Citation

Palmer CJ, Williams Y, Harrington A. J. Psychiatr. Ment. Health Nurs. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

College of Nursing & Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/jpm.12581

PMID

31793122

Abstract

What is known on this subject. Domestic and family violence contributes to mental distress and the development of mental illness and can reverberate throughout a person's life. What this paper adds to existing knowledge. Therapeutic work with people who experience domestic and family violence needs to take considerable time to allow the process to unfold. Understanding the triggers that cause past traumas to be re-experienced helps people to recognise and change their conditioned emotional responses. What are the implications for practice? Time needs to be invested to develop a secure and trusting relationship to enable a person to work through childhood experiences that have the potential to overwhelm. It is important for adults who have experienced childhood trauma to have an opportunity to process the abuse to help minimise its intrusion in their lives.

© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

adult survivors of abuse; domestic violence; psychotherapy; therapeutic relationships; trauma