October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) with this year’s theme focused on Heal, Hold & Center.

Everyone deserves to be safe and supported within their relationship and we must come together to embrace cultural ways to heal from violence and oppression, hold space for survivors of violence, and center those who are most marginalized. Inequality, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination place certain populations such as women, BIPOC, and the LGBTQ community at higher risk for violence and oppression.

Domestic violence is also called intimate partner violence, partner abuse, or dating violence. Intimate partner violence affects more than 12 million people per year. The dynamics of violence include asserting power and control over another person through tactics such as emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, isolation, identity/ cultural abuse, and financial abuse. Forms of oppression include racism, sexism, classism, ageism, ableism, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. Oppression-based stress and trauma negatively impact mental health.

It is important to raise awareness of the issues that impact people’s mental and physical well-being. This includes the need to recognize and address intimate partner violence, including LGBTQ-specific forms of domestic violence. The National LGBTQIA Health Education Center provides examples of using power and control over the journey of coming out and using personal characteristics of one’s identity and culture to demean, oppress, and manipulate.

With October 11th being National Coming Out Day, I’d like to share several examples of abuse related to identity and the deeply personal journey of coming out.

  • Pressuring a partner to be “out” or to be “closeted”
  • Outing a partner to their family, work, or religious group
  • Convincing a partner they will be rejected by others for their LGBTQ identity
  • Saying a partner is “too much” or “not enough” of their LGBTQ identity
  • Denying a partner’s gender identity or sexual orientation
  • Intentionally using the wrong pronouns or name with a partner
  • Controlling how a partner expresses their gender or sexual orientation
  • Defining what it means to be LGBTQ for a partner
  • Using anti-LGBTQ slurs or endorsing negative stereotypes.
  • Threatening to out a partner at work

If you are impacted by a current or past relational experience that threatens your sense of safety, including aspects of who you are, support is available. At CARE Counseling, we would be honored to come alongside you to help advocate and support. Our therapists can help you explore aspects of “Who am I?” and ways to reconnect with your identities and culture. CARE is proud to create safe spaces to process your experiences, cope, and heal from trauma using evidence-based approaches and cultural supports. We celebrate the courage and strength of survivors and the resilience of their narratives. This includes freedom from violence and oppression, the ability to live authentically, and the safety of being seen, heard, and accepted.

Learn how you can center healing + racial justice for survivors this October and beyond at dvawareness.org/HealHoldCenter. #HealHoldCenter #NoSurvivorJusticWithoutRacialJustice #DVAM2024 #CallforUnity

General IPV Resources

Domestic Violence Awareness Project: https://www.dvawareness.org/HealHoldCenter

The HRSA Strategy to Address Intimate Partner Violence: www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/HRSA-strategyintimate-partner-violence.pdf

Futures without Violence Online Intimate Partner Violence Toolkit: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/ipv-screening-and-counseling-toolkit/

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence www.ncadv.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE www.ndvh.org

LGBTQ-specific IPV Resources

The Network/La Red Hotline: 617.742.4911 TNLR.org National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs www.avp.org

National LGBTQ Institute on IPV www.LGBTQIPV.org

Written By: Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC

The information featured on this site is general in nature. The site provides health information designed to complement your personal health management. It does not provide medical advice or health services and is not meant to replace professional advice or imply coverage of specific clinical services or products. The inclusion of links to other websites does not imply any endorsement of the material on such websites. The inclusion of links to other websites does not imply any endorsement of the material on such websites. The information provided in this blog post reflects the personal views of the author. The blog post contains general health information and is not a substitute for your doctor’s care. Please discuss with your doctor how the information provided is right for you.

SCHEDULE
MEET CLINICIANS
NEW TO THERAPY?
RESOURCES
Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) with this year's theme focused on Heal, Hold & Center.
Suicide Awareness

The Impact of Suicide. Your Words Matter.

Suicide is more common than we’d want to admit. Suffering is part of the human experience, and there are a lot of heavy stressors that weigh people down.

