Domestic violence epistemology and its effects on couples’ counselors

This dissertation examines the epistemological landscape in the United States (U.S.) that
shapes Marriage and Family Therapists’ (MFT) responses to relational violence within the
intimate partner relationships of their ethnically diverse clients. The study specifically focuses on
decision-making processes and therapeutic action taken by MFTs in counseling settings with
couples who are dealing with domestic violence (DV). Grounded in a decolonial and
poststructural feminist framework, this inquiry sheds light on and critiques the Anglo-American
colonial influences within DV epistemology – an epistemology which emphasizes pathologizing,
decontextualized, and fragmented approaches to mental health services that apply problematic
standardized assumptions about gender across diverse cultural and linguistic communities
(Dutton & Corvo, 2006). Through qualitative interviews with nine MFTs who engage in couples
counseling, the research unearths the methods and considerations utilized in addressing violence,
navigating problem dominant DV discourses, and managing ethical concerns in family
interventions. This analysis applies a critical discursive psychology methodology, to uncover the
constraints faced by U.S. mental health practitioners in effectively intervening when violence is
present in a relationship. The dissertation concludes by proposing a multidimensional approach
to conjoint therapy, tailored to diverse populations and cognizant of the unique micro and macro
dynamics at play in refugee communities. It illustrates the complexities of DV discourse and
offers practical insights for improving interventions in cases of intimate partner violence within
refugee communities in the U.S.