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Rowan House Society's fiscal year runs from April 1 - March 31, while our Annual Report showcasing the stats, trends and highlights comes out in June, prior to our AGM. It's a great way to see some of the quantitative impacts our programs and services are having on our communities.In the meantime, I am joined by our new Research and Evaluation Lead, Stefanie to talk about the importance of data and data integrity and some of the stories it tells about our work and our sector.Follow us on Facebook or sign up for our e-newsletter on our website to get further updates on our work.

Preventative Education must play an essential role in addressing domestic violence and abuse. Rowan House has said this many times throughout this podcast and does a lot of great work in schools and the community to that end. But it's important to understand that it's not just this work that makes a difference - prevention comes in many forms and is intertwined throughout each and every program and service we offer. And in order to fully break the cycle, we must take a multi-faceted approach.In this episode, I am joined by Rowan House’s Executive Director, Linette Soldan and Community Programs Team Lead, Angela Koenig to talk about sector trends and the importance of wholistic prevention.Infographic mentioned in episode: https://www.rowanhouse.ca/prevention 

What is the violence link? What can it tell law enforcement when they're approaching investigations that may be related to domestic violence and abuse? And can it get help for individuals in a more timely manner? Acting Sgt. Dennis Smithson of the Calgary Police Service has been working hard to spread awareness about the Pet Abuse-Violence Link and joins me in this episode to help answer some of these questions.Trigger warning: descriptions of pet abuse and domestic violence.If you, or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. Otherwise, Rowan House is always available to provide trauma-informed crisis support, safety planning and program or community referral at 403-652-3311 (call/text)

It can't be said enough, education saves lives. And there are many people out there who are trying to find new ways to make a difference for those experiencing domestic violence and abuse; and strangulation.In 2021, a working group was formed to bring various service providers to the table to figure out how to work together to ensure victims of strangulation could be recognized and properly supported in their unique and high-risk needs. The panel includes shelter staff, including the Executive Director of Rowan House, health care providers, police and other responders, as well as friends or family members connected to someone who has experienced strangulation, focusing on the role of community in intervention, with the goal of doing 3-4 presentations each year. In this episode, I am joined by one of the members of the panel, Dr. Pauline Head, who graduated from the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine in 1980 and completed a Fellowship with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Emergency Medicine in 1985. She has practiced Emergency Medicine in Calgary, since then and joins us to talk more about her experiences and why this panel is so important to saving lives.Trigger warning for graphic descriptions of strangulation and abuse.

Taking a break from some of the tougher topics we've discussed this season, Episode 10 shares with you a short and sweet story of hope, to bring us back to what it's all about.

Rowan House Society has been a partner with Alberta Health Services Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) Program for about a year now. It's a program designed to be an important touch point for individuals experiencing domestic violence and abuse, who's first, and maybe only opportunity to learn about their options for getting help, may be at the hospital. In this episode, I am joined by Registered Nurse, Nicole Smith and Social Worker, Diana Adamo to discuss how the program works and why it's so important.Trigger warning: descriptions of injuries caused by physical domestic violence

Domestic violence and abuse truly are a significant problem, right here in our backyard, and it is costing people their lives.  So how do we make change? How do we ensure the number of individuals affected and the number of deaths related to family violence doesn’t continue to rise? One answer is education.  In this episode, Jill, the President of Lives in Transition, a program serving victims of domestic violence and moving them towards self-sufficiency, shares her personal story about the power of knowledge and how it might have saved her sister. Trigger warning: this episode includes many descriptions of abuse and strangulation.Other notes:Rowan House 24-Hour Support Line: 403-652-3311 (call or text)Alberta  Family Violence Info Line: 310-1818Rowan House Family Violence Prevention Month Initiatives: https://www.rowanhouse.ca/fvpmRowan House Prevention Programs: https://www.rowanhouse.ca/preventionRowan House Educational  Resources: https://www.rowanhouse.ca/adult-resources

The emotional toll of violent and abusive relationships is a heavy one – for both adults and their children. There is a lot of damage to one’s self-worth that needs to be mended to move on to stable lives and future healthier relationships. For the kids in these relationships who witness or even experience the violence and abuse, they may have an even more challenging time understanding or expressing how they feel, and it may burst out in similar ways to what they’ve seen to be the norm or the opposite where they retreat entirely inward.  You can revisit Season 1, Episode 3 for more information on the effects of abuse on children, however, in this episode I am joined by Rowan House’s Children’s Program Team Lead, Carlee Marchbank to discuss how the program is implementing the Zones of Regulation curriculum to help our littlest clients address some of those BIG feelings.Towards the end of the episode, I also have a little plug for our upcoming Breakfast with the Guys events. You can find more information about that HERE.

