Batterer intervention providers, anger management counselors, mental health professionals, and research scholars dedicated to evidence-based practice worldwide.
The Mindful Workbook for WomenFacilitator Guide is the clinician’s companion for the Mindful Workbook for WomenParticipant Workbook. This manual provides facilitators with all the tools essential for running an effective domestic abuse intervention program, from intake documents to chapter overviews and implementation strategies. Section I gives the operational guidelines and teaching aids by chapter to help facilitators utilize the material effectively. Section II is the complete Participant Workbook with correlating page numbers, plus added facilitator notes printed in SignPainter font. The Appendix provides reproducible enrollment forms, intake documents, a clinical interview outline, and an example assessment evaluation.
Mindful Workbook for Women is a trauma-informed psychoeducational treatment program utilizing interventions from cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, solution-focused therapy, and mindfulness. Due to the complexity and diversity of the population served, Mindful Workbook for Women incorporates a broad range of tools and modalities rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
The EMAP Facilitator Guideis the clinician’s companion for the EMAPParticipant Workbook. This manual provides facilitators with all the tools essential for running an effective domestic abuse intervention program, from intake documents to chapter overviews and implementation strategies. Section I gives the operational guidelines and teaching aids by chapter to help facilitators utilize the material effectively. Section II is the complete Participant Workbook with correlating page numbers, plus added facilitator notes printed in SignPainter font. The Appendix provides reproducible enrollment forms, intake documents, a clinical interview outline, and an example assessment evaluation.
EMAP is a trauma-informed psychoeducational treatment program utilizing interventions from cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, solution-focused therapy, and mindfulness. Due to the complexity and diversity of the population served, EMAP incorporates a broad range of tools and modalities rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
In early 2017, Assembly Bill 372 was introduced in California to explore the use of alternative batterer intervention programming (BIPs). Under current law, the court is required to order a 52-week BIP for persons who meet the sentencing mandates for specified domestic violence crimes (FC 6211/ PC 1203.097). The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) oversees the pilot project of six participating counties. The counties are provided the flexibility to modify the 52-week requirement to a lesser time, based on a risk and needs assessment. All counties chose the Ontario Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment (ODARA), but general risk assessments varied among the counties with four different tools used to measure general recidivism.
The pilot project was introduced into law (PC 1203.099) in July 2019 with a sunset date of July 1, 2022 (although the deadline was extended for another year due to pandemic restrictions). Under the new code, the BIP’s were to have components which are evidence-based or promising practices and had to use manualized curriculum. Four curriculums were chosen to meet this requirement. The counties were required to collect offender demographic information, criminal history, risk and needs assessment levels and whether the offender completed the program as well as recidivism six months after completion. All information was to be submitted annually to the Legislature (CSAC) for further analysis.
The second-year report reflected enhanced data collection and some recidivism reports. At this point many of the counties had returned to full programming after pandemic restrictions, so future reports should be more uniform in data collection.
While this pilot project has been underway, the California Auditor’s Office (CAO) conducted a review of five other counties, not connected to the AB372 Pilot Project. In California, the county probation departments are tasked with the certification and compliance review of the BIP’s in their counties. The auditor’s report was released in October 2022 and found that the probation departments they evaluated were found to “not adequately hold offenders accountable to the conditions of their probation, including that they complete the required batterer intervention program”. Various recommendations were submitted by the CAO, including the transfer of the certification/review process to the Department of Justice instead of the county probation departments. https://www.auditor.ca.gov/pdfs/factsheets/2021-113.pdf
Third Front-CPOC
Fortunately, during the past six years, the California Probation Chief’s Association (CPOC) training division and Advisory Committee has been developing and providing domestic violence specific trainings to address the various issues facing county probation officers who supervise domestic violence offenders. In 2020, during the pandemic, they offered a newly designed 2-day DV Core training for officers assigned to DV caseloads. The course was offered virtually twice yearly (2020, 2021, 2022 Spring) and in the Fall of 2022, it was finally offered in-person. The officers have given the course high marks for providing the training they need to competently supervise DV offenders, work effectively with victims, and understand the role of BIP’s in a coordinated community response model.
Concurrently, the newly designed “BIP Best Practices” course was offered twice in the Fall of 2022 to resoundingly positive reviews by officers! The timeliness and necessity of this training was confirmed by the October Auditor’s report and CPOC hopes to expand it’s offerings of this training in the coming year.
