Most therapists have experience with wives, girlfriends, and children of violent men, never suspecting that domestic violence offenders can be women too. In Domestic Violence Treatment for Abusive Women, Bowen challenges us to re-think our gender and violence constructs and guides clinicians through the emerging field of treatment of female abusers.
Unlike other books designed for male clients that may be adapted to women, this book is specifically written for use with women, with handouts and exercises created from the author’s own clinical experience. It is deliberately designed to give clinicians knowledge to deal with all aspects of female domestic violence, from dealing with their first client to filling out paperwork correctly. The first part of the book is dedicated to defining female violence and helping readers overcome pre-existing gender stereotypes. The second part provides a framework for everything a therapist needs in order to set up and facilitate a domestic violence treatment program for women. As a whole, Domestic Violence Treatment for Abusive Women helps the licensed mental health professional understand women’s domestic violence and offers step-by-step direction for successful therapy.