Presenters: Vivian Phan: M.A, LMFT, Darryl Sewell: M.A., CASAC-1, Stephanie Clark: M.A., LMFT

Course meets the qualifications for 2 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.  Registrants must attend the full 2 hours to receive CEs..

Guests: $25

IECAMFT MEMBERS: Free

Descriptive Narrative:

Summary of the Presentation and Educational Goals

This continuing education presentation is designed to strengthen the professional knowledge, clinical judgment, and therapeutic competencies of licensed mental health professionals who provide services to individuals and families impacted by Domestic Violence (DV). The training emphasizes understanding the complex psychological, emotional, behavioral, and relational dynamics associated with domestic violence while promoting trauma-informed, survivor-centered approaches to assessment, treatment planning, and clinical intervention.

Through an examination of power and control dynamics, the cycle of violence, warning signs of abuse, trauma responses, and the effects of Domestic Violence on children, participants will develop a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges experienced by survivors. The presentation explores how fear, attachment, emotional dysregulation, learned behaviors, and diminished self-worth can influence survivors' decision-making, relationships, and engagement in treatment.

The training further examines the therapeutic process through three interconnected areas: trauma narration, psychoeducation, and rebuilding. Participants will explore strategies that support emotional stabilization, healthy communication, boundary development, personal empowerment, and individualized safety planning.

The overall educational goal is to promote continued professional growth and greater sophistication in clinical practice. Following the workshop, participants are expected to integrate the knowledge and interventions presented into future clinical encounters, strengthening their ability to establish therapeutic relationships, recognize safety concerns, provide appropriate psychoeducation, and develop individualized treatment approaches that respect client autonomy.

Over time, participants should demonstrate increased confidence and competence in working with survivors, improved sensitivity to trauma-related behaviors, and a greater capacity to support clients in restoring their sense of identity, personal choice, emotional stability, and psychological well-being.

The training also seeks to encourage reflective clinical practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, appropriate resource utilization, and greater awareness of the ethical responsibilities associated with domestic violence services.

Learning Objectives

In successfully completing and attending this presentation, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize at least five warning signs of Domestic Violence, including patterns of power and control, emotional abuse, intimidation, isolation, and coercive behaviors, and distinguish these from characteristics of healthy relationships.
2. Identify three psychological or behavioral effects of Domestic Violence exposure on survivors and children, including trauma-related emotional dysregulation, behavioral challenges, and difficulties establishing healthy interpersonal relationships.
3. Recall two key principles of trauma-informed, survivor-centered treatment—client empowerment and individualized safety planning—and explain how these principles support client autonomy, emotional stabilization, and informed decision-making throughout the therapeutic process.
4. Demonstrate three clinical responses to Domestic Violence scenarios involving (a) a survivor experiencing trauma-related emotional distress, (b) a client struggling to establish healthy boundaries, and (c) a survivor requiring safety planning, utilizing appropriate psychoeducation, emotional-regulation strategies, and supportive therapeutic communication.

About the presenterS:

Vivian Phan – 15+ years’ experience providing trauma-informed care to survivors and families who experienced Domestic Violence, experience supporting survivors navigate court systems because of Domestic Violence– children’s, criminal, and family courts, DV certified - facilitated DV survivors support group for 10+ years.

Darryl Sewell – CEO, more than 2 decades of experience in healthcare compliance, information systems, and behavioral health leadership, certified substance abuse counselor with over 6,000 clinical hours in individual and group therapy, certifications and trainings include: Domestic Violence Counseling, Anger Management & Substance Abuse Counseling, Trauma-Informed Care, Child & Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS), Motivational Interviewing (MI), SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

Stephanie Clark – 15+ years working with individuals, children, couples and families, experience working with various evidence-based modalities: Trauma Focused Cognitive Therapy, Families Over-Coming Under Stress (FOCUS) Therapy and certified in Domestic Violence.

Inland Empire Chapter of CAMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCS, AND/or LEPs. IE-CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. CE Provider # 62278