Jan Cooper

Working systemically with family violence: risk, responsibility and collaboration

In this article we describe a project which aims to ensure prevention and continued protection from violence for family members. We outline our theoretical approach to assessment and working with violence in family relationships and the associated ethical problems. We identify three recurrent themes: risk, collaboration, and responsibility. We focus on our work with couples, where the man is violent towards the woman. Within this discussion we identify other important clinical issues.

Setting Up a Domestic Violence Service

BACKGROUND This paper describes some of the issues we confronted and resolved in setting up an independent dedicated domestic violence service. METHOD In our project we work with violent behaviour that is known or suspected in the contexts of both assessment and therapy. We describe our policy on domestic violence, including confidentiality, our reflecting practices, our relationships with referrers as a means of managing the risk of violence, and the assessment and evaluation procedures we use for the assessment of risk of violence. We include some discussion of the effects of domestic violence on children and the effects of doing this work on ourselves. CONCLUSIONS We conclude by discussing the moral issues involved for us as therapists in doing this work, the impact of the legal frame within which we work, and some of the social and psychological theories we find helpful in understanding the causes and effects of violent behaviour in the family.

Supervision and Consultation with Practitioners Who Intervene with Families and Trauma

Working with children and families who have been traumatised by violence and abuse is demanding and complex and supervision is critical for professionals working in the field. In this chapter, the importance of a trusting supervisory alliance, which is based on safety, will be highlighted. Developing a sound formulation, which is theoretically sound will be given prime importance and ways of supporting, helping and caring for clinicians will be discussed. Various dilemmas and ethical issues that clinicians who work in this field have to face will also be explored. The self-care of the supervisor will be prioritised.

Helping Couples Separate Safely: Working Towards Safe Separations

When the physical violence stops, we often find that is when the couple contemplate a separation. It is as if they live under conditions of chronic crisis during the times, if not years, when violence was prevalent, and accordingly manage and cope on a day-to-day basis as best they can, and often dare not risk reflection on their options. Sometimes such reflection can be dangerous.

How to Help Stop the Violence: Using a Safety Methodology Across the Life Span

This chapter outlines a systemic safety methodology for safe relationship therapy with couples, parents and families where physical violence is of concern. A step-by-step guide is offered here for the first time in publication. This systemic approach to safety in family relationships was developed over 20 years in the Reading, UK, ‘Safer Families’ family violence intervention service and is grounded in relevant theory and research.

Living with Violence in the Family: Retrospective Recall of Women’s Childhood Experiences

This chapter looks at some key clinical themes that may arise when working with families where intimate partner violence has stopped or when working with clients who have grown up in families where there was domestic violence. Clinicians may also find these themes relevant during the course of therapy with other clients, who might initially be present to therapy with difficulties other than experiences of domestic violence.

Healing and Repair in Relationships: Working Therapeutically with Couples

This chapter is concerned with healing and repair in couple relationships—helping couples to reconnect and re-bond, if that is their wish, after the physical violence has stopped.

Prevention and Early Intervention with Violence and Abuse in Families

This chapter is about the prevention of intimate partner violence and child abuse that take place inside the home. It starts by providing a theoretical framework for understanding the processes at play when there is abuse in the family. The current legal frameworks that are in place and the strategic policies, including examples of good practice and evidence-based policies aimed to prevent violence and abuse between family members, are then reviewed.

Working Systemically with Parents, Children and Adult Survivors When the Abuse Stops

Many parents feel very distressed when experiencing serious difficulties with their children and come forward to ask for help themselves, while others are referred to clinicians for help by child protection services. Therapeutic work with families whose children are placed in out-of-home care is often about repair and healing following maltreatment. Many others, who would have been abused as children, consult with a therapist when they become adults. This chapter is about therapeutic work with families when the violence from parent to child stops. It also touches on violence from child to parent and on violence between siblings. How do we go about helping parents and their children in such difficult situations once the violence stops?

Working in the Territory: Therapists’ Experiences of Working with Violent Behaviour in Couples and Families

Compassion fatigue and secondary traumatisation (Figley 2002) are well recognised to be risks in our work so the question of looking after ourselves in the best way to sustain ourselves over professional time has become more urgent.