Fathers for Change for Men With Co-occurring Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse

FATHERS FOR CHANGE comprises 16, 60 minute sessions of treatment utilizing components of three evidence based practices: SADV-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Behavioral Couple Therapy and Child-Parent Psychotherapy. The goals of the intervention are: 1) decreased substance abuse and IPV by teaching coping and anger management skills, 2) improved communication and increased problem solving around shared parenting 3) parenting education including child development and the impact of violence on children, 4) discussion of discipline practices and development of behavior modification or positive reinforcement plans, and 5) attachment focused parent-child play sessions to coach fathers in play with their children and process traumatic experiences.

Individual drug counseling focuses on the symptoms of drug addiction and related areas of impaired functioning and the content and structure of the patient's ongoing recovery program. This model of counseling is time limited and emphasizes behavioral change. It gives the patient coping strategies and tools for recovery and promotes 12-step ideology and participation. The primary goal of addiction counseling is to assist the addict in achieving and maintaining abstinence from addictive chemicals and behaviors. The secondary goal is to help the addict recover from the damage the addiction has caused in his or her life.