To grow, a person must acknowledge the need for growth, to heal, a person must acknowledge injury exists, and to change, a person must acknowledge the need for change and commit to the process of transforming. Taking personal responsibility for behaviors that are injurious, whether to self or other, and facing out loud those who have been hurt, is a powerful tool for therapists to use in their transformative work with clients. This tool is imperative when working with any form of abuse and addiction and can be applied to victims who must recognize their own pain in order to heal.

In this workshop we will present the use, value and purpose of the Acknowledgement Session and the ritual acknowledgement of behaviors and beliefs of perpetrator-to-victims of incest, domestic violence, self injurious behaviors and extra-familial abuse. We will cover the role of the therapist in the ceremony, how to prepare each person to participate and how to structure the flow, content and timing of this and subsequent sessions throughout the stages of treatment.