Anger / Abuse Group Program
Purpose:
Ongoing weekly treatment groups to assist men who have been
explosively angry, controlling, and emotionally, verbally,
and/or physically abusive with their wives, girlfriends, children,
and others. The group involves both educational and process
elements to help men learn to deal more effectively with their
controlling attitudes and behaviors, their escalation pattern,
and with their feelings of anger, frustration, and resentment
that have led to abusive behavior in the past.
Objectives:
- To end the violence and the threat of violence
- To accept clear responsibility for your past violence
and abuse and to change your controlling attitudes and behaviors
that have led to your being abusive
- To better understand your anger and how it affects you
and others around you
- To identify and express more openly all the feelings
that you experience
- To learn to deal more effectively with life stressors
- To actively use the group and others in your life for
support and sharing as a means to lessen your emotional
over-dependence on your partner
- To examine and work on family of origin issues that relate
to emotional, verbal, and/or physical abuse you witnessed
or experienced as a child and to understand how these issues
contribute to your abuse of others currently
- To address cultural issues that contribute to your current
controlling and abusive attitudes and behaviors
- To explore, examine, and change all the ways you attempt
to control others, including
emotional/verbal abuse, threatening/intimidating actions,
and other forms of manipulative and disrespectful behavior
- To learn to experience more control over yourself and
your actions and to take responsibility for your thoughts,
feelings, wants, and behaviors in the present
- To learn and to actively practice and use new skills,
tools, and techniques to feel better about yourself and
increase your compassion and empathy for your partner, your
children, and others
Length of Group:
Most members take 45-60 weekly sessions to complete the
group. The time it actually takes you to finish depends on
how responsible you are in writing out and presenting the
individual tasks expected of all group members.
Time and Location:
Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 PM
Groups are held at
Merriam Park Professional Building
366 Prior Ave. No., Suite 203
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 646-HEAL (4325)
(651) 646-4325 (fax)
(612) 725-8402 (voice mail)
davidjdecker@earthlink.net
Intake Process:
Assessments for the group (usually 4-6 individual sessions)
must be completed prior to starting the group. If concerns
about alcohol and/or drug use are present, a chemical health
evaluation must be completed as well. Call Dave Decker at
(651) 646-4325 to set up the intake sessions.
Cost:
$165 for the first individual assessment session; $130 for
subsequent individual sessions
$70 per group session (fees may be covered by insurance)
$24.95 plus tax for the book, Stopping
The Violence: The Client Workbook
Group Therapist:
David J. Decker, M.A., Licensed Psychologist
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