Final Thoughts
While still a work in progress, overall, California is working to reduce the levels of intimate partner violence thru more research-based supervision efforts and requiring BIP’s to use evidence-based materials and promising practices. With targeted data collection, and increased trainings, it is anticipated that California will see more positive impact from effective batterer intervention programs over the next few years.
Someone sent me a 15-minute video depicting part of a men’s perpetrator group meeting. It’s one of the better videos I’ve seen, in terms of both the production values and how well it represents a typical group session. The men, I think, do a good job of supporting one another but also challenging one another, and they are treated with respect by the group facilitator. Your impressions?
Previously titled, Emotionally Intelligent Batterer Intervention, EMAP is a comprehensive, trauma-informed treatment program for intimate partner violence. With a strong emphasis on compassion, curiosity, and accountability, EMAP promotes self-acceptance, mindfulness skills, and impulse control. This participant workbook can be adapted for all levels of care, from 24 to 52 week programs. For female group treatment, use Mindful Workbook for Women, and anger management group treatment, use Emotionally Intelligent Anger Management. For more information on program implementation and bulk purchase orders, go to facebook.com/treatment.program/
Mindful Workbook for Women is an acceptance-based, cognitive behavioral participant workbook adapted from the Emotionally Intelligent Batterer Intervention program. This comprehensive treatment manual is also a self-help guide for high-conflict couples. Research shows that shame is highly correlated with domestic violence. Many individuals enter treatment overwhelmed and defeated by shame. With a strong emphasis on compassion, curiosity, and accountability, Mindful Workbook for Women teaches self-acceptance, empathy, and impulse control. Accountability is a tool used to strengthen self-esteem and regulate emotions. Given that the vast majority of domestic abusers suffer from a history of trauma, Mindful Workbook for Women is a trauma-informed treatment program. Participants learn to identify and override harmful thinking patterns while healing old wounds. Individuals become vulnerable, transparent, and authentic as they develop an internal locus of control through powerful cognitive restructuring techniques. Readers express feeling grounded and empowered as they learn to slow down through mindfulness training. Mindful Workbook for Women promotes healthy boundaries, assertiveness skills, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, empathy, and responsible parenting throughout the program.This workbook can be adapted for domestic violence treatment programs ranging in length from 16 to 48 weeks. For male or co-ed groups please see Emotionally Intelligent Batterer Intervention. For more information on program implementation visit facebook.com/treatment.program/
Emotionally Intelligent Batterer Intervention is a comprehensive participant workbook for domestic violence groups. This cognitive behavioral treatment manual is also a self-help guide for high-conflict couples. Research shows that shame is highly correlated with domestic violence. Many individuals enter treatment overwhelmed and defeated by shame. With a strong emphasis on compassion, curiosity, and accountability, Emotionally Intelligent Batterer Intervention teaches self-acceptance, empathy, and impulse control. Accountability is a tool used to strengthen self-esteem and regulate emotions. Given that the vast majority of domestic abusers suffer from a history of trauma, Emotionally Intelligent Batterer Intervention is a trauma-informed treatment program. Participants learn to identify and override harmful thinking patterns while healing old wounds. Individuals become vulnerable, transparent, and authentic as they develop an internal locus of control through powerful cognitive restructuring techniques. Readers express feeling grounded and empowered as they learn to slow down through mindfulness training. Emotionally Intelligent Batterer Intervention promotes healthy boundaries, assertiveness skills, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, empathy, and responsible parenting throughout the program. Emotionally Intelligent Batterer Intervention exceeds the standard level of care for domestic violence treatment programs ranging from 16 to 52 weeks in length. For more information on program implementation visit facebook.com/treatment.program/
The evidence-based Alternative Behavior Choices group curriculum is appropriate for both voluntary and court-mandated individuals, and meets the requirements of California PC 1203.097 for batterer intervention programs. The curriculum can easily be adapted to a 16-week or 32-week format. Topics include: The nature of violence, emotional management, gender roles, socialization, power and control, the impact of domestic violence on children, and communication and conflict resolution skills.
