Domestic Violence Epistemology and its Effects on Couples’ Counselors

2023

Abstract: This dissertation examines the epistemological landscape in the United States (U.S.) that shapes Marriage and Family Therapists’ (MFT) responses to relational violence within the intimate partner relationships of their ethnically diverse clients. The study specifically focuses on decision-making processes and therapeutic action taken by MFTs in counseling settings with couples who are dealing with domestic violence (DV). Grounded in a decolonial and poststructural feminist framework, this inquiry sheds light on and critiques the Anglo-American colonial influences within DV epistemology – an epistemology which emphasizes pathologizing, decontextualized, and fragmented approaches to mental health services that apply problematic standardized assumptions about gender across diverse cultural and linguistic communities (Dutton & Corvo, 2006). Through qualitative interviews with nine MFTs who engage in couples counseling, the research unearths the methods and considerations utilized in addressing violence, navigating problem dominant DV discourses, and managing ethical concerns in family interventions. This analysis applies a critical discursive psychology methodology, to uncover the constraints faced by U.S. mental health practitioners in effectively intervening when violence is present in a relationship. The dissertation concludes by proposing a multidimensional approach to conjoint therapy, tailored to diverse populations and cognizant of the unique micro and macro dynamics at play in refugee communities. It illustrates the complexities of DV discourse and offers practical insights for improving interventions in cases of intimate partner violence within refugee communities in the U.S.

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