Domestic Violence Counseling in West Palm Beach, Florida

Domestic Abuse & Violence: Support, Safety, and Healing — One Step at a Time

Domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone, yet the problem is often overlooked, excused, or denied. Living through domestic violence can leave invisible scars — on your heart, on your mind, and on your ability to trust. No one should live in fear of the person they love or the person they have been bullied to hate and fear.

I’m Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist in West Palm Beach, Florida. For over 20 years, I’ve supported individuals and couples throughout Palm Beach County facing the aftermath of abuse. My domestic violence counseling services are built on compassion, safety, and emotional healing. I am committed to serving as a resource providing help for families caught in abuse in West Palm Beach, Florida.

If you’re searching for a path forward — whether through individual or couples therapy — this I can guide you to reclaim your voice, your safety, and your sense of self.

Whether you’ve recently left a harmful situation or are still finding your way out, I want you to know: You are not alone, and healing is possible. This is especially true when the abuse is psychological, rather than physical. Noticing and acknowledging the signs of an abusive relationship are the first steps to ending it. I can guide you move forward with confidence, clarity, and strength.

If you recognize yourself or someone you know in the following warning signs and descriptions of abuse, reach out. I am here to help in stopping the abuse now! Call me, Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT, today at (561) 688-8787 or complete my online form to request a free introductory call.

Key Takeaways

• Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT offers domestic violence counseling in West Palm Beach, Florida and throughout Palm Beach County for families and individuals that have suffered abuse and violence in their relationships.
• Domestic violence counseling can address matters such as emotional healing, boundary setting, rebuilding self-worth, trauma resolution, and relationship safety.
• Individuals recovering from abuse, those still in abusive environments, and couples navigating post-abuse repair can benefit greatly from guided domestic violence counseling and therapy from a licensed psychotherapist.
• Dr. Christiansen’s domestic violence counseling services are available in person and via secure telehealth online therapy.
• Dr. Susan Christiansen’s trauma-informed psychotherapy and support following domestic violence incorporates various tailored treatment methodologies.
• Easily request a free introductory call with Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT by phone at (561) 688-8787(561) 688-8787 or through the online form

What is Domestic Violence Counseling?

Domestic violence counseling is a specialized form of therapy that helps individuals and couples heal from the psychological and emotional wounds caused by abuse within intimate or familial relationships.

Domestic violence is not just physical. It can be:

• Emotional: Insults, gaslighting, threats, humiliation
• Psychological: Isolation, manipulation, fear tactics
• Sexual: Coercion, assault, consent violations
• Financial: Controlling access to money or resources
• Verbal: Constant criticism, yelling, or degrading language

In therapy, we work through the complex web of trauma responses, fear, grief, and often guilt or confusion. My role is to help you feel safe, supported, and empowered, whether you’re preparing to leave a harmful relationship, adjusting to a new life after separation, or addressing the emotional aftermath years later.

No matter your timeline or experience, this space is for you.

Key Benefits of Domestic Violence Counseling

1. Emotional Safety and Stabilization

The first step in counseling after domestic violence is establishing emotional safety. Survivors often live in a heightened state of anxiety, fear, or confusion, even after the abuse ends.

In domestic violence therapy sessions, we work to:

• Understand and validate your emotional experience
• Identify safety plans and grounding techniques
• Build an internal sense of security through structure and connection

2. Rebuilding Self-Worth and Confidence

Abuse often erodes your self-image, leaving behind feelings of shame, helplessness, or self-blame. Together, we challenge these internalized messages and work to rebuild your identity, self-respect, and personal agency.

3. Healing Trauma Responses

Many survivors live with the aftereffects of trauma long after leaving the relationship. These can include:

• Hypervigilance and anxiety
• Depression or emotional numbness
• Flashbacks or intrusive memories
• Difficulty trusting others
• Dissociation or difficulty focusing

I use trauma-informed approaches such as grounding exercises, understanding intergenerational family trauma, and mindfulness-based techniques to support your healing at your pace.

4. Clarifying Boundaries and Relationship Patterns

If you’ve experienced control or manipulation, you may struggle with boundaries — whether in friendships, family, or new relationships. In counseling, we learn what healthy boundaries look like, how to assert them, and how to protect your emotional well-being going forward.