Achieving Change through Value-Based Behavior (ACTV) seeks to reduce offender recidivism and domestic violence re-offenses while helping participants use respectful, adaptive and healthy behaviors in their relationships. ACTV is a 24 week program for men or women who have been court mandated to complete a Batterers Education Program following a domestic violence conviction. Each group session takes 90 minutes.
Begun in 2010, this program was adapted from an evidence-based behavior therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999). My dissertation served as pilot data (see Zarling, Lawrence, and Marchman, 2015). The curriculum was designed in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Corrections and District Departments of Correctional Services. The program guides participants in behavior change using the principles of ACT, and includes learning skills such as defining their own personal values, becoming aware of their emotions and thoughts, noticing the consequences of their behavior, and learning new ways to respond to emotions and thoughts. The facilitators work with the members in a collaborative and compassionate manner, modeling the supportive respective behavior they are trying to teach. They do not offer advice, engage in problem-solving or provide extensive direct instruction. Instead they help group members come to realizations on their own and develop intrinsic motivations to change. These new skills are taught through metaphors and in-session experiential exercises. Session content focuses on five categories: The Big Picture, Barriers to Change, Emotion Regulation Skills, Cognitive Skills and Behavioral Skills.
I conducted an evaluation of 3,696 men arrested for domestic assault in Iowa who were court-mandated to treatment from 2011-2013. This analysis showed that participants in ACTV had half the recidivism rates for domestic assault and two-thirds less violent charges than those who participated in treatment as usual (a combination of Duluth and CBT). In addition, ACTV participants who were re-arrested had significantly fewer charges than those in treatment as usual. The results held for both people who completed the ACTV program and those who left before completion. Anecdotal evidence also shows increased job satisfaction for facilitators as well.
Initial funding for the program came from a Violence Against Women Act grant from the Iowa Judicial Branch. Currently ACTV is funded through state appropriations. Additional funding sources are being sought for quality improvement and further evaluation.
Zarling, A., Lawrence, E., & Marchman, J. (2015). A randomized controlled trial of acceptance and commitment therapy for aggressive behavior. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 83(1), 199.
For more information, email me at azarling@iastate.edu
It used to be that, when we trained mental health professionals, probation officers, victims’ programs, attorneys, and correctional officers all over the world, we had to convince people there was such a thing as female domestic violence.
But over the past decade, the landscape has shifted—and instead we hear pleas everywhere for a quality treatment program for women who abuse that is specifically targeted to women’s issues.
So, after years of pilot group testing, integrating rapidly emerging new research trends, and borrowing from the tremendous success of “The STOP Program for Men” (now in its Third Edition, published by Norton in 2013), this new treatment program was hatched: “The STOP Program: For Women Who Abuse” (Norton, 2016), focusing on innovative strategies for women who abuse their partners.
Like the men’s manual, this new program integrates contemporary interventions and client-centered guidelines to successfully treat domestic violence offenders—who happen to be female.
This program is timed to address the rapidly increasing awareness of female domestic violence and need for quality treatment services. Developed and field-tested for over twenty-five years among military and civilian populations internationally, this program offers therapists, social workers, and other counselors a new level of sound, psychologically-based interventions that actually reach the very women who often seem so unapproachable in a treatment setting.
Presented in a 26-week or 52-week psychoeducational format, “The STOP Program: For Women Who Abuse” is packed with updated skills, training exercises, articles, video clips, handouts, homework, and other resources–that push participants to examine the complex roles of trauma, emotional dysregulation, self-esteem deficits, and history of personal victimization in their relationship problems. And the program gives them new tools to manage these unique issues.
This manual includes many of the same sessions as the original STOP Program for men, with appropriate changes in pronouns, vignettes, and examples. We also have developed and integrated new material specifically dealing with issues that contemporary research and our clinical experience indicate are especially relevant for female offenders: victimization (and rationalization) issues, assertiveness vs. aggression issues, shame, grief and loss, parenting and co-parenting, boundary violations, emotional self-management and dysregulation issues, jealousy, self-esteem issues, gender rules and gender roles, and need for social support.
We are offering training workshops in this new model throughout the world. COME JOIN US IN OCT 2016 FOR THE TWO-DAY “STOP PROGRAM: FOR WOMEN WHO ABUSE” CONFERENCE IN SAN DIEGO. For more info, go to www.RTIprojects.org
And if any of you are doing similar work, please let us know so we can all share and learn.
