FPI Coming to Australia October & November 2023!

Steve Halley, LSCSW, and Dorthy Stucky Halley, LMSW, founders of FPI, have been working in the domestic violence field for over 30 years, and in that time have developed an approach to perpetrator intervention work that is trauma responsive, uses a variety of intervention and therapeutic skills, responds to different motivations for violence, and creates transformational change. Here are some of the key ideas:

Their River of Cruelty model acknowledges how people’s experience of cruelty and trauma can play a central role in the choice to perpetrate abuse on others.
Transformational change is possible when a person’s trauma history and its connection to their perpetration of violence can be explored in a safe space with skilled facilitation.
Effective facilitation in DFV intervention programs involves: leading by example and responsible use of vulnerability, facilitating dialogue that focuses on internal experience, emotional awareness, and beliefs about self.
Understanding the motives for perpetration of violence enhances risk assessment and effective safety planning in both victim/survivor advocacy and intervention with those using violence.
Combining cognitive-behavioural and trauma-focused evidence-based strategies offers a process for both accountability and healing.

They have taken their work into a number of different contexts and developed programs to suit the differing needs of several client populations: men, LGBTQIA, women, youth, in community, prison, probation and parole and other contexts.

To review the bios of Steve and Dorthy, click here:

You can catch them at the following events:

Calendar of Events

24 October: Cracking the Code: Understanding the Different Motives of Those Who Perpetrate Domestic and Family Violence

Location: ONLINE Presentation - 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EADT - $49.95 USD

Perpetrators of domestic and family violence with different motives display different behaviors and present different dangers to their victims and children. This 6-hour presentation “cracks the code” on domestic and family violence perpetrator behaviour, presenting an evidence- informed understanding of their differences based on motive. This is ideal for perpetrator intervention professionals, advocates, child safety case managers, therapists, magistrates, lawyers and other professionals working with domestic violence concerns. Those with different motives display different behaviours and present different dangers to their victims and children. Through the use of videos and case examples, this information unlocks a deeper and more nuanced understanding of domestic violence, and provides practical information that can improve safety planning with victims and children, and intervention efforts with persons using violence.

Objectives: The participant will learn to:

Identify the different motive types of domestic and family violence perpetrators.
Identify the different risks and lethality factors linked with the different motive types.
Understand the link between different motives and effective response and programming.
Identify the different impacts on children related to the different motives.
Apply the “Motivation Questionnaire Checklist” to specific cases to enhance professional response.

Appropriate Audience Level: Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced can all benefit from this presentation.

“We appreciated your thoughtful approach to working with both survivors and offenders. We know from the feedback we received so far that many who attended your session indicated it was one of the best learning experiences they have had in their career.” - Ending Violence Association BC

26 & 27 October: Mastering the Family Peace Initiative Approach

Location: Brisbane Quaker Meeting House, 10 Hampson Street, Kelvin Grove, Queensland

This training will expand and add to the information learned in the first two workshops of the FPI Facilitator Training series, (The Art of Facilitation and the Affective Component). Learn about the many tools at your disposal to handle even the most difficult situations in class. Participants will learn:

The application of Battering Motive.
The use of the Conflict Tree.
How to explore betrayal and trust.
The art of staging a topic for maximum engagement.
Advanced funnel application.

All participants will receive a free copy of our "The Facilitator’s Tool Chest", our collection of the many tools available for use in an FPI class. Experiential as always, bringing people together who are completing the 3rd workshop in this series makes for an unforgettable two days of learning, practicing and connecting.

“The trainers are amazing and the on-hands practice as well as the open discussion is what helped me the most.” Workshop Participant

30 - 31 October and 1 November: SPEAQ Forum 2023 Deepening our Conversations for Change

Location: Events on Oxlade, Brisbane, Australia

Steve and Dorthy are providing a number of sessions at the Forum:

The River of Cruelty Model explaining how cruelty passes from person to person and generation to generation.
The Enlightened Witness and Golden Shadow Message.
The Funnel Conversation: A few questions toward Transformational Change.

2 & 3 November: The Art of Facilitation

Location: Brisbane Quaker Meeting House, 10 Hampson Street, Kelvin Grove, Queensland

"The Art of Facilitation" is an unforgettable learning experience for professionals who desire to be more effective at their craft. If you are involved in the field of domestic violence, or if you facilitate groups as a part of your practice, this experience is designed for you. Offering an understanding of a trauma-focused approach to group work you will acquire skills that you will be able to implement immediately in your own program.

In our proven, highly experiential format, you will gain specific skills and techniques you can implement immediately into your current programs. Skills taught in this advanced training include:

Leading by example in group work.
The power of self-disclosure in group work.
The "River of Cruelty" intervention model.
Group work processes designed to increase introspection.
The "Shadow" process.
How to get ownership quickly with resistant clients.
And much more!

“I just attended a two-day training on the Peace Initiative in Topeka, and I was stunned. In 35 years of working with men on partner abuse issues, I had never had such a profound and personally engaging training experience. Steve and his staff managed a transformative experience for 20 people, many of them already highly experienced, and the results and impact were uniformly enthusiastically positive.” - Fernando Mederos