June marks the launch of Pride festivities across the country, including within the Town of Okotoks. In this episode, I am joined by Rowan House's Halle Minkler and Okotoks Pride's Marissa Johnston and Siobhan Hourigan (@TheLesbiansTM), as we explore the intersectionality of domestic violence and abuse within LGBTQ2S+ relationships, and how rural communities are beginning to take steps towards safety and inclusion.Trigger warning: for content about violence toward the LGBTQ2S+ community and its members.

Parental Alienation is a loaded term, an accusation that often comes up in custody disputes when the child is expressing a desire to stay with just one parent.In most cases, with just a few exceptions, both parents are given rights to access their child – even if it’s somewhat limited or with supervision. However, this can very much be, to the detriment of the health and mental well-being of that child.In this episode, I am joined by Family Law Lawyers, Laurie Anderson and Cindy Marshall, and returning guest, retired Lawyer and Consultant Diana Lowe to discuss why this is problematic and dreams of making the system better.Trigger warning: discussions of domestic violence and abuse, self-harm.CBC Article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/children-domestic-violence-survivors-family-court-1.6442801 Globe and Mail Article: Globe2Go, the digital newspaper replica of The Globe and Mail (pressreader.com)

We talked early in the Pandemic about how these types of events can significantly impact the issue of domestic violence and abuse. (RCMP in Alberta reported an 11.7% increase in those types of calls between March and September of 2020 compared to the same time in 2019, and then we had Corporal Leanne Beatie, the Domestic Violence Coordinator for the Southern Alberta District, on the podcast just a few episodes ago, talking about how that trend is continuing.) Our concerns that Covid would impact the sector were not unfounded, to say the least. But as Rowan House Society wraps up its last fiscal year and looks ahead, we are seeing that the Pandemic truly has affected more than just calls to our support line. We’re seeing quite a difference in the severity of abuse, changes in the overall mental health of clients and their coping mechanisms, lateral violence and people struggling to interact in those in-person settings and just more burnout and turnover in staff.In this episode, I am joined by Rowan House's new Executive Director, Linette Soldan to discuss these issues and how the sector is moving forward.I also want to once again include a Warning for this episode, as there is a point where we discuss the topic of strangulation that may be triggering for some listeners.

Working in the shelter, and hearing stories from residents and Outreach clients, we know that the systems of support for addressing domestic abuse can be difficult to navigate and often feel stacked up against the person requesting the help. But there are professionals within the system who understand those challenges and are working to make changes that promote better outcomes for families. One of the common themes we are coming across is that “better outcomes” don’t always mean families splitting up and jail time for the abuser. In this episode, I am joined by Judge, Mark Tyndale, Raelene Notti of Resolution Services (http://www.rcas.alberta.ca) and Rowan House’s Safe at Home Program Director, Nara Fedozzi to discuss the two cycles of abuse and different avenues for addressing domestic abuse and other family matters.Trigger Warning: this episode has some stronger descriptions of abuse and the court system that may be difficult for some listeners. Please proceed with caution and practice self-care as needed. 

Have you had a chance to watch the Netflix series, MAID?It's based on the true story/memoir of American author, Stephanie Land, and highlights the reality for people navigating the complexities of life - doing low-paid service work to provide for herself and her child while dealing with the demands of unhealthy and sometimes toxic family dynamics...and abuse. It has received a lot of praise for its accurate portrayal of these issues and many of our staff have watched it and would agree.Rowan House's Shelter Team Lead, Brittany Smith joins me to discuss our thoughts on the series.WARNING... this episode contains Spoilers for the show. Listen at your own risk!

