Description & Objectives

Continuing Education Hours: 1.5 CE for LPC, SW, LMFT, and Psychologists - NBCC Approved

Description: The number one reason why a woman stays in an abusive relationship is for her children. And the number one reason why a woman leaves an abusive relationship is for her children. However, abuse can continue beyond the home and extend into the realms of school, childcare services, and family court as the abuser may use the children as weapons thereby employing manipulation and control strategies while living in the home as well as after separation. The presenter will discuss the effects domestic violence has on children and the child-mother relationship, especially when the children continue to have visitations with the non-custodial father. Some of these adverse effects are having to go back and forth between homes, continuing contact with the perpetrator of abuse, and experiencing extended separations from mom all increase the likelihood that trauma symptoms will persist for both mom and her children. Additionally, this workshop will explore attachment therapy strategies and a new program from Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support entitled "Visitation Camp" that concentrates on trauma-informed responses to the effects of witnessing abuse in the home. 

Learning Objectives:

  • Attendees will be able to identify several different abusive tactics offenders use after the relationship has ended. 
  • Attendees will recognize how the mother-child relationship is impacted by post-separation abuse tactics. 
  • Attendees will learn parenting and therapeutic skills that can help moms and children heal from domestic violence 

Instructor

Ruth Guerreiro

Ruth Guerreiro has been at Genesis since 2011 advocating for and providing cutting-edge therapeutic services to women and children who have experienced domestic violence. As the Chief Clinical Officer, she supervises and trains clinicians (mental health counselors as well as occupational therapists) across all locations to guarantee that Genesis is providing best-practice therapies for clients. She seeks out, develops, oversees and integrates trauma-informed programs to ensure the organization and staff continue to be thought leaders in the movement to end domestic violence. Ruth is an EMDRIA Consultant, a LCSW licensing supervisor, and a CPT provider. In addition to providing expert testimony in court on behalf of survivors and presenting at several professional conferences, she has provided individual and group therapy to over 1,000 survivors in English and Spanish. Ruth received her Bachelor's Degree in Marriage, Family, and Human Development from Brigham Young University and her Master of Social Work from The University of Utah, and has been doing counseling since 2005.