The program · Whatcom DVIT
Compassion. Inquiry. Accountability.
A patient, thoughtful approach to learning new behaviors and building more respectful relationships.
Change begins with an honest look inward.
Our domestic violence intervention program offers space to slow down, reflect, and learn. Compassion and patience support that process: participants are treated with dignity while being asked to take an honest look at their behavior and its impact on others.
Through internal inquiry, we explore the beliefs, interpretations, emotions, and habits that shape our choices. The aim is to turn that understanding into concrete behavioral change—respecting boundaries, communicating without coercion, and taking responsibility for harm.
Understanding a painful experience does not excuse abusive behavior. Accountability means naming what happened accurately, acknowledging its impact, and practicing different choices consistently.
How we approach the work
Compassion & patience
A respectful, nonjudgmental setting makes room for honest reflection, questions, and continued practice.
Internal inquiry
Look closely at thoughts, emotions, assumptions, and urges. Notice where a different choice becomes possible.
Behavioral accountability
Move from insight to action: acknowledge impact, respect another person’s autonomy, and demonstrate change over time.
Our core curriculum
26 topics. Ongoing practice.
The curriculum brings together reflection, discussion, skill-building, and between-session practice. The topics below follow the order of our core curriculum.
- Types of abuse and coercive control
- Belief systems that support abuse
- Attachment styles and relationships
- The cognitive triangle
- Core Mindfulness Skills
- Schemas and automatic beliefs
- Cognitive distortions
- How emotions influence behavior
- Anger and the anger iceberg
- Fair fighting and conflict safety
- Nonviolent communication: observations
- Nonviolent communication: feelings
- Nonviolent communication: needs
- Nonviolent communication: requests
- Creating and respecting boundaries
- Impact of domestic violence on children
- Accountability and defense mechanisms
- Behavior chain analysis
- Stress reduction and nervous system regulation
- Self-care and responsibility
- Prosocial support
- Gender-role schemas, power, and toxic masculinity
- Empathy and partner impact
- Relationship history and pattern recognition
- Substance use and violence
- Criminogenic needs, risk factors, and long-term change
The core curriculum is a framework for learning. Treatment is individualized according to assessed needs and progress; working through the topics is part of the process of demonstrating lasting change.
From learning to everyday life
Reflection becomes practice.
Sessions include check-in, review of prior practice, a core lesson, discussion, skills exercises, and a personal commitment for the week ahead.
Participants are encouraged to be specific: What did I do? What was the impact? What choices were available? What will I practice differently?
Guided by Kelly Frost
Learn more about your provider and his approach to domestic violence intervention treatment.
Take the next step
Start with a conversation.
Contact us to ask about an assessment, group availability, or getting started.