Partnership Envelope: a Therapeutic Dimension Relevant in Situations of Abuse

Abstract

Objectives

Societies often overlook that families can be where children face the highest risk of psychological, physical, or sexual violence. Child maltreatment undermines fundamental aspects of connection, relationships, and personal boundaries. This issue is multifaceted, including physical and psychological abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, exposure to spousal violence, conflictual parental separation, and institutional abuse. These forms of violence usually occur within the family, turning a supposedly safe environment into a source of trauma.

Methods

We explore the concept of psychic trauma, focusing on events that cause "injuries" to the psyche. A "traumatic" event involves confrontation with death, serious injury, or violent circumstances. Instead of a specific framework, we develop a therapeutic approach to support affected children and their environments.

Results

We propose three guiding principles for practitioners:

1. Defined Intervention Framework: Essential for any practice, especially strained in domestic abuse cases. It ensures a safe and trust-based environment.
2. Intermediate Space and Partnership: Creates a space for processing knowledge, representations, and emotions, mitigating dysfunction risks.
3. Network-Based Practice: Understands individuals within a broader social system, emphasizing relationships and network dimensions.

Conclusions

Multi-stakeholder collaboration is crucial, forming a "partnership envelope." Professionals create a dynamic group, requiring time to analyze relational dynamics. Multidisciplinary team meetings establish and refine this collective process, aiming to prevent fragmentation in caring for families experiencing abuse.