Holistic Counseling Program
Repeated interactions with families who have experienced domestic violence reveal that the outcome almost universally desired by the women, men, and children involved is the restoration of the family. If families touched by abuse are to be reunited and maintain lives free from violence, the cycle must be broken, and people who act abusively must change.
Tubman Family Alliance offers initiatives designed for men and women who have been abusive, using a strengths-based approach to discover one's own personal strengths and new behaviors that will lead to violence-free living and relationships. Services are provided by trained professional facilitators with extensive backgrounds dealing with those who have been abusive.
How healing begins
The intrapersonal healing group motivates you to change your actions to help you heal within, and helps you build stronger connections with others. It does this by:
- Building on your existing strengths and discovering your current needs
- Developing your sense of self
- Increasing your feelings of competency
- Encouraging you to reconnect with the community with positive actions, such as going back to school and building a supportive group of family and friends
Gender separated, intrapersonal healing groups meet for 14 weeks, in addition to an orientation a week before group begins, and include men and women (in separate groups) like you, along with an experienced group leader. The group supports you, and holds you to your word about the things you say you'll change. If applicable, your probation officer receives progress updates throughout the program, and a final report when you complete the program.
How healing continues
Growth is a journey, not a goal. With this in mind, the rest of the program helps you stay on track with your new behaviors, and it also helps you continue to grow and expand your world. Continuing care options include:
- One-on-one sessions or couple's counseling with a facilitator
- Repeating the group experience
- Mentoring members of the next group
The Holistic Counseling Program philosophy
Everyone is resilient. People are not inherently perpetual victims or perpetual perpetrators. Everyone can become emotionally balanced, emotionally intelligent, and emotionally developed.
Both in groups and in individual sessions, the therapists do not confront the perpetrators in a way to punish them or force confessions and compliance, which can often be false anyway. Instead the therapists push the perpetrators to confront themselves, and bring forth or develop their integrity. Then the perpetrator can do more than just manage his or her anger, but can put his or her “best foot forward” even during times of high anxiety and anger, as opposed to just reacting to the anxiety.
In contrast to other approaches, the therapeutic model used in the Holistic Counseling Program works to help those being abused have realistic notions of what a relationship is and should be:
- Understand and share power
- Access and understand their feelings
- Become better, happier, more productive human beings
This approach does not blame the victim. Victims are not responsible for being abused. Victims can be responsible for standing up for themselves, setting boundaries, and doing what's in their own best interests, including considering their safety.
Fourteen week programs are offered for men or women who have been abusive. Programs must be signed up for in advance. Please contact Katie Kernan, Holistic Counseling Program administrator, at 612-767-6650 for more information or to register for a session.
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2008 Holistic Counseling Group Schedule
Group Span: |
Day/Time: |
For whom? |
Location: |
January 7 – April 14 |
Monday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for women |
South Minneapolis |
January 10 – April 10 |
Thursday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
South Minneapolis |
January 28 – April 28 |
Monday, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon |
Culturally mixed group for men |
Highland Park, St. Paul |
February 27 – May 28 |
Wednesday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
North Minneapolis |
March 24 – June 30 |
Monday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
White Bear Lake |
April 24 – July 24 |
Thursday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
South Minneapolis |
April 28 – August 4 |
Monday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for women |
South Minneapolis |
May 12 – August 18 |
Monday, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon |
Culturally mixed group for men |
Highland Park, St. Paul |
June 11 – September 10 |
Wednesday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
North Minneapolis |
July 14 – October 20 |
Monday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
White Bear Lake |
August 7 – November 6 |
Thursday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
South Minneapolis |
August 18 – November 24 |
Monday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for women |
South Minneapolis |
September 8 – December 8 |
Monday, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon |
Culturally mixed group for men |
Highland Park, St. Paul |
September 24 – January 14 |
Wednesday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
North Minneapolis |
November 3 – February 9 |
Monday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
White Bear Lake |
December 4 – March 19 |
Thursday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for men |
South Minneapolis |
December 8 – March 16 |
Monday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Culturally mixed group for women |
South Minneapolis |
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For more information or to sign up for Holistic Counseling Group Sessions, please call Katie Kernan at
(612) 767-6650.
Tubman Family Alliance Holistic Counseling Program
3111 First Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Community Support Groups
Pieces of Peace
Tuesday Evenings
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tubman Family Alliance
3111 1st Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Karla
(612) 767-6631
A Time for Me
Every-other Monday Evening
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Northpoint
1315 Penn Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Mary Sheppard
(612) 521-0240
New View, New You
Monday Evenings
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Maple Ponds
1854 Beebe Road
Maplewood, MN
Contact: Mary Borck
(612) 767-6654
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