Intimate Partner Violence Solution-Focused Trauma Care

The topic examined in this course by Beryl J. Armstrong is the use of solution-focused trauma care for those who have suffered intimate partner violence. First posing the question of why solution-focused therapy should be used for this client issue, Armstrong reviews the cycle of violence and the basic tenets of solution-focused therapy before delving into the assumptions this modality makes about trauma. The nature of the client-helper relationship dictates different therapeutic tasks, which Armstrong explains. She emphasises the importance of safety, and spends considerable time outlining the purpose of and language for a wide range of intervention-types, from pre-session questions to those for when the client isn’t coping. She also reviews the importance of paying tribute, noting how genuine compliments help.