety planning and connecting them to community resources is crucial.
As a therapist, I would steer away from having any expectations from the clients. Working with survivors of IPV can be complicated, because sometimes they may return to the perpetrator, which can be difficult for a clinician to comprehend. For that reason, my advice is to meet a client where they are. We can create a healing space and provide information, but ultimately the choice to leave or stay belongs to the client. Regarding resources, I'd recommend connecting them with wrap-around services where housing, employment, financial assistance, case managers, and community programs are available. Leaving a perpetrator is destabilizing and even more complex when children and pets are involved. For that reason, connecting them to comprehensive services is essential to help them thrive in the next chapter of their lives.
