Finding a Common Ground: Therapist Responsiveness to Male Clients Who Have Acted Violently Against Their Female Partner

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051986227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bente Lømo ◽  
Hanne Haavind ◽  
Odd Arne Tjersland
Keyword(s):  
Working Alliance ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Individual Therapy ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Male Clients ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Problem Formulations ◽  
Therapist Responses ◽  
Interactional Patterns

Men in treatment for intimate partner violence (IPV) do often present with problem formulations that do not fit the therapeutic endeavor of personal change and may, therefore, challenge therapists in their effort to build an alliance. However, the therapist’s initial contributions are also likely to influence whether the client finds it worthwhile to become involved in a working alliance. In a qualitative study of the in-session interactions between experienced therapists and men in IPV individual therapy, we looked for variations in therapist responsiveness to the client’s initial invitations to identify whether and, eventually, how the two parties were able to reach common ground for working together. We studied therapist–client interactions in 20 therapy cases, including 10 completed cases with good outcomes and 10 dropout cases. Two sessions during the early phase of the therapy and the final session were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. The transcriptions were analyzed following the guidelines of constructivist grounded theory. The analysis revealed three interactional patterns: co-creative exploration, pull-avoid repetitions, and tiptoeing softly around, each of which was associated with a distinctive set of therapist strategies. Clients participating in the co-creative pattern appeared to experience the most successful treatment. Our findings suggest that a model of therapist responses to client invitations is valuable for the conceptualization of the therapeutic alliance during the early sessions of psychotherapy. The findings also highlight the importance of clarifying and expanding upon the client’s personal experience with his abuse to form a viable working alliance.

From Resistance to Invitations: How Men Voluntarily in Therapy for Intimate Partner Violence May Contribute to the Development of a Working Alliance

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (16) ◽  
pp. 2579-2601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bente Lømo ◽  
Hanne Haavind ◽  
Odd Arne Tjersland
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Working Alliance ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Personal Narrative ◽  
Violent Behavior ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Male Clients ◽  
Drop Out Rate

The high drop-out rate and modest outcome for men in treatment for intimate partner violence (IPV) have highlighted the question of how therapists can establish an effective working alliance with these clients. The aim of this study was to conceptualize the variety of ways in which male clients using violence against a female partner might present themselves to form a working alliance that might appeal to them. We studied how 20 men voluntarily in individual IPV treatment contributed at the beginning of therapy to forming an alliance with therapists skilled in such treatment. The first therapy session in 10 drop-out and 10 completed cases was transcribed verbatim and analyzed qualitatively, following guidelines drawn from the constructionist grounded theory. The analysis resulted in a conceptual model of gateways and invitations to an alliance. Gateways are themes that have the potential to open a path toward collaboration on personal change. Each of the three gateways identified, comprised solide and weak invitations to an alliance: (a) presenting reasons for seeking treatment—as their own choice, as avoidance, or as a mistake; (b) presenting notions of change—as their own need to change their violent behavior, as ambivalence toward the project, or as a need to change the partner; and (c) disclosing and describing violence—as a personal narrative, as a scene, as a fragment of their life, or as something else. Implications for therapists’ understanding of clients’ motivational goals, negotiation of alliance, and disclosure of violence early in therapy are discussed.

scholarly journals Constructive Friction Creates A Third Space for Art/Science Collaborations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
aaron ellison ◽  
David Buckley Borden
Keyword(s):  
Common Ground ◽  
Interdisciplinary Collaboration ◽  
Third Space ◽  
Joint Work ◽  
New Ways Of Working ◽  
Shared Language ◽  
Working Together ◽  
New Space ◽  
Open Dialogue ◽  
The Creation

Successful interdisciplinary collaboration between artists and scientists is not about discovering “common ground,” but about deliberately creating a new space for collaboration. This novel space includes physical, virtual, and intellectual elements brought together through creation of a shared language and using it in open dialogue. Communication not only shapes the collaboration and leads to the creation of joint work, but also engenders new ways of working together and new levels of understanding. The co-authors interrogate a series of their art/science collaborations to identify essential, general principles for synergistic communication and productive collaborations between artists and scientists.

Gender and Serious Mental Illness: A Feminist Perspective

1992 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol T. Mowbray ◽  
Sandra E. Herman ◽  
Kelly L. Hazel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Gender Composition ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Male Clients ◽  
Problem Formulations ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses ◽  
Female Clients ◽  
Statistical Clustering

Perhaps in reaction to criticisms of “woman as problem” formulations, psychological literature has nearly ignored women with serious mental illnesses (SMI), although epidemiological research indicates that women are overrepresented in these diagnoses. Data are presented on characteristics, functioning, and services received for a sample of nearly 2,500 SMI clients. Statistical clustering of clients with similar profiles produced four out of six clusters with significant differences in proportions of female versus male clients represented. The results indicate that the extent to which SMI clients display gender-related symptoms and behaviors is a significant factor in clinician perceptions and in service utilization. However, results also show substantial overlap in gender composition of the clusters. Discussion centers on the quality of care and appropriateness of services for female clients. Future research is suggested, utilizing a feminist understanding of women's diversity and of sociopolitical factors related to mental health.

