2026 NEFESH Summer Online Conference
July 14-15, 2026 · Online Event
00
Days
00
Hours
00
Min
00
Sec
Register Now
< Back to workshops

The Intersection of Faith and Intimate Partner Violence (3 CE Credits - Cultural Competence)

Previously Recorded
Chandra Dawson, LISW, LCSW
$59.99 USD

Faith or religious beliefs can present a barrier to safety for individuals experiencing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Likewise, many people outline their faith and beliefs as justifications for abusive behaviors. This workshop will provide a foundational understanding of the intersection of faith and IPV. Participants will gain strategies to support survivors as they navigate safety, their identified obligations to their religious beliefs, and their associated emotions.

This workshop will also address worker cultural humility and the need for culturally appropriate intervention strategies addressing the intersections of faith/religion, gender identity, race/culture and intimate partner violence.

About the Presenter

Chandra Dawson, LISW, LCSW is a social worker with over 20 years of social work practice serving various marginalized populations primarily comprised of communities of color.  She has years of organizational experience including crisis intervention, supervision, training, project management and senior leadership within organizations serving domestic violence and sexual assault survivors as well as numerous marginalized populations. She too is the founder/consultant of The MACRO Project where she supports organizations in meeting the trauma-informed intersectional needs of individuals and communities.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Define the relationship between faith, gender identity and intimate partner violence
  2. Identify the service needs of survivors navigating safety and faith
  3. Recall the impact of worker bias when supporting survivors representing the faith community

Agenda:

Introduction and Training Safety — 15 minutes

  • Introduction to the course and learning objectives
  • Establishing emotional safety when discussing intimate partner violence
  • Considerations for engaging with potentially distressing material
  • Overview of the relationship between faith, identity, and survivor safety

Foundations of Intimate Partner Violence — 30 minutes

  • Definition and common forms of intimate partner violence
  • Patterns of power, control, coercion, and abuse
  • Ways religious beliefs or teachings may be used to justify abusive behavior
  • How faith may function as both a barrier to safety and a source of strength

Understanding Intersectionality — 35 minutes

  • Definition and application of an intersectional framework
  • How overlapping identities and social experiences may affect survivors
  • Intersections among faith, gender identity, race, culture, age, and relationship status
  • Importance of avoiding assumptions about survivors and religious communities

Faith, Gender, and Intimate Partner Violence — 35 minutes

  • The relationship between religious beliefs and intimate partner violence
  • Gender identity, gender roles, and religious or cultural expectations
  • How beliefs about marriage, family, forgiveness, and community may affect help-seeking
  • Emotional conflict that may arise when safety needs appear to compete with faith obligations

Survivor Impact and Service Needs — 25 minutes

  • Emotional, psychological, relational, cultural, and spiritual effects of abuse
  • Barriers survivors may encounter when seeking assistance
  • Supporting safety while respecting the survivor’s religious identity and personal choices
  • Identifying culturally and spiritually responsive service needs

Worker and Advocate Response — 20 minutes

  • Recognizing the influence of practitioner bias
  • Applying cultural humility when working with survivors from faith communities
  • Examining assumptions related to religion, gender, race, culture, and relationship status
  • Maintaining a survivor-centered and nonjudgmental approach

Culturally Appropriate Strategies and Advocacy — 15 minutes

  • Developing culturally appropriate intervention strategies
  • Supporting survivors as they navigate safety, faith, and associated emotions
  • Collaborating with religious or community supports when appropriate and requested by the survivor
  • Identifying individual, organizational, and community advocacy needs

Integration, Questions, and Closing — 5 minutes

  • Review of key concepts and practice considerations
  • Recorded questions and answers
  • Closing reflections on culturally humble IPV intervention

This previously recorded self-study course offers 3.0 continuing education contact hours, including 3.0 cultural competence credits. It does not qualify for live or live-interactive credit.

This workshop offers 3 Continuing Education Credits
This webinar is recorded and will not grant live credits.


This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: intermediate
Level of Clinician: intermediate
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
  • NEFESH International, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0116.
  • NEFESH International is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0046
  • NEFESH International is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Mental Health Counselor #MHC-0082
  • NEFESH International is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0048.
  • CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
    CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists. #CAT-0122.

Refund Policy:
Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.