Where there is Violence

programs

that support the services for families where there is violence are:

• Being a Dad
• Making Choices —dealing with anger in relationships
• Positive Parenting —positive communication and other parenting techniques
• Challenge of Disciplining your Children
• Ideas for Parenting Teens —how to effectively communicate & set boundaries with your teenager
• Parents not Partners —for separated parents in conflict over parenting issues
• Building Connections —helping separated parents have strong healthy relationships with their children
• Self-esteem and Communication
• Re-building —after separation or divorce

All these programs are run as either individual programs or in groups depending upon the circumstances and personality of the client concerned; and may be taken in conjunction with the other services or as stand-alone relationship skills courses.

All families have conflict, but in families where there is violence, everyone hurts: the victim, the aggressor and the children who live with constant tension and fear of what is going to happen next. In these families, the violence often stems from —or is aggravated by— the pressures of financial worries, unemployment or having no close friends or extended family to whom they can turn. And in some of these families, trauma passed through many generations is another pressure. Mental illness is sometimes involved. And the use of alcohol or other drugs turns the situation from bad to frightful.

Families where there is violence need someone who can help everyone in the family learn to manage strong emotions and deal with conflict in a healthy and positive way.

At Interrelate, a Case Manager is appointed to carefully assess the level of violence involved and to look after the family so that each person is safe and assisted in the way that works best for him or her.

personal counselling

someone for people to talk to about:

• living with the burden of keeping family violence a secret for so long
• feelings of loneliness, fear, shame or rage
• being in a family that is isolated with no support
• feeling that there is no way out
• the problems that seem to trigger the violence
• being a victim of violence and abuse, and the irrational feelings of shame that it causes
• other shameful secrets
• the fact that the only time the pain or the problems seem to ease is after a few drinks
• their fear of talking about personal problems to a stranger

family counselling

to help men, women and children communicate to each other:

• about what's important to them
• so they can better listen to and understand their partner, other family members or children
• about changes they want to make—in themselves or in the way they live
• what they need to be able to make life better for themselves and the whole family
• to heal their hurt feelings and re-build trust so they can solve their own problems

family dispute resolution

to help families manage conflict constructively so that they can:

• treat conflicting needs as problems to be solved
• learn to brainstorm solutions to problems and identify a solution that works for everyone
• help each other communicate more clearly
• recognise what they agree on and learn to work out what it is that they all want that is the same
• learn to talk to each other in a way that is respectful (including to the children) even if everyone has different views
• talk together to set family-based goals that help each family member experience progress and empowerment
• express how they feel without making other people wrong for how they feel or behave

Please contact Interrelate at 1300 736 966 for your nearest centre