Confronting Abusive Beliefs

"You are a Christian woman, a woman of faith who has been abused by a member of your family ... You may feel abandoned by your church; you may feel abandoned by God. Now more than ever you need your faith and the support of the community of faith to be with you through this crisis. [This book] is written to ... remind you that God is present to you even now and that there are Christians who do understand your pain, your fear, and your doubt. It is written so that we in the Christian community can keep the faith with you during this time of your life. We will not turn away from you; we will not abandon you. We will walk with you as you seek to end the abuse in your life"--Page 4 of cover.

This book examines how religion and related beliefs have varied impacts on the needs and perceptions of practitioners, service users, and the support networks available to them. The authors argue that social workers need to understand these phenomena, so that they can become more confident in challenging discriminatory and oppressive practices. The centrality of religion and associated beliefs in the lives of many is emphasised, as are their potentially liberating (and potentially negative) impacts. In line with the Social Work in Practice series style, the book allows readers to explore issues in depth. It focuses on knowledge transmission, and the encouragement of critical reflection on practice. Each chapter is built around 'real-life' case scenarios using a problem-based learning approach. This book is the first to deal with social work and religion so comprehensively and will therefore be essential reading not only for social work students, but also for practitioners in a range of areas, social work academics and researchers in the UK and beyond.

Aims to provide information on a variety of traditional and breakthrough issues in the complex phenomenon of domestic violence.

"This book harkens a new era of intimate partner violence intervention, one in which we are free to experiment with alternative ways to end intimate partner abuse." -Julia C. Babcock, PhD Professor, University of Houston, TX (From the Foreword) "The book you hold in your hands offers a variety of approaches intended to help abusive men change by utilizing the strengths and assets they already possess." -Chris Huffine, PsyD Clinical Director Allies in Change Counseling Center Portland, OR (From the Foreword) Strengths-based batterer intervention programs serve as a unique approach to intimate partner violence (IPV), building on individual strengths-not deficits-to help IPV offenders end their abusive lifestyles. This book assists counselors in providing IPV offenders with the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to permanently change their offending behavior. The book discusses emerging theories and presents cutting-edge batterer intervention techniques that use positive psychology, such as solution-focused therapy, strengths-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative therapy, and motivational interviewing. Key Features: Chapters are conveniently organized by therapeutic model, each discussing the latest research, core concepts, objectives, and applications Case studies, both real-life and hypothetical, presenting quotes from and dialogues with offenders undergoing treatment Counselor tools, including exercises, questions, and assessment strategies that build on the offenders' strengths and competencies Family violence professionals must recognize the power their clients have to utilize their strengths, skills, talents, desires, and dreams. It is from these strengths that clients will be able to transform themselves into the people they want to be.

Contemporary Feminisms in Social Work Practice explores feminism as core to social work knowledge, practice and ethics. It demonstrates how gender-neutral perspectives and practices obscure gender discourses and power relations. It also shows feminist social work practice can transform areas of social work not specifically concerned with gender, through its emphasis on relationships and power. Within and outside feminism, there is a growing assumption that equality has been won and is readily available to all women. However, women continue to dominate the ranks of the poor in developed and developing countries around the world; male perpetrated violence against women and children has not reduced; women outnumber men by up to three to one in the diagnosis of common mental health problems; and women continue to be severely underrepresented in every realm of power, decision-making and wealth. This worrying context draws attention to the ways gender relations structure most of the problems faced by the women, men and children in the day-to-day worlds in which social work operates. Drawing together key contemporary thinking about feminism and its place in social work, this international collection looks at both core curriculum areas taught in social work programs and a wide range of practice fields that involve key challenges and opportunities for future feminist social work. This book is suitable for all social work students and academics. It examines the nuanced nature of power relationships in the everyday and areas such as working with cross-cultural communities, mental health, interpersonal violence and abuse, homelessness, child protection, ageing, disability and sexuality.

Contributors engage the communication issues associated with violence in families, including interspousal violence and violent parents and children.