Interventions After Domestic / Sexual Violence
Help in difficult situations
Domestic Violence
Challenging family dynamics with external pressures such as conflicts, financial pressure, mental health difficulties and/or a previous psychological stress on one or both parents can sadly result in violence in families. This can occur between partners and/or towards children. If you yourself have been violent as a parent, do not trivialize it and get help as soon as possible.
We know that this is not easy but we know that if you do, it will only help you and those around you. Part of our work will include measures with experts in child safety to protect all involved. It is crucial to protect children and parents from further domestic violence and to help treat the psychological consequences. The sooner you report it, the more easily help is available.
Domestic violence can also occur between siblings and it is important to recognize this and intervene at an early stage.
Treatment of the Child/Children & Systemic Intervention
When domestic violence has occurred, the child affected should be assessed to see what impact the violence has had on them psychologically. Domestic violence can lead to trauma-related disorders and have a profound impact on children's emotional health. Very young children, even at the non-verbal stage are also affected and burdened by domestic violence. Any child who is exposed to violence, of any sort, should be given the space and time to explore how it has affected them. Therapeutic support for children after domestic violence is therefore useful (even for young children, where the intervention usually takes place with the close involvement of non-trauma-causing caregivers).
The affected parents should also be offered appropriate help (which should be tailored to the specific family constellation). As part of our initial assessment, we work with you to develop options for further action. Where possible, we also always work with the parent who caused the trauma.
Sexual Violence / Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse of the child may have occurred or there may be a suspicion on the part of a parent regarding possible sexual abuse of the child.
We offer psychotherapy for the affected child and accompanying counselling for the parents.
If no criminal proceedings have been initiated or they have been discontinued and there is still suspicion of sexual abuse, we offer a systemic approach to jointly find a child-centered solution to prevent any future violation of boundaries by any person towards the child.
Approaches used include resolving the conflict using the «Ways out of the dead end» («Wege aus der Sackgasse») model by Pfister-Wiederkehr.
Sexual violence can be perpetrated by siblings or other children/adolescents. It is important that this is recognized and treated with the seriousness it deserves.
Contact with the Trauma-Causing Parent
When there is stress or trauma being experienced in the child’s current home environment, contact between the child/adolescent and the parent causing the trauma has to be asked. We are able to advise you on how to proceed based on both the legal psychology as well as the child and adolescent psychology findings and to support you in this process. In such cases ideally we would request to work with both parents.
We recently published our recommendations when supporting trauma in primary social environments in collaboration with Dr. Herzig.
Coaching for Professionals
We also offer coaching to professionals who are confronted with any form of abuse in their professional context. These include teachers, school social workers or social educators.
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