Course Summary
Practice Level: Intermediate
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a worldwide phenomenon with negative effects across multiple life domains leading to varied individual and interpersonal problems. Many victims do not seek help to address the IPV or their reactions to this trauma. The difficulties many victims of abuse face can be complex and multi-layered. When survivors do decide to seek help, social workers, marriage and family therapists, counselors, and psychologists can play pivotal roles in offering a sense of compassion and empathy that help build trust. Clinicians can expect that survivors will bring many complex and challenging issues to treatment. Because there is no one model for symptom presentation, treatment needs to be tailored to individual needs. Understanding that survivors have unique experiences, narratives, and needs allows practitioners to create a treatment approach that addresses multiple dimensions. Clinicians can assist survivors in creating safety plans and because the negative impacts of trauma are complex and complicated, intervention strategies often address various difficulties in multiple life domains. Interventions can be individualized for victims, perpetrators and their children. These practices must also integrate cultural practices, beliefs, and traditions if they are to be effective with survivors of diverse groups. Many clinicians can benefit from understanding the traumatic reactions, help-seeking, and intervention approaches. For learners interested in a specific segment of this course, it is part of a series of courses each of which offers even greater detail on certain topics within the course.
Course Format
This course contains downloadable online lessons (PDF) and a practice test. When you’re ready, purchase the course by clicking the “Add To Cart” or “Enroll” button. This will let you take the test, complete the course evaluation and receive your certificate for CE credits.
Learning Objectives
- Define the different types of intimate partner violence.
- Recognize indicators of intimate partner violence for each type.
- Identify different types of intimate partner violence prevention strategies.
- Explain the value and procedures of screening, immediate intervention, and assessment for IPV.
- Explain help seeking dynamics, reasons why many victims do not seek help, and the transtheoretical stages of change model.
- List the components of a safety plan.
- Recognize the multidimensional levels of trauma individuals exposed to intimate partner violence may experience.
- Describe trauma-informed treatment and specific interventions for IPV survivors and families.
- Analyze factors in IPV perpetration, IPV homicide, and perpetrator treatment.
- Identify legal and mandatory reporting issues relevant to IPV intervention.
- Recognize cultural considerations in treatment planning.
- Explain specific intervention techniques and applications for individuals, children, and families.
- Describe aspects of culture that shape varied meanings of IPV trauma.
- Explain how minority stress theory applies to victims of IPV.
- Identify IPV-related issues among survivors of varied cultural/ethnic groups.
- Recognize special populations that are disproportionately affected by IPV and important factors related to their help seeking.
Course Syllabus
Author
Teresa Crowe, PhD, LICSW
Teresa Crowe, PhD, LICSW is a licensed clinical social worker in the District of Columbia and Maryland. She is a professor of social work at Gallaudet University and teaches practice, theory, and research in the MSW program. Her recent research focuses on deaf and hard of hearing populations, especially in the areas of behavioral health, intimate partner violence, telemental health, well-being, and help-seeking.
Accreditation Approval Statements
CE4Less.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE4Less.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
This course has been approved by CE4Less.com, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #91345, CE4Less.com is responsible for all aspects of the programing.

CE4Less.com has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6991. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE4Less.com is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Level Education Group, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0835.
We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.