5. Support for Couples Navigating Post-Abuse Dynamics

In some situations, couples counseling may be appropriate, especially when both partners are committed to healing and when past abuse has been acknowledged. These sessions focus on:

• Addressing harmful dynamics with accountability
• Rebuilding trust and safety
• Creating equitable communication patterns
• Establishing clear boundaries and emotional agreements

Couples counseling in domestic violence situations must be handled with extreme care, after appropriately addressing safety, mutual commitment, and individual therapy considerations.

How Domestic Violence Counseling Works

Step 1: Confidential Intake and Assessment

Your journey begins with a private consultation where we explore your experiences, safety needs, emotional state, and therapy goals. This session is designed to provide relief, clarity, and a path forward.

Step 2: Trauma-Informed Safety Planning

If you’re still in an unsafe relationship, we may develop a concrete safety plan together. If you’ve already left the situation, we focus on stabilizing your emotional responses and creating a safe environment for healing.

Step 3: Customized Therapy Approach

Every survivor’s journey is unique. Based on your needs, I use a combination of approaches, such as:

• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Narrative Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Inner child and self-compassion work
• Relational boundary exploration
• Psychoeducation about trauma and recovery

Step 4: Regular Counseling Sessions

Therapy sessions are typically held weekly or biweekly and last 50–60 minutes. We may focus on specific themes, process emotional pain, or simply hold space for your story — without judgment.

Step 5: Long-Term Growth and Empowerment

As we move through therapy, you’ll notice new shifts:

• Confidence in your boundaries
• Restored emotional regulation
• A clearer sense of what you want from your life and relationships

Counseling doesn’t erase the past, but it helps you reclaim your future.

Who Needs Domestic Violence Counseling?

Domestic violence doesn’t have a “look.” It happens in all kinds of relationships, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, socioeconomic status, or age. You may benefit from this counseling if you:

• Have experienced physical, emotional, or psychological abuse in a relationship
• Are unsure if your relationship is emotionally safe
• Have recently left an abusive partner and feel lost or afraid
• Struggle with self-esteem, trust, or boundaries after abuse
• Want support healing trauma and rebuilding your life
• Are co-parenting with an abusive ex-partner
• Want to understand patterns of violence in your past or family

Even if you’re unsure whether your experience “counts,” I welcome you to reach out. If you felt unsafe, controlled, diminished, or afraid in your relationship, you deserve support.

Why Choose Dr. Susan Christiansen for Domestic Violence Counseling in West Palm Beach?

My Experience & Approach

I bring over two decades of experience working with trauma, relationship conflict, and emotional healing. I hold a Ph.D. in Humanities and Social Science, and am a licensed marriage and family therapist. More importantly, I bring presence, care, and compassion into every session.

This isn’t just about trauma theory. It’s about showing up for you, exactly as you are.

Trusted by Palm Beach County Courts

The Palm Beach County Court Houses refer people charged with domestic violence to me when they get arrested and need to go through a program in order to be cleared of those charges. I am one of few therapists routinely requested to provide this service in the court system in Palm Beach County.

Client-Focused Success Stories

Many survivors I’ve worked with share that therapy gave them their first experience of being heard without shame. They leave not only more emotionally stable, but more confident in their ability to shape the life they want.

Care That Honors Your Pace

Healing from domestic violence cannot be rushed. I don’t push. I don’t assume. I guide by responding to your needs, in effect following your lead and working at your pace. Whether you’re ready to dive deep now or you just need someone to sit with your pain for a while, I’m here.

Safe, Inclusive Environment

My practice is inclusive of different orientations and cultural backgrounds. Whether you’re a woman, a man, or someone facing difficult cultural barriers to leaving an abusive relationship, you are welcome here.

Ask Questions About Domestic Violence Counseling or Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT

You don’t have to carry this alone. Whether you are just beginning to name your experience or you are already on a healing journey, domestic violence counseling can be a powerful tool for reclaiming your life.

Call me, Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT, now at (561) 688-8787(561) 688-8787 or complete my online form to request a free introductory call.

You are worthy of peace, healing, and a future rooted in safety and respect. Let’s take the next step together.

Helping Palm Beach County clients achieve peace and harmony since 2000