McArthur Counseling Center Assists Domestic Violence Victims, Perpetrators
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Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
McArthur Counseling Center in Warsaw works to counsel those who not only are victims of domestic violence, but also those who have committed the acts. Joel McArthur is owner of the counseling center, 3201 E. Center St., and is a licensed mental health counselor. He is certified in treating those who have been victims of domestic violence and their perpetrators. Phil Erichson is a counselor who has experience and specializes in counseling men who are domestic abusers. April is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 21-27. McArthur Counseling Center is the gold level sponsor for Warsaw Police Department’s Victim Services fourth annual 5K Walk/Run. The event is April 20 in Winona Lake. Race day registration is 8 to 8:40 a.m., with the race starting at 9 a.m. from the Winona Lake Town Park. Erichson will participate in the 5K with his wife, Michelle. Erichson said the funds raised during the 5K will help those who have been domestically abused. “Often times victims of abuse don’t have funds because they might not have a job or resources,” Erichson said. During an interview Tuesday, McArthur and Erichson discussed the 26-week batterer intervention program the counseling center offers. McArthur and Erichson attended domestic violence training in 2010 in Duluth, Minn., to receive training on working with those who commit domestic violence. “We used to think domestic violence had something to do with anger, but through research realized battering occurs because the abuser has a faulty belief system,” McArthur said. McArthur said 95 percent of all batterers are men abusing their partners or spouses. “Domestic violence is not just physical abuse, but also controlling and manipulative behavior,” McArthur said. Erichson said the abusers act out because they feel that is what they need to do to maintain the family, household and sense of control. “The man often controls the money and the woman may not have access to money, a car or phone,” Erichson said. “The physical wounds heal at some point, but the emotional wounds don’t go away sometimes.” The counseling that the center offers works with the perpetrator to help them develop a positive belief system. “A belief system is hard to change in someone like someone changing their religious beliefs,” Erichson said. The spouses or female partners are not treated with their husbands, but have the option to meet with a therapist separately. “Keeping the female sererate allows men to look at themselves and make changes on their own,” Erichson said. McArthur and Erichson work to build confidence in the women who have been abused and help the women to set healthy and constructive boundaries with their partners. They also work with the men and women to teach them their responsibilities in the relationship. Erichson said when he and McArthur counsel those who have committed domestic violence, they remember not to judge. “The challenge is men don’t want to come in because they say ‘I’m not a batterer’ and it’s not uncommon for them to justify their behavior and say, ‘She hit me first’,” McArthur said. McArthur said the counseling helps the perpetrator understand why they do what they do, their beliefs, motivations and consequences. McArthur said community awareness of domestic violence is important. “A lot of times communities don’t want to talk about the subject because it doesn’t feel good,” McArthur said. He said the more communities are aware, it gets people talking about the issue and what can be done to prevent it. For more information about the counseling center, visit www.mcarthurcounselingcenter.com
