WEST YELLOWHEAD
Positive Changes
Domestic Violence Treatment Program
Photo Courtesy of Larissa Delorme
The Positive Changes (as we’ve grown to call it) Treatment Program encourages participants to reflect on the conflict, violence, and abuse that is arising in their relationships and move towards growing more healthy relationships. We offer individual and group programming to anyone concerned about how they are contributing to conflicts in their relationships.
The group program runs for 15 – 16 weeks, with each week's session running for up to 2.5 hours. The program offers tools to improve communication, empathize with partners, regulate emotions, and learn about the effects of substance use, amongst many other things. A cornerstone of the program is building self-awareness. Sometimes we don’t recognize that the behaviour or relationship patterns we have learned since childhood can be unhealthy. By building awareness of ourselves, we can shift to healthier ways of acting in our relationships. Individual therapy is offered in conjunction to address needs that arise in group programming or as an alternative for those who are unable to attend a group program.
The program is funded through AHS Safer Communities funding and is offered free of charge to participants who meet the intake requirements.
Positive Changes
FAQs
Do I need to be violent in my relationship to join this group?
Our definition of violence is broad and includes hurtful yelling, putting down, and other behaviours that you want support with controlling. Violence is not only physical violence. The main focus of this group is to have better, healthier relationships with your partner, and by extension, with your children and other family members.
Can my partner take this course, too?
We have groups for both men and women, so any person over 18 years old may be eligible to join the program as long as they have conflicts in their relationships which they want to work on. That said, we can’t force anyone to do something they don’t want to do, and it’s ultimately not helpful to them, so being part of the program has to be an individual choice.
What will I get out of the DV program?
What you get out of it is ultimately up to you and is also related to what you put into it. If you truly want to develop better tools and skills for good relationships and are willing to work at it, you will most definitely learn something useful to you in your life. The things we cover in group are “life stuff.” Past members have said it has helped not only their family relationships but also relationships at work and, more importantly, with themselves.
How much does it cost?
The group is provincially funded by AHS, so there is no direct cost to members. Depending on your situation, there may be costs to you in transportation (gas or public transit) to and from our office or having adequate equipment (computer or phone and internet) for our online program.
Artwork Courtesy of Elder Doris McDonald
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