A Multicultural, Social Justice, and Peace Intervention for Interpersonal Violence

Abstract

The Creative and Expressive Arts Personal Growth Group [CAPG] is a manualized intervention for interpersonal violence related to diversity factors [IV-D]. This article presents a Trinitarian-informed adaption of CAPG for Christians impacted by IV-D [CCAPG]. A pilot study exploring CCAPG’s potential to promote peace in the clinical setting and peace education in the research environment follows. Sixteen culturally diverse Christian psychotherapists and emerging counselor educators with a history of IV-D participated in the study. Qualitative data assessed with transcendental and heuristic phenomenological analyses informed by constructivist grounded theory resulted in a preliminary understanding of how CCAPG may promote Trinitarian-based peace and peace education. Thematic findings for the clinical setting included the salience of Incarnational Leadership, Trinitarian-Based Components, and Christian Community to receiving the Peace of God. In the research setting, themes were Valuing Social Justice, Multiculturalism, and Peace and Becoming an Instrument of Peace. The paper closes with discussion, implications, and recommendations for the field.