Certificate in Working with Survivors of Abuse

Working with Survivors of Abuse

We now offer four individual, ongoing modules under the subject of
Survivors of Abuse. Each will run 10am-5pm Saturday & 10am-4.30pm
Sunday.

Weekend I: Understanding Abuse and Healing Tasks
This intensive skills based weekend encourages and enhances
therapeutic competence in working with adult survivors of abuse. The
weekend addresses childhood abuse and the consequences such as
life scripts, self-harm, shame, blame and guilt.
Participants will have the opportunity to develop a variety of strategies
through the experience of role-play with an actor.

Weekend II: Rage and Anger
This weekend training encourages a deeper understanding of the
difference between rage and anger. Often survivors of childhood
abuse have internalised their angry feelings and these feelings will
manifest in many different ways. The workshop will demonstrate how to
support clients in managing their feelings appropriately. It also intends
to offer information and tools to support practitioners and the clients
they work with in understanding grief, depression and self-blame, and
look at how and why these are common and familiar expressions of
rage and anger.

Weekend III: Understanding the Abuser This workshop aims to inform participants in an understanding of abusers and why they abuse. Studies have shown that healing and recovery for a survivor of childhood abuse is most benefited from the provision of information about sexual abuse. Therefore, this training weekend is intended to provide as much information and exploration of the effects of the abuser on the survivor, from an emotional, mental and behavioural standpoint. During this weekend we will also look at confrontation and the possible legal aspects. On Saturday, a member of the Police Child Protection team will present a lecture lasting
approximately 2 hours, looking at the legal aspect of Abuse Survivors
wanting to prosecute.

Weekend IV: Intimacy & Sexuality
For many survivors of abuse, the issue of emotional physical contact,
intimacy and sexuality often present as a difficulty in adult functioning.
During this weekend, we will explore these difficulties and gain a
deeper understanding of the function of these sexual and emotional
fears. For a client to be able to ‘let go' of negative self-image and
begin to take back their sexual selves, they will need to understand the
meaning of their defences. Indeed, it is by identifying, understanding
and honouring defences, that clients can become able to make an
informed choice in beginning the process of letting go.