Supporting Teacher’s Well-being

CARE Counseling is thrilled to begin offering a Doctoral Internship for Counseling and Clinical Psychology doctoral students enrolled in accredited graduate programs!

6 Things to Consider in Supporting Children’s Adjustment to Change

Change can be difficult, especially for children when their need for safety and stability is uncertain. Establishing consistent and predictable routines helps children feel secure.

Because, College is Hard!

The transition to college can be exciting, but also difficult. You may be leaving the comforts of home and sharing space with others for the first time while managing stressors associated with college life.
Inc.5000 Award

INC 5000 Award

CARE Counseling makes the Inc. 5000 list for fastest growing private companies for three years in a row!

MSP Magazine News Feature

CARE Counseling was featured in an article on “Mental Health: Hurdles to Help,” by Lindsey Scharold with Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine.

Life Satisfaction: 7 Things to Nurture Emotional Well-Being

“The best predictor for adult life satisfaction is subjective well-being and emotional health during childhood” according to the World Happiness Report. Less than half (47%) of Americans report being “very satisfied” with their own lives.

CARE Counseling Announces New Doctoral Internship

CARE Counseling is thrilled to begin offering a Doctoral Internship for Counseling and Clinical Psychology doctoral students enrolled in accredited graduate programs!

Bracing Yourself for Change: Flexible Vs. Blinded Optimism

Change is stressful, and there will be going to be challenges and these will be temporary; however, this is also an opportunity to utilize your strengths and access the internal and external resources that are available.

Suicide Prevention for Co-Workers: 5 Action Steps

The death of a co-worker can come as an unexpected shock, especially when they have died by suicide. If you are aware that a colleague is struggling, you can make a significant impact in helping them get the care they need.

Clinicians Info

clinicians-info

Customized Meditations for You

What comes to mind when you hear the word meditation? Stereotypes hold some people back from mindfulness practice. That is unfortunate. It is important to dispel the myths and understand the things people get wrong about mindfulness.

Going from Good to Great When You Are Not OK

How often do you get asked, “How are you?” and the polite go-to response is “I’m fine” or “good” thank you. How are you? These phrases are common greetings in the United States but seem to lack much depth.

The Client-Therapist Relationship: Transactional or Relational?

There is a transactional element that is present in receiving therapeutic services; however, a strong therapeutic relationship is vital to the success of therapy.
Summer health tips- blue sky with hands in yoga pose

6 Summer Health Tips to Feel Amazing This Summer

Making lifestyle changes has a significant impact on mental health and well-being. When you take care of your body and engage in safe and enjoyable activities, it has a direct impact on how you think and feel about yourself.

Mindfulness-Based Therapies

Meditation helps one become more present, utilizing the practice of being mindful. Perhaps you already have a basic understanding of meditation

Emotional Intelligence for Families

Self-awareness is a key skill of emotional intelligence. One way to build self-awareness early within a child’s life is to build their feelings vocabulary.

CARE COUNSELING IS A 2024 TOP WORKPLACE

CARE Counseling has been recognized in the Star Tribune's Top Workplaces for the third year in a row!  In 2024, CARE was named on the National Standard Setters list.

Men’s Mental Health Month

CARE Counseling was featured in an interview on the “Stigma still surrounds mental health issues in men,” with Laker Pioneer press.

Juneteenth

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Intersectionality of PRIDE and Juneteenth

In honor of Juneteenth in the middle of PRIDE month, intersectionality is a reminder that we hold multiple identities such as our race/ ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, religion, disability, and age that create unique lived experiences for each person, resulting in different advantages and disadvantages.

Relationship Violence

Partner abuse, domestic abuse, and intimate partner violence can happen to anyone. Unfortunately, abuse and violence in relationships are all too common.

Three Reasons Why It Can Be Difficult For Men to Seek Out Therapy

Men, it is OK to reach out for help. Asking for help is not easy, especially when topics are sensitive, and you may feel vulnerable.