During lockdown, Women’s Aid charity has reported a significant increase in calls to their helpline from women and children being abused. With mental health services being stretched beyond their limits, the risk is that families will remain both invisible and unsupported in their need to not only get safe, but also process their trauma.
In episode 02 I talk with Catherine Lawler, a children’s therapist specialising in domestic abuse, and a training consultant for a Safeguarding Children’s Partnership about how these losses can become visible in a way that enables healing to be processed.
Lawler is the co-author with Abigail Sterne of the therapeutic story, ‘Floss and the Boss’ to help young children understand about domestic abuse and coercive control, and the accompanying professional guide, Helping Children Learn about Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control (Routledge, 2020). Their book, ‘Domestic Violence and Children: A Handbook for Schools and Early Years Settings was published by Routledge in 2010 and formed the basis of training for Operation Compass where key trained adults in Schools receive prompt police notifications about abusive incidents.
Twitter @CatherineLawler
Twitter @TheKidDecoder
