The PEACE Program Toolkit (p. 19-24) clearly outlines the PEACE Program’s broad theoretical framework of support as a psycho-educational approach. In addition, there is a PEACE Program Psycho-educational Mandate to support PEACE Program counsellors’ understanding of this approach. Both resources focus on the counsellor’s job to empower the program participant through offering information and strategies. This can be accomplished through individual and group support.

Specific psycho-educational strategies for sharing experiences and educational moments with mothers are shared in Chapter 2: Strategies for Supporting Mothers of this guide.

These strategies will include the following:

• Providing accurate information that helps mothers to understand abusive experiences and the impacts of experiencing violence.
• Providing reassurance and emotional support with a strengths-based approach.
• Helping mothers explore their feelings.
• Fostering and acknowledging resilience.
• Assist mothers with goal setting.
• Teaching skills, such as grounding skills and safety planning.
• Sharing stories.
• Exploring, acknowledging, and validating mothers’ responses to violence.
• Providing opportunities for social interaction with safe adults and peers.

Limitations for Applying a Psycho-educational Approach with Mothers

Signs a mother has needs that require referral to other services:

• Disorientation.
• Hallucinations.
• Inability to function.
• Dissociation.
• Psychiatric concerns.
• Concerns about self-harming or suicidal ideation.
• Severe depression.
• Ritualistic retelling.
• Drug or alcohol issues that require intervention.
• Indication that a mother wants or needs therapy that is not related to experiencing abuse, which is aimed at deeper healing, or requires more time than PEACE Program counsellors can give.
• If the relationship presents a conflict of interest.
• Mothers requesting support in areas that are beyond the PEACE program scope of practice, such as legal advice, financial advice or mental health issues.

Ultimately, anything that PEACE Program counsellors feel is beyond their scope of practice would be a relevant reason to refer. The PEACE Program is primarily a program for children and youth, and support is offered to mothers as a way to support children and youth. The PEACE Program mandate is to communicate with and support non-offending parents by providing information about the services, and, where resources permit, by providing the parents with support groups and individual support sessions¹.