To kick off Season 3, we go back to the beginning. How does someone typically find out about Rowan House and make the decision to come into the shelter or connect with an Outreach Support Worker?  Well, in many cases, the answer may be with support and resource referral from Foothills Regional Victim Services. In this episode, long-time program manager, Kerri Wilkinson joins me to talk about the role they play in helping families begin their journey to hope and healing.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to ending domestic violence. Emergency shelters for women and children in need of a safe haven from abuse will be a necessity for many years to come - but to make a real difference, we must continue to take proactive, preventative approaches.  Since 2009, one approach Rowan House has been taking is providing Healthy Relationship Education to youth in schools and we've had great feedback from both students and teachers. This is an evidence-based measure and will definitely create change for future generations. However, there's a generation of adults who have been affected by intergenerational trauma who are continuing the cycle in the meantime. In the last episode of Season 2, RCMP officer - Leanne Beattie, lawyer - Diana Lowe and Safe at Home Program Director - Nara Fedozzi join me to talk about the prevalence of domestic violence in southern Alberta and why supports and healing for those using abusive behaviours is an important piece of the puzzle.

Engaging men and boys is a common theme when it comes to talking about violence prevention...but why? Why is it so important and what role do men and boys play?Michael Hoyt is a municipal social worker out of Edmonton with extensive experience focused on developing the capacity of allies to dialogue about gender-based violence and the role of men and boys as agents of change.  He was also our 2021 Breakfast with the Guys keynote speaker and he joins me to help answer these questions and revisit the idea of what it means to be an ally for the women and girls in your life.

Abuse comes in many forms and doesn't discriminate between race, culture, sexual orientation, gender or age. In this episode, I am joined by Gabrielle Kirk of the Elder Abuse Response Coalition of Claresholm/Vulcan and Donelda Laing of the Foothills Coordinated Community Response Steering Committee to talk about the similarities and differences between elder abuse vs. intimate partner abuse, the signs to watch for and how you can support someone affected. In our conversation they mention some numbers you can call to report elder abuse:Rowan House Emergency Shelter |  403-652-3311Okotoks Family Resource Centre | 403-995-2626 High River FCSS | 403-652-8620 Distress Centre* (24 hours) | 403-266-4357Elder Abuse Response Program | 403-715-9223Claresholm FCSS | 403-625-4417Ranchlands Victim Services | 403-625-4444Vulcan FCSS | 403-485-2192Vulcan County Victim Service | 403-485-6163 *The Distress Centre is a 24-hour crisis/support line that can connect you to: Calgary Seniors Resource Society - Seniors Connect Outreach Program, Alberta Health Services - Mobile Response Team for Mental Health, and the RCMP.

Technology-Facilitated abuse is not a new concept - but one that has grown significantly through the Covid-19 Pandemic. Cybersecurity strategist and Rowan House volunteer, Sonya Goulet joins me to talk about what that means and some steps we can take to protect ourselves.Sonya invites you to connect with her if you would like more information or a free consultation: www.infinitycyber.ca / info@infinitycyber.ca. Also, if you're outside of Rowan House's service area (southern Alberta) and in need of local supports, the number I mentioned in the podcast is the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters 24-hour helpline: 1-866-331-3933 to help you find the shelter nearest you.

When it comes to domestic abuse in the home, children witness more than people may think. In this episode Rowan House's Program Coordinator, Janna, and Play Therapist, Alma Fourie PhD. share with me what exactly Play Therapy is and how it's making a difference for the littlest residents of our emergency shelter.

In this episode, lawyer, Diana Lowe and I discuss an intriguing project she's a part of called the Reforming the Family Justice System (RFJS) Initiative in Alberta and the difference it is making in the domestic violence sector.The RFJS is a multi-year, multi-sector collaboration, designed to effect system-wide change in the family justice system in Alberta, based on brain science and Adverse Childhood Experiences. The RFJS is seeking to shift the focus in family justice matters away from adversarial, legal responses, to making supports available to assist families with the social, relationship, parenting and financial issues that arise in family matters. The outcome collaborators are seeking is family well-being, which they define as “Helping Families Thrive”.