There are some Important Questions that a person should be able to answer in a meaningful way when they are ready to Discharge from DV Treatment.
This exercise is intended to help you figure out what else you need to know about in order to Complete DV Treatment. Please Note: Studying and Completing the attached Worksheet does not mean that you are ready for Discharge. More so, this is an Exercise to help You and Your Treatment Provider determine when you could be ready for Discharge.
There are two Parts. One part is the DV Treatment Progress Assessment (DVTPA). This instrument helps You and Your Treatment Provider get an idea of Your Progress in Treatment.
The second Part of this Process is the Aftercare Plan in which one assesses their current state of being in terms of Healthy Relationships and/or possibility of never again having Domestic Violence in his or her life. Then one makes a plan for how they are going to remain free of DV in the future; as well as remain free of the negative effects of any potential Risk Factors in their lives.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TREATMENT PROGRESS ASSESSMENT (DVTPA):
Some Treatment Progress Assessment Items are as follows:
POSSIBLE CHALLENGES To Successfully Completing DV Treatment: (Have you found that your Treatment Progress has been negatively impacted by any of these (or other) potential challenges?):
- "Not Accountable with community supervision and treatment conditions
- Using alcohol or illicit drugs
- Not maintaining stable employment
- Not maintaining stable living arrangements
- Not Compliant with psychiatric and medical recommendations
- Hostility
- Stalking dynamics/obsession with the victim
- Suicidal/Homicidal"
Competency Areas to Master. (Think about these Competency Areas. Where do you stand within the Context of your Treatment, and in terms of Your Treatment Progress?):
Keep in mind: Someone might believe that Mastering a competency here means he or she does not ever have to visit it again; or does not have anything else to learn about Healthy Relationships or Preventing DV. But that's not necessarily true. Because each new Relationship is going to be different -- Regardless of whether or not it's a Romantic Relationship. A wise person will be revisiting and gaining new insights into ideas like this possibly for the rest of their life.
1. "Actively participates in treatment.
2. Confronts (and/or Supports) others appropriately in group.
3. Commitment to elimination of abusive behavior.
4. Eliminates manipulative behavior.
5. Completes personal change plan drafts and Final Version.
6. Demonstrates and Acknowledges development of empathy for the Victim.
7. Accepts full responsibility for offense and abusive behavior.
*Denial Level (If applicable)
8. Understands pattern of power and control issues.
9. Does not view themselves as the victim.
10. Accepts consequences of abusive behavior.
11. Challenges cognitive distortions.
12. Define types of violence.
13. Identifies & manages personal pattern of violence.
14. Understanding of inter-generational effects of violence.
15. Uses appropriate, respectful & effective communication skills.
16. Offender understands and uses “time-out” & Stop, Breathe & Focus Techniques.
17. Recognizes financial responsibility.
18. Not engaging in any known forms of violence & abuse.
19. Understands distorted view of self, others & relationships.
20. Identifies chronic abusive beliefs about victim and thought patterns that support abusive behavior
21. Uses pro-social community supports.
22. Understands cycle of violence.
23. Positive parenting skills with children. (living with biological children)
24. Demonstrates appropriate interaction with children and partner in a co-parenting or step-parenting situation (Client a step-parent or visiting parent)
25. Understands healthy sexual behaviors & consent."
STRENGTHS: (How are you regarding the following Strengths?):
- "Pro-Social Friends
- Social Activity
- Spirituality
- Happiness
- Creativity
- Fun Time/Hobbies
- Health"
(Davies & Associates)
Another part of this is understanding the basic Principles of Equality in Relationship:
- Trust and Support: Supporting her/his goals in life. Respecting her/his right to her/his own feelings, friends, activities, and opinions.
- Respect: Listening to her/his non-judgmentally. Being emotionally affirming and understanding. Valuing her/his opinions. This term essentially means valuing each others points of views. It means being open to being wrong. It means accepting people as they are. It means not dumping on someone because you're having a bad day. It means being polite and kind always, because being kind to people is not negotiable. It means not dissing people because they're different to you. It means not gossiping about people or spreading lies.
- Negotiation and Fairness: Seeking mutually satisfying resolutions to conflict. Accepting changes. Being willing to compromise.
- Responsible Parenting: Sharing parental responsibilities. Being a positive, nonviolent role model for the children.
- Non-Threatening Behavior: Talking and acting so that she feels safe and comfortable expressing her/his-self and doing things.
- Shared Responsibility: Mutually agreeing on a fair distribution of work. Making family decisions together.
- Economic Partnership: Making money decisions together. Making sure both partners benefit from financial arrangements.
- Honesty and Accountability: Accepting responsibility for self. Acknowledging past use of violence. Admitting being wrong. Communicating openly and truthfully.
The Third Part of this process if keeping an Ongoing Personal Change Plan:
- Am I ready to Make Changes in my mind that would allow for me agreeing to this? I hereby commit to eliminate abusive behavior; which includes the use of physical intimidation or violence, coercion, emotional, verbal or economic abuse, or psychological cruelty toward my spouse, partner and/or children. If I do behave abusively in the future, I consider it my responsibility to report the behaviors honestly to my friends, relatives, probation officer or other interested party who will hold me accountable.
- Am I ready to Make Changes and Make Room for this? The way I am going to prevent abusive behavior of any kind is by:
- Am I ready to Make Changes and Make Room for this? The way I am going to change my thinking so my thoughts and behaviors will be healthy is by:
- Am I ready to Make Changes and Make Room for this? If I realize I am in danger of becoming abusive I will do the following:
The Fourth Part of this Process is Aftercare Planning:
AFTERCARE PLANNING is the act of Planning for how one will care for himself or herself after Treatment is completed so as to never again commit DV-Type Behaviors and therefore never again end up with a DV-related Charge. Hence, the overall question is: Have you developed an Aftercare Plan that could help you do the following:
A. Continue to be fully Accountable your previous DV Offense?
B. Continue to heal from your previous DV Offense? and
C. Continue to make changes to your life that will help you better prevent DV-Type Behaviors and Offenses in the future?
Here, take a look at the following questions and think about how you might answer them:
(Questions to consider as you move along successfully include)
1. "What effect has this domestic violence offender treatment program had on your life?
2. What changes have you noticed about yourself, you relationship, your lifestyle, or your attitude from when you first started treatment until now?
3. What did you learn about the cycle of violence?
4. What are the consequences of violence?
5. How do you communicate with your partner and express your feelings?
6. Describe the steps you use when taking a “time out”?
7. What do you take responsibility for in your specific domestic violence incident?
8. What are you major goals in your personal relationships? (3 or more)
9. What have you done to make amends to the victim?
10. What are options you have to acting out violently? (activities, exercise, meditation, etc.)
11. Who are the people that you rely on to help you understand your thoughts and feelings? Talk about how they are supportive to you."
12. Name three general attitudes or ways of thinking that you plan to hold in order to keep yourself from ever again committing DV-Type Behaviors or being charged with a DV-related Offense.
(SLVBHG)
Complete your Adapted DVTPA Worksheet ***
*** AND Once have completed the above,
you can CLICK HER TO move on to
the Treatment Planning for Success Section. ***
Sources:
(DVTPA by Davies and Associates)
(AFTER CARE PLAN Questions by SLVBHG)
(c. 2020, William T. Beverly, Ph.D., LCSW, All information on the Blog (Except where otherwise noted); are the intellectual and/or photographic and/or digital property of Dr. William T. Beverly, L.C.S.W., DVOMB Approved Offender Treatment Provider.).
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