Although Domestic Violence (DV) Awareness month is coming to an end, we at Prickly Pear, don’t stop our work in uplifting survivors and advocating for changing the systems and structures in our society that create the conditions for DV to occur.
Recently, Dra. Serrata* provided a keynote address for CompassionateUSA, an incredible resource out of Northwest Vista College in San Antonio whose goal is to increase awareness regarding collective trauma and healing. Dra. Serrata discussed the context for which DV occurs and the importance of moving away from victim blaming. She elaborated that by increasing one’s understanding of the intersecting individual, relational, community and social factors that put individuals at risk for experiencing DV, we can better identify protective factors and how to support survivors.
Importantly, Dra. Serrata discussed the role of collective healing in serving as a buffer for DV, and also as a healing model many cultural communities use to heal collective trauma and empower one another. She highlighted the importance of drawing on cultural strengths and centering cultural understanding when providing interventions and support not only to survivors but entire communities.
Finally, Dra. Serrata reminded the audience of their role in providing compassion and support to their peers, familias, and comunidad when someone discloses to them. In this APA piece led by Dra. Serrata and written during the height of COVID-19, she offers tips for family and community members, as well as recommendations and resources for Psychologists and those in the helping professions.
To wrap up this year’s DV awareness month, Dra. Serrata will be offering a virtual training for therapists, Psychologists (CEU’s available) and helping professionals who want to understand DV from an ecological framework and expand their toolbox on the nuances of serving and supporting the Latinx community.
Sign up for our “Supporting Latinx Survivors of IPV/DV Through a Culturally-Affirming Lens” training here and follow our Prickly Pear Therapy and Consulting IG account (@pricklytraining) to receive updates on our various trainings and resources.:
We are grateful to all the incredible communities and organizations that have come together to uplift survivors, share resources, and raise awareness during DV Awareness Month. You all are examples of how unidos somos más fuertes, so let’s continue to engage in these important conversations and push for social and systemic change.
*Dr. Serrata is available for various speaking engagements, keynotes and trainings on the intersections of DV with forms of oppression, strength and resilience. She also provides organizational support to organizations serving at these intersections and wanting to strengthen their services for BIPOC communities. Click here if you are interested in consulting with Dr. Serrata or if you want to learn more about our work.