scholarly journals Changes in Violence and Clinical Distress Among Men in Individual Psychotherapy for Violence Against Their Female Partner: An Explorative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingunn Rangul Askeland ◽  
Marianne Skogbrott Birkeland ◽  
Bente Lømo ◽  
Odd Arne Tjersland
Keyword(s):  
Partner Violence ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
Female Partner ◽  
Individual Psychotherapy ◽  
Psychological Violence ◽  
Male Clients ◽  
Health Care Context ◽  
Treatment Use

Most interventions for men who have acted violently toward their partner have been conducted as group interventions within a criminal justice context. Therefore, few studies have examined individual psychotherapy and how such interventions may reduce partner violence. In this study, we aimed to describe changes in violence, and changes in clinical distress in men undergoing individual psychotherapy targeting their use of partner violence, at a clinic organized within a psychosocial health care context. This is a naturalistic prospective study of men voluntarily receiving individual psychotherapy for their use of violence against their female partner. Participants were 84 male clients, and data on their use of physical violence, physical controlling violence, property violence and psychological violence were collected pretreatment, posttreatment and at follow-up 1.5 years after treatment from both the men, and their partners (n = 58). The percentage of use of all types of violence during a typical month the last year decreased from pretreatment to follow-up, according to both the men, and their partners. Over the course of treatment, use of all types of self-reported violence during the last month was reduced, however, this was only partially confirmed by their partners. Number of sessions was associated with a lower risk of having used physical and physically controlling violence 1.5 years after treatment. Alcohol abuse or dependency, or qualifying for one or more psychiatric diagnoses, were not associated with levels or change in use of violence. On average, the men's clinical distress declined over the course of psychotherapy. The findings suggest that individual psychotherapy may be a promising and worthwhile intervention for intimate partner violence. Studies with more elaborate designs are needed to identify the core mechanisms of psychotherapy for violence, and to corroborate these results with higher levels of evidence.

scholarly journals Finding Common Ground: The Need for Cooperation and Collaboration in the Spanish Natural Wine Industry

2019 ◽  
pp. 65-93
Author(s):  
Rosana Fuentes Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Common Ground ◽  
Wine Industry ◽  
Cooperative Relationships ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Wine Sector ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Comparative Case Studies ◽  
To Come ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
And Control

In fall 2018 and late spring 2019, five small natural wine producers in Spain pondered the potential for cooperation and collaboration in their segment of the wine industry. As these niche producers shared their common goals and challenges, they debated how to come to a consensus about pooling resources and working together to educate trade customers as well as the prospective natural wine consumer. Providing an overview of the Spanish wine industry and the natural wine segment, this applied research paper uses comparative case studies to explore the potential of incorporating cooperative relationships that could help these producers grow their businesses, share farming and wine-making techniques, and educate consumers about natural wines. Similar to previous cooperative relationships undertaken in other wine-producing regions, co-opetition might not only perform branding and collaborative marketing and reward entrepreneurial activities in Spain’s natural wine sector, but also carry some downsides in terms of autonomy and control over decision-making.

Using Reoffenders’ Experiences and Perspectives to Improve Intimate Partner Violence Treatment

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (19-20) ◽  
pp. 4040-4060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Galina A. Portnoy ◽  
Christopher M. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Program Effectiveness ◽  
Treatment Effectiveness ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Treatment Modification ◽  
Key Dimensions

A substantial proportion of partner-violent men reoffend subsequent to completing intimate partner violence (IPV) treatment. A critical step in enhancing treatment for IPV perpetration is to understand reoffense among those who recidivate following treatment completion. Investigating reoffenders’ own perceptions regarding potential directions for treatment modification may improve overall treatment outcomes. Qualitative research examining the experiences of participants who utilize IPV treatment is limited. In the present study, we examined implications for treatment from an exploration of reoffenders’ interpretation of their recidivist events and their beliefs regarding treatment effectiveness. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to generate theory regarding behavior change, treatment perceptions, and recidivist processes among men who experience difficulty staying nonviolent. Emergent qualitative themes revealed reoffenders’ perceptions of treatment and suggestions for treatment modification. Reoffenders identified program factors that they believed would have enhanced program effectiveness for themselves, and thus may have prevented their recidivist incidents. Treatment implications that emerged from reoffenders’ narratives are organized along three key dimensions: modality-specific variables, which were relevant to treatment approach and effectiveness of group therapy; content-specific variables, which were relevant to skill acquisition and skill application; and participant-specific variables, which were relevant to intrapersonal characteristics of the participants themselves. Recommendations for treatment enhancement are discussed.

Intersectional and Trauma-Informed Approaches to Employment Services: Insights From Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Service Providers

2021 ◽  
pp. 107780122098834
Author(s):  
Sarah Tarshis ◽  
Ramona Alaggia ◽  
Carmen H. Logie
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Employment Services ◽  
Barriers To Employment ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
Integrated Approaches ◽  
Insight Into

This article presents qualitative findings from a constructivist grounded theory study that examines intimate partner violence and employment-seeking from the perspectives of 10 service providers. Three distinct themes emerge through analysis: (a) understanding the intersecting barriers to employment faced by survivors, (b) integrated approaches to employment services, and (c) barriers to providing employment services. Findings have important theoretical implications on the intersectional nature of employment-seeking and provide insight into IPV service responses.

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