1. L OSING M YSELF IN L OVE An autobiographical exploration of male partner violence Sherrie Michalishen B.Ed., M.Ed. Graduate student in School and Counselling Psychology Supervisor -Tim Claypool Ph.D., R.D. Psych

2. OUTLINE Tim Claypool Ethical considerations Brief introduction of Sherrie My story Autobiography Rationale Risks Benefits My professional journey Insights Questions

3. T IM C LAYPOOL Ethical considerations Unique challenges

4. I NTRODUCTION OF S HERRIE

5. M Y STORY

6. A UTOBIOGRAPHY Rationale Risks Benefits

7. A UTOETHNOGRAPHY Ellis, 2004, p.31

8. A UTOBIOGRAPHY

9. RISKS Vulnerability Academic overlaps with personal Risk of increased harm Risk of being triggered During supervision meetings When facilitating group sessions

10. BENEFITS Positive example In group sessions With colleagues Correcting negative stereotypes Healing My healing journey

11. M Y PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY Beginning my journey Bachelor of Education degree Masters in School and Counselling

12. M Y PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY Facilitating the Abuse and Beyond group Appropriate self-disclosure Co-facilitating Challenges Countertransference Transference Triggers Opportunities

13. M Y I NSIGHT An Ode to Survivors of Abuse Some feel pain right in their homes, Not because of the arrows of Cupid, But because of marital blows. How many are hit? How many children get slapped? Not because of what they said or did, But because they were trapped. A handful of women get maimed, A handful die painful deaths, Not because they were a ripe-old age, But in a war that masquerades as romance. Hundreds of women seek shelter, Thousands yearn for the extended hand of a friend, Countless cry themselves to sleep at night, When every door gets slammed in their face. Yet a few escape the mayhem, flee the quagmire, A few triumph against all odds, A little tattered, wary and disoriented, They pick up the pieces of their lives, and try to rise. They are the Nancys, Ellys, Debbies, and Sues, Some women fear the dark, They are the mothers we pass by at the subways and malls, They are the ones who cuddle their children, who need to be cuddled, They are those whove survived partner abuse. Aysan Sever 30 December 2001 (Sever, 2002, p. 203).

14. QUESTIONS Reactions and questions