Family Violence: Explanations and Evidence-Based Clinical Practice

Course Description: This course examines the major issues and current controversies in the field, provides background information on each type of family violence, and offers strategies for combating domestic abuse. In an informative discussion designed to enhance counselors’ ability to assess and treat each type of family violence, this course covers both well-recognized forms of maltreatment, such as the abuse of women and children, and less understood issues, such as female-on-male intimacy violence, parent and elder abuse, same-sex violence, and dating violence and stalking. Case studies throughout the text illustrate clinical applications in action.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss major explanations for family violence, including those models that influence treatment, such as social cognitive theory, feminist theory, and attachment theory
• Describe specific cultural factors and explanations that influence the manner by which family violence is maintained, interpreted, and addressed clinically
• Analyze male-on-female and female-on-male intimacy violence, including risk and protective factors, abuser typologies, consequences for victims, and treatment implications
• Analyze the assessment and treatment for intimate partner offenders and for victims of intimate partner violence
• Discuss issues related to dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as well as treatment and prevention
• Discuss child maltreatment and elder abuse issues, including a wide variety of topics such as types, prevalence, explanations, victim and perpetrator characteristics
• Analyze the assessment and treatment of child maltreatment

Course Components:

• Textbook (NOT included, must be purchased separately by participant)
  - Required textbook: David M. Lawson. (2013). Family Violence: Explanations and Evidence-Based Clinical Practice. American Counseling Association
  - Available at Amazon and other sources
• Multiple choice online exam (included)
• Electronic certificate of completion (free)

We allow you to obtain the textbook on your own to afford you greater flexibility. You can borrow from the library or a friend, or purchase a new or used copy for yourself or with a group of friends.

Course Credit(s): 12 CE Credits or Hours

Course Format: Book-Based (format of this course is noninteractive)

Course Schedule: Self-paced

Course Author(s): David M. Lawson, PhD

Content Publisher(s): American Counseling Association

Course Author(s) Qualifications:

Dr. Lawson is a professor in the Department of Human Services and teaches in the master’s program in clinical mental health and the doctoral program in school psychology at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He also maintains a private practice working primarily with survivors of interpersonal trauma. 

Course Level: Beginning/Introductory, Intermediate, Advanced

CEmobile, LLC, #1558, is approved as a provider for social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) www.aswb.org, through the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. CEmobile, LLC maintains responsibility for the program. ASWB Approval Period: 5/2/2018-5/2/2021. Social workers should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval for continuing education credits.
Social workers participating in this course will receive 12 clinical continuing education clock hours.