Narrative Therapy for Women Experiencing Domestic Violence

Mary Allen was Lecturer in Social Work, University College Dublin, Ireland, and Chair of Women's Aid, Ireland. Her primary research interest lay in Intimate Partner Violence, and she worked and carried out research in Ireland, Africa and South America.

This accessible and innovative text provides an invaluable insight for practitioners working with abused women... Handles the authorship with the sensitivity and empathy that the topic of domestic abuse requires... In addition I feel that this book provides academia with a more holistic understanding of the often complex and contradictory trajectories that women take upon leaving abusive relationships as understood by the women on a practical level but also in relation to their conceptualisation of "self"... this book is a must read for practitioners working in the field of domestic abuse... Allen's accessible writing style lends itself easily to multiple audiences including academics and students as the book is held together by empirically robust research that sheds light on both the practical and emotional issues surrounding survivors of domestic abuse and their journey of survival... a noteworthy book that is well-written and welcome addition to the ever expanding literature on how to support women following domestic abuse.

• 1. Introduction. 2. Complexities Surrounding Intimate Partner Violence. 3. Resistance and Strategic Responses to Abuse. 4. Identity and Meaning. 5. Leaving the Abusive Relationship. 6. Narrative Therapy in Working with Abused Women. 7. Narrative Social Work and Counselling Intervention for Intimate Partner Violence. Appendix. References. Index.