Splitting and Emotional Regulation in Partner Violence

Abstract

Interventions with victims of partner violence can become stymied until the clinician recognizes and accepts client vacillations as integral to the work. Appraisals and decisions that are reached in a therapy session may appear to be reversed or forgotten once the client returns home. Treatment strategies that focus on emotional regulation and splitting can help strengthen client awareness of contradicting beliefs, thereby strengthening self-efficacy and problem-solving. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.