CBT with survivors of coercive control

This online, participative event will be held on Zoom, and has been organised by the Women's Equality and Gender Diversity Special Interest Group (SIG). For more details on the WOMGEND SIG please see here.

A certificate of attendance will be issued for 4 x hours CPD. As this is a participative workshop, with breakout rooms and group discussions, it is expected that you will have your camera on and participate to be eligible for a CPD certificate. The event will not be recorded.

Registration closes - Midday on Monday 3 March. Places are limited though so book early to avoid disappointment!

Synopsis

This event will tie in with International Women's Day (March 8th 2025) and the theme of #Accelerate Action. The BABCP is a White Ribbon Supporter and marking International Women’s Day is an important way of reaffirming this commitment to addressing mens’ violence against women and girls.

This event will explore coercive control as a defining aspect of interpersonal violence (IPV) or domestic violence (DV). Despite coercive control being recognised as a criminal offence under UK law since 2015, it is still widely misunderstood in criminal justice, healthcare, and public arenas. This makes it challenging for survivors of coercive control to be taken seriously and to access the support they need. As 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7/8 men experience domestic violence in the UK (NCDV), we are likely to encounter clients who have been subjected to coercive control or are still being controlled by an intimate partner.

The workshop aims to equip CBT Therapists with knowledge and skills for working with clients who have experienced coercive control. It will include direct quotes from survivors, many of which speak to the intersectionality of their identities in relation to their experiences of violence.

The session will include interactive discussions and small group work and will cover:

• Legal definitions and lived experiences of coercive control

• Considerations for CBT practitioners around assessment; risk and safeguarding; specific techniques; and referral pathways for specialist support

This event is aimed at CBT Therapists but would be useful for any level of practitioner, including Wellbeing Practitioners.

Learning outcomes

1). To understand coercive control as a pattern of abuse and recognise the different ways that it can impact on clients, especially in relation to intersecting aspects of identity.

2). To be able to assess for this insidious form of abuse and implement appropriate risk management and safeguarding actions.

3). To consider adaptations to cognitive and behavioural techniques when working with clients experiencing coercive control.

4). To appreciate the importance of creating space and fostering autonomy within CBT, as a way of challenging coercive control tactics and patterns.