Offers practical answers to extraordinarily complex questions raised by abuse. Provides a checklist of warning signs of domestic abuse.

In this practical, eye-opening book, author Alan Kemp uses an ecological approach to examine the widespread social problem of family maltreatment. By examining the complex relationships that exist on a macro, meso, and micro level, students will be better prepared to make a difference in a world confronted by this colossal and disheartening social problem and to answer the following questions: "Why does family maltreatment occur?," "What do its victims experience?," "How do they recover?," "What can we do to help them?," "How can we understand the perpetrators?," and "How might we reduce or prevent family abuse?"

"Providing practical tools and exercises, counselor Darby Strickland shows how anyone can recognize clues suggesting abuse, identify oppressive behavior, and work with a victim to bring clarity, help, and healing"--

"The collected case examples are noteworthy in their diversity of presenting issue, treatment format, and outcome. As a whole, they underline our continued need to conduct assessments with clients prior to initiating treatment, to direct treatment toward identified client-related problems (in essence, meeting clients where they are), and to collect data that speaks to the effectiveness of our interventions in many settings and with many types of clients." -Jennifer Langhinrichsen-Rohling, PhD, Professor of Psychology, University of South Alabama Shows how to successfully conduct family interventions using case studies Includes male-perpetrated, female-perpetrated, and mutual violence scenarios Presents a variety of theoretical orientations Includes discussion questions after each case study This casebook showcases a wide variety of couples and families whose domestic violence cases vary in their composition, ethnic and socioeconomic status, and mental health issues. The case authors outline different therapeutic approaches for each case, including cognitive-behavioral, family systems, feminist, problem-solving, and many others. Each account includes a thorough description of the assessment procedure, treatment goals and reasons for selecting a particular approach and an account of the course of treatment. The book is primarily intended for mental health professionals and graduate students in the fields of family therapy, counseling, and family violence; but will also be of value to anyone in the field of family violence and those concerned with domestic violence public policy, prevention, and intervention.

Rich in scholarly references and case materials, Family Violence in the United States: Defining, Understanding, and Combating Abuse, Second Edition by Denise A. Hines and Kathleen Malley-Morrison is a thought-provoking book that encourages students to question assumptions, evaluate information, formulate hypotheses, and design solutions to problems of family violence in the United States. Using an ecological framework, the authors provide an informative discussion of not only of the most well-recognized forms of maltreatment in families, but also of less understood and more controversial issues such as husband abuse, parent abuse, and gay/lesbian abuse. It reviews and evaluates major efforts at intervention and prevention.

Counselling Survivors of Domestic Abuse explains how counsellors can facilitate recovery from domestic abuse within a secure, supportive therapeutic relationship. There has been growing awareness in recent years of the impact and consequences of domestic abuse, especially the relationship between domestic abuse and mental health. To appreciate the nature of trauma caused by domestic abuse, professionals need to understand its complex nature and the psychobiological impact of repeated exposure to control and terror. This book examines the therapeutic techniques and specific challenges, such as secondary traumatic stress, faced by professionals when working with survivors of domestic abuse. The author stresses the importance of identifying domestic abuse so that it can be addressed in the therapeutic process to aid recovery, and explores issues such as safety and protection, the long-term effects of abuse and the importance of grieving to the restoration of hope. This book is essential reading for counsellors, therapists, social workers, mental health professionals, health care professionals including GPs and midwives, managers of refuges, legal professionals and all those working with survivors of domestic abuse.

When domestic abuse and children are involved, divorce and custody can be the epitome of high stakes conflict where, often, the named perpetrator of a child abuses gains custody. This book helps laypeople, mental health professionals, and attorneys navigate the judicial process so that decisions are truly made in the best interest of children.