In this episode of the Colleague Down the Hall Podcast, Jeanene Wolfe welcomes Dr. Keith Klostermann to tackle the critical topic of intimate partner violence (IPV). They explore how the pandemic exposed the complexities of IPV, with Dr. Klosterman breaking down its various forms—physical, emotional, financial, and sexual—and discussing its prevalence across diverse demographics. The conversation emphasizes the importance of creating safe spaces, recognizing subtle signs, and integrating explicit safety planning into therapy. 

“I think it's figuring out, does the client feel safe? What are some options in terms of a safety plan, even being thoughtful about what form will the safety plan take? Is it paper and pencil? Is it digital? What's it gonna look like? I think that part of the process has to be really collaborative in nature, because as therapists, we can develop the greatest safety plan in the world. This is what you should do, all these things, but if our clients aren't willing to do it, then its value is useless. It's just an exercise that maybe makes us feel better in the moment, like, hey, we did something. But I think it's really important to make sure that however you develop that these are things that your clients are willing to do.” - Dr. Keith

Let’s dive into:

***Understanding Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): Defining IPV across physical, emotional, financial, and sexual dimensions.

***Recognizing and Addressing IPV in Therapy:Identifying subtle signs of IPV, such as non-verbal cues and controlling behaviors.

***Safety Planning and Intervention Strategies: Developing collaborative, behaviorally descriptive safety plans tailored to client needs.

***Cultural, Socio-Economic, and Ethical Considerations: Addressing IPV within diverse cultural and socio-economic contexts; Building trust, respecting client autonomy, and avoiding victim-blaming.

***Therapist Self-Care and Professional Development: Prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries, and managing therapist burnout. Engaging in continuous learning and self-reflection.

About Dr. Keith Klostermann:

Dr. Keith Klostermann is a Quality Assurance Manager at the Cohen Veterans Network (CVN). He is licensed as a mental health counselor and marriage and family therapist in NY State and is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. Dr. Klostermann is recognized by the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) as a Fellow in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Education and Research, and Diplomate and Clinical Mental Counseling Specialist in Couples and Family Counseling, Child and Adolescent Counseling, Integrated Behavioral Healthcare, and Military Counseling. In addition to his role at CVN, Dr. Klostermann is a Core Faculty member in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Walden University.

Dr. Klostermann served as one of the lead trainers in the VAs national implementation of Behavioral Couples Therapy for Substance Use Disorders (BCT-SUD). He has won numerous awards for his teaching, leadership, and research including but not limited to the 2021 Outstanding Professional Award (Internal Association for Marriage and Family Counseling), 2020 Dr. Linda Seligman Counselor Education of the Year (American Mental Health Counseling Association), 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award (Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling), and 2019 Outstanding Professional Member Award (European Branch of the American Counseling Association).

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