About the Interest Group
PACFA’s Domestic Violence and Family Law Special Interest Group supports counsellors and psychotherapists working with domestic and family violence, intimate partner abuse, parenting, separation, and engagement with family law systems.
The SIG was established in recognition of the specialist knowledge, ethical awareness, and practice depth required to work safely and effectively in these contexts. It offers a collegial and reflective space for practitioners across community services, private practice, and statutory environments who encounter domestic and family violence in their work, whether as specialists or in everyday therapeutic practice.
Developing Skills for Complex and Ethical Practice
Members of the SIG share a commitment to strengthening practice knowledge in areas such as:
- Therapeutic responses informed by statutory and systemic awareness
- Understanding the impacts of violence on children, parenting capacity, and family systems
- Working with accountability and safety without collapsing complexity into adversarial or diagnostic frameworks
- Ethical and defensible documentation and court-related reporting
- Managing documentation produced from therapeutic work with clients such as letters, reports, subpoenas, information sharing, and professional boundaries.
The group seeks to deepen definitions, dialogue, and good practice principles to support high‑quality and ethically grounded therapeutic work.
Activities and Structure
The group supports ongoing learning, collaboration, and professional engagement through:
- Monthly online meetings, with alternating times to maximise accessibility
- Reflective practice discussions and case presentations (de‑identified)
- Resource sharing, including research summaries and practice tools
- Development of position papers and advocacy‑ready documents
Members are encouraged to share real‑world insights, what works, where challenges arise, and how systemic constraints shape practice.
Join the Domestic Violence and Family Law Interest Group
Invitation to Join
PACFA members and registrants with an interest in domestic violence, family law, trauma, relational ethics, or systemic practice are warmly invited to join the Domestic Violence & Family Law Special Interest Group.
Whether domestic and family violence is a central part of your role or an issue you encounter in general practice, the SIG offers opportunities for learning, reflection, collegial support, and meaningful contribution to the profession.
To express interest or join:
Registration page coming soon, in the meantime please email Sonja at [email protected]
Leadership Group Members
Express your interest to join the Leadership Group by emailing [email protected]