Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to present the possibilities of taking therapeutic actions in the conditions of prison isolation towards persons who commit acts of domestic violence. Clinical practice and research reports indicate the validity of expanding rehabilitation and correctional programs to include deeper therapeutic work with inmates. The conditions of prison isolation make it somewhat difficult to establish a therapeutic relationship, but on the other hand, building contact between the inmate and the therapist can serve as a form of relationship-building training based on mutual respect and trust. The paper presents the possibilities of working with a person who used to commit acts of domestic violence, in particular in a romantic relationship (IPV – Intimate Partner Violence) using behavioral-cognitive and systemic approaches. Deeper analysis of possibilities of using therapeutic actions indicates the validity of combining both techniques. On the one hand, patients are equipped with tools and techniques allowing them to change their behavior, on the other hand, creating space to work within the broader family context. The article also features an attempt to analyze the possibilities of working with a couple who experience domestic violence, either in the conditions of prison isolation or after leaving the penitentiary. The considerations presented below widen the understanding of prison isolation conditions as a possibility to build a new reality and change behavior even when serving a prison sentence.

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