Specialist support for keeping safe
My professional career as an addiction therapist had given me experience of working with many agencies and organisations and the opportunity to support many people who face many types of life problems. I discovered the correlation between family breakdown and a whole range of emotional, psychological and behavioural problems. I specialised within the spectrum of domestic abuse working with men who abuse as part of the Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme and as a therapist working with young and teenage boys who had been affected by violence and trauma. I also trained as a group therapist with survivors of domestic violence and led specialist teams to identify and safeguard people who were at serious risk of being harmed. I believe in prevention and working with families and individuals in a non- shaming humanistic way and most importantly working with the underpinning shame and trauma which needs to be resolved. I am also a trained Independent Domestic Abuse Advocate and have the skills and experience of helping victims obtain protection orders to help staying free from violence and abuse.
applying for d.i.y protection orders for stalking, harrassment and abuse.
Recent changes in Legal Aid means that it is becoming more difficult to get funding for protection orders from court via a solicitor. It is possible for lay people to go to court and apply themselves without having to pay sometimes thousands of pounds.
With the right guidance and support it is possible to stay free from abuse and fear. It is not always necessary to go to refuge and with the right protection you can continue to live in your own home. Stalking and harrassment is also a crime and you don't have to put up with it. I can help guide you through the paperwork and also attend court with you.
Specialist domestic abuse risk assessment and management
Although this service is primarily for organisations working with families and individuals who have or are experiencing domestic abuse we can also work directly with both adult and child survivors of abuse as well as those who are perpetrating abuse.
Intensive support, safety planning and risk assessment is available where there is child protection concerns and evidence shows significant reduction in risk and harm with this model.
child contact and mediation
Post separation can be a tense and difficult time with emotions running high especially when there are changes to child and parental contact. Sometimes the court will decide the frequency and the location of visits which can affect relations and cause further damage.
I specialise in adult and child therapy to help during this difficult and often traumatic time.
I am also trained to do risk assessments for individuals and for agencies and can facilitate child contact handovers and provide mediation.
parenting support where there has been family conflict
We are often preoccupied and hurting post separation and not fully aware of the impact these changes are having on children.
Left unattended children can then develop their own emotional and behavioural problems.
Working directly with parents in supporting their children at an early stage is the most effective way of looking after their continual well being.
We can learn to make the most of a bad situation and redesign our parenting role remembering whatever has happened we can create new happy memories and not lose our role as parents.
Remember separation and divorce is a bereavement and a huge loss and with it a necessary period of working through the stages of grief.