EP00 Workshop 03 - Family Violence - Cloe Madanes, Lic. Psychol.

Description:

Ms. Madanes will discuss strategies for working with child abuse and neglect, spouse abuse, adolescent violence, suicide prevention, sexual abuse when the perpetrator is an adult and when the perpetrator is a juvenile, and situations where violence happened many years ago. Step by step methods for preventing future violence will be presented.

Educational Objectives:

1. To identify the central issues when dealing with violence.
2. To name the stages of therapy when dealing with sexual abuse. 

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*

Outline:

Workshop Overview

• Hosted by the Milton H. Erickson Foundation; focus on family violence

• Workshop provides tools, theory, and video examples (including incest cases)

• Emphasizes the global and familial impact of violence

15-Step Method for Preventing Violence Recurrence

• Designed for adolescent sex offenders; 96% success rate (Montgomery County, MD)

• Now applied to incest, child abuse, physical and marital violence

• Highlights spiritual pain for both victim and offender

Initial Steps in Incest Family Therapy

• Full family convened; offense discussed directly

• Offender asked to explain why the act was wrong

• Therapist addresses spiritual pain early in therapy

• Offender acknowledges harm done to victim and self

Family Accountability and Apology Process

• Family expresses sorrow for not protecting the victim

• Offender must kneel and express remorse (not seek forgiveness)

• Family must unanimously agree apology is sincere

• Victim benefits from seeing responsibility acknowledged

Reparation and Rebuilding Family Ties

• Offender performs symbolic or real acts of reparation

• Emphasis on normal life resumption and safe sexual understanding

• Mother’s love restored to both children critical to family healing

Addressing Marital Violence

• Involves extended family, especially male elders

• Extended family sets consequences for future abuse

• Separation and third-party involvement used in severe cases

• Third party at home helps shift relationship dynamics

Ericksonian Intervention: Bank Account Strategy

• Therapist identifies who the husband despises most (e.g., mother-in-law)

• Joint bank account is created; money forfeited if violence recurs

• Designed to make violence socially and financially costly

Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect

• Method applied to physical abuse and neglect

• Avoid lecturing; raise self-esteem instead

• Use family/community supports like suicide watch and family watch

Suicide Watch and Family Involvement

• Suicide watch: family watches the person 24/7

• Use family of origin (not spouse) for married individuals

• Family watch assigns roles to extended family and community

• Godparents appointed to support children in overwhelmed families

Coaching and Working with Protective Services

• Coaching helps parents/adolescents relate better

• Goal with CPS: disengage by proving good parenting

• Therapists should help families create and follow a clear plan

• Reward systems for parental effort and success are essential