ABSTRACT
A couple of years ago I did a stint in a domestic violence refuge house as a counselor and support worker. At this time I was a very new counselor, still finishing my graduate training. The clients who came through the front door often had long histories of living with domestic violence, abuse, and trauma. Many of them also had comorbidity issues around drug and alcohol or other mental health issues. The refuge house was a residential center in a suburban area and most clients stayed for a period of around six to eight weeks.
