Mental Health/Social Services

Social services organizations, community mental health centers, treatment centers and private practice clinicians provide critical services to domestic abuse victims, however, they are not always reported as being helpful or effective. Victims may switch therapists multiple times before they find a good fit, and doing this can be extremely discouraging for the victim. A clinician or specialist needs to be highly trained when counseling the domestic abuse victim population. Furthermore, the clinician or specialist must not project their own agenda onto the victim, particularly when she is not psychologically ready. In addition, the clinician needs to allow the victim to process their story in its entirety and know when to empathetically challenge problematic beliefs or cognitive distortions held by the victim. Not every victim utilized services such as shelters or came in contact with their child’s therapist, therefore victims’ experiences ranged widely. Mental health providers need strategic and specialized training to eliminate passive, soft-spoken, “yes ma’am,” responses to victims’ experiences in sessions. For victims, methods like bibliotherapy, reading and participating in online, support groups were deemed extremely effective.