How We Help

Both facilitators have been trained by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (DAIP) of Duluth, Minnesota (the Duluth Model), which was established after several domestic murders in the early 1980’s, and Emerge, a program established in Boston, Massachusetts in 1977. Both curricula are designed to help participants have better relationships by helping them analyze and change their belief systems which have allowed the use of harmful or abusive behavior. Harmful behavior includes emotional abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse (including emotional or physical affairs), or controlling behavior. Some actions often considered minor, such as the “silent treatment” or name calling, can be part of a larger pattern of abuse or control. Another goal in our programming is to help participants practice empathy in order to gain an understanding of the impact of their behavior on others, and, to develop the awareness to hold themselves accountable for past behavior and for their conduct going forward.

Most participants in our programming have been referred by the judicial or child welfare systems but anyone can attend the classes. The classes are gender specific which means men meet with men and women meet with women. Classes are appropriate for anyone who has engaged in behavior which has been harmful to an intimate partner or family, or, for anyone who has been in a relationship which has ended badly as a consequence of your behavior. It is not a prerequisite for someone to have been physically abusive in order to come to groups. In fact, most of our participants deny ever having been physically abusive.

The “power and control” and “equality” wheels, developed by the DAIP, form the roadmap for many of our discussions. Classes are interactive and may include video presentations or role playing. Class rules include being on time; being respectful to all participants; protecting each other’s confidences; remaining “violence” free during the period a participant is enrolled; being receptive to feedback on how to behave respectfully and non-abusively in intimate relationships and being current on fees.