The Ipswich Womens Centre Against Domestic Violence Social Work Essay

The Ipswich Womens Centre Against Domestic Violence societal Work EssayThe Ipswich Womens Centre Against Domestic Violence (IWCADV) is a womens liberationist community based organisation committed to fly the cooping towards the elimination of interior(prenominal) and family violence end-to-end the community. The primary focus of IWCADV is to provide affirm to women and children survivors of municipal and family violence. This includes teleph one information, referral and support inspection and repairs, court support for women, counselling services, convention work and childrens work. During my placement friendship as a womens counselling at IWCADV I first worn-out(a) a few weeks give outing my consciousness of the issues convoluted in domestic violence and the systems that are in place to support women and children who are survivors of domestic and family violence.My knowledge of the issues affecting women and children experiencing domestic and family violence includes an understanding of the frantic impacts of abuse (such as feelings of grief and loss, anger, guilt, depression, trauma), the loss of personal and natural security, safety concerns, the financial costs, family law and other legal issues, and power and mark imbalances in relationships.I have actual my knowledge of the issues affecting women and children experiencing domestic and family violence in my university studies and my work endure. The understanding that I gained from my University studies was enhanced during my bookman placement at the Ipswich Womens Centre Against Domestic Violence. It was here that I developed my understanding of feminist perspectives on domestic and family violence, including the individual, familial, legal and social issues. In this role I was able to develop my understanding of feminist cognizant practises and techniques. I support this cloth for practice as it can endue women and help them find their voice, encouraging women who have experient the loss of visualise to put one over choices to the highest degree their own bread and butter and to take responsibility for their life choices and to take back control. I worked from within a feminist framework to empower the leaf node to find her voice and to discover her worth and make her own choices.In my role as a student counsellor at IWCADV I provided crisis support and advocacy work to women who have experienced domestic and family violence. During the beginning counselling sessions, I found it was quite rocky to always follow the story and set direction for the counselling. I took a strengths based narrative approach and usually later 2 -3 sessions a clearer picture had developed of the clients experience with domestic violence, and this continued to unfold throughout the counselling sessions.One of the most personally rewarding aspects of my counselling experience was the opportunity to explore and experience symbol and sand tray therapy. I spent close to quant ify reading Sandplay and Symbol Work Emotional heal and personal development with children, adolescents and adults by Mark Pearson and Helen Wilson to prepare for my personal experience with symbols and sand tray therapy during my professional supervision sessions. I then had the opportunity to earn one of my counselling clients to the sand tray. Whilst I did have feelings of uncertainty about my ability to facilitate the process, I did feel comfortable enough with the mount and with my client to create a safe place for self-discovery and self-awareness. She was very pass to the process and we both found this to be an enjoyable and meaningful experience. My client reported that this was a very positive experience for her and allowed her to process some of her experiences with domestic violence and that it was a breakthrough for her in terms of acquirement to accept and value herself. I felt that it was an honour to share this representative of my clients journey.With another client who was directed by the Department of Child condom to attend counselling, setting the direction for each session was more difficult. I did not turn over that this woman was ready to explore some of the emotional issues related to the trauma that she had experienced as a result of massive term domestic violence. I was encouraged by her regular attending and I believe that this was a result of my increasing ability to develop rapport. I was able to develop good rapport with my clients by macrocosm non-judgemental, using open ended questions and appropriate body language. I believe that my skill in developing rapport is reflected by the feedback and regular attention to counselling sessions by my clients.I did struggle with ending the sessions on time and frequently found that sessions with some clients were running over 1.5 hours long. I intercommunicate with some of the other workers at the service about this and they agreed that it could be difficult especially when wo men are exploring very painful issues and that it was important to be sensitive but direct when closing a counselling session.The group supervision quantify that I was included in at IWCADV were withal very rewarding and inspiring times for me. The other workers at the service were all very passionate women with a strong commitment to empowering women and changing community attitudes about violence towards women. During group supervision on that point was opportunity and support for workers to reflect on their own feelings of despair and helplessness, and there was encouragement to extend and share your knowledge and understanding of the issues relating to domestic and family violence. The group times were also very rewarding team building occasions and there is a strong commitment at the service to supporting one another. For example, I found that after long phone calls or after a counselling session, another worker would check-in with me to provide whatsoever support and to answer any questions that I had.