Monarch Services Launches Positive Solutions Program

Curriculum to Focus on Unlearning Abusive Behavior

Monarch Services is proud to announce the launch of Positive Solutions, a program focused on changing abusive patterns and building healthy relationships, one person at a time.

The program will begin Thursday, January 9, from 4 to 6 p.m. and occur on a weekly basis. Positive Solutions operates by providing tools to stop abusive behavior, developing an appreciation of emotions and changing the attitudes that have contributed to abusive behavior.

This program uses the group model to engage individuals in a communal setting. This provides a safe environment for clients to relate to others’ experiences, learn to accept responsibility for their actions and develop skills to more appropriately respond to conflict.

Positive Solutions classes are based on the foundational elements of Nonviolent Communication, an approach to nonviolence developed by American Psychologist Marshall Rosenberg beginning in the 1960s.

This approach centers on the belief that violence results when individuals have not learned other strategies for meeting their needs and desires. Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication approach focuses on positive behavioral change on three levels: within self, within relationships and within groups or societies.

This curriculum has proven to make a positive impact when implemented in other counties. For example, according to Family & Children Services of Silicon Valley’s website, their Positive Solutions program group leaders “have helped thousands of men and women build healthier, more positive relationships through better communication, stress management, problem-solving and child development skills.”

Monarch Services staff is looking forward to observing the positive impact of this program on Santa Cruz County individuals and families. By serving individuals who have previously been violent, Monarch’s community impact will grow. This program is beneficial both for survivors of violence and individuals who have caused harm.

“Our goal is to provide resources for people who have caused harm to grow and make positive changes in their lives,” Interim Executive Director Kalyne Foster-Renda said. “The idea behind this program is that if abusive behavior can be learned, it can also be unlearned.”

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For more info: www.monarchscc.org