In the arena of family violence, therapists and society have quietly and inadvertently blamed the non-offending parent. What kind of person would stand by and let their child be abused? Who would listen and believe a perpetrator and turn a deaf ear to their own child? And, how could someone not react to shield innocent lives? These are only a few of the questions that haunt clinicians and often intrude into treatment. But staying objective and effective in the wake of permeating outrage is a nonnegotiable must.

This workshop will focus on the difficult position of the non-offending parent and how a clinician can recruit that parent as a therapeutic ally. Focused on strengths, understanding denial and exploring the negative consequences of change, therapists will gain new and potent tools for treating the non-offending parent.