| The Battered Women's Movement and Clinical | | | | battered women. |
| Psychology are as far apart as the North and South | | | | I have since learned that this is understandably so, |
| Pole. Yet, many people outside of these circles | | | | especially for women residing in domestic violence |
| disciplines believe domestic abuse treatment-and | | | | shelters. It is estimated that roughly 95% of women |
| advocacy-are sub-specialties of the practice of | | | | going through the abuse shelter system will be |
| psychology. Not at all so! | | | | "certified" (i.e. blessed with a psychiatric diagnosis) by |
| After I fled from the danger I lived in Chicago, I | | | | virtue of their navigating the mental health care |
| retreated into a life of solace and wrote All But My | | | | system-while in route to safety-as a survivor of |
| Soul: Abuse Beyond Control. Creating that publication | | | | domestic violence. |
| was the most amazing experience of my life-right up | | | | This truly disturbed me, as a practicing psychologist |
| there with the birth of a child. It was my fourth child. | | | | and domestic abuse survivor. Even more disturbing |
| With the enthusiasm of a child, I approached individuals | | | | was the fact that I could find little to no domestic |
| in the domestic violence arena, eager to share what I | | | | violence curricula offered in psychological training. |
| had learned and produced in the manuscript. Initially, I | | | | In no way am I suggesting that one not seek the |
| was not received well and couldn't understand why, | | | | services of domestic abuse advocacy; to the contrary. |
| until an individual from the inner circle of the Battered | | | | I strongly believe in the work of domestic abuse |
| Women's Movement shared the inside politics with me. | | | | advocates. However, I recognize that when utilizing |
| "You will have a hard time breaking into this line of | | | | domestic abuse advocacy, one must be mindful of the |
| work," she said, "because you are a psychologist." | | | | importance of also securing the expertise of a mental |
| Funny thing is I thought this was my asset, until she | | | | health professional, authentically knowledgeable in |
| helped me realized it was my liability among battered | | | | domestic violence. |
| women. | | | | The front line treatment for domestic violence and the |
| She explained that historically the psychologists were | | | | actual practice of professional psychology are truly as |
| used in re-victimizing survivors of domestic abuse at | | | | far apart as the automotive industry and the practice |
| the bequest of their perpetrators. And over the years, | | | | of dentistry. I vowed to commit myself to helping |
| actually decades, they became the enemies of | | | | bridge this huge knowledge and service gap. |