Women In Distress provides an array of advocacy, counseling, and referral services for survivors of domestic violence and their children, who are not in need of emergency shelter. Survivors can make an appointment with an advocate by calling 954-760-9800 x1400.
Our Advocates are trained in a trauma-informed approach, providing direct services with care and empathy to survivors of domestic violence.
In an effort to reduce barriers to accessibility, Women in Distress offers Advocacy, Counseling, Therapy, and Support Group services both in-person and through telehealth options that meet the needs of survivors.
Services that are available include the following:
- Individual Counseling
- Safety Planning
- Specialty Advocacy
- Referral Services
- Court Accompaniment
- Vocational Assistance
- Economic Empowerment
- Case Management
- Housing Assistance
- Support Groups
- Parenting Classes
- Educational Activities
- Family Enrichment Events
Victim Compensation and Relocation Assistance
Survivors of domestic violence who have a domestic violence law enforcement offense report may qualify for victim compensation and/or relocation assistance through the state. Advocates are available to meet with survivors to complete the application process. Only Certified Domestic Violence Centers can complete the relocation section of the application with survivors.
Resources and Referrals
Advocates are available to provide advocacy, information on community resources and referrals, and case management assistance.
Specialty Advocacy Services
Court Advocacy
Women In Distress’s Court Advocacy program assists clients in safely participating in the legal system by providing support and information throughout the process. Services provided include court accompaniment, assistance with domestic violence injunctions for protection, family court, and criminal court cases and information on community resources and referrals.
InVEST
The InVEST (Intimate Violence Enhanced Service Team) Advocate works closely with law enforcement to ensure domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking incidents are treated as serious violations of criminal law requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system. The InVEST Advocate reviews all domestic violence related police reports within the county to determine potential high risk domestic violence cases and to contact survivors who are eligible to participate in the program. The goal of the InVEST project is to provide a coordinated community response effort intended to reduce the number of intimate partner homicides in Broward County. Services available include court accompaniment, individual support sessions, advocacy, case management, and information on referrals and resources.
CPI Project
The CPI Project is a team which consists of Domestic Violence Child Welfare Advocates that are co located at the Broward Sheriff’s Office Child Protective Investigations Section and at ChildNet. The ultimate goal of the CPI Project is to bridge the gap between child welfare and domestic violence service providers by reducing barriers, enhancing family safety, reducing removals of children from the non-offending parent/caregiver, and holding the batterers accountable for the violence and abuse that occurs. Services include court accompaniment , individual support sessions, advocacy, case management, and information on referrals and resourcescy.
Economic Justice Program
The Economic Justice Program provides training, information, and resources to address the economic conditions that create barriers to the long-term independence, and safety of survivors and their children. Services include resume writing, financial stability planning, assistance with searching for a job, interview coaching, dress for success, computer classes, ESOL classes, credit repair, and financial literacy.
Therapy Services
The goal of the Therapy Program is to provide professional counseling services that are empowerment-based for survivors of domestic violence. Individual therapies, as well as, therapeutic support groups are available for survivors of domestic violence and their children, including infants in both the Emergency Shelter and Outreach Programs.
The Therapy Department is comprised of Masters-level therapists who are licensed mental health counselors (LMHC), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), and Masters-level mental health interns from local university programs. Women In Distress provided approximately 21,450 hours of therapeutic counseling services last year to survivors of domestic violence.
Individual Therapy
Working collaboratively with a professional therapist helps survivors of domestic violence process difficult feelings and traumatic experiences, while providing them with the tools and skills to effectively cope and manage strong emotions. Therapy helps to promote personal growth, development, and empower survivors to become proactive about the changes they desire and work toward autonomy. Survivors learn about the dynamics of power and control which are central to domestic violence relationships and learn ways to stop the cycle of abuse in their own lives.
The Adult Therapists use evidenced-based therapy models of treatment to help clients heal from domestic violence which include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Mindfulness, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Traumatic Incident Reduction Therapy (TIR), and Motivational Interviewing (MI).
Therapeutic Support Groups
Therapeutic support groups provide a safe non-judgmental setting for survivors to connect with one another in a positive manner to express and process their feelings and experiences of domestic violence. Support groups are available to survivors currently receiving services or on the waitlist for therapy.
- DV Transformations: Survivors learn the principles of domestic violence through a curriculum-based group to stem the cycle of abuse.
- STEP Group: Survivor Therapy Empowerment Program (STEP) is a psychoeducation support group that helps survivors in navigating their experiences of domestic violence and regain control of their lives.
- Empowerment Group: Supportive therapeutic group that focuses on self-esteem and survivors to improve their, self-image, confidence, and overall functioning.
- Art-based Therapeutic Support Groups: Creativity-based interventions which utilize art to help process feelings and experiences of domestic violence.
- Therapeutic Percussion Group: Through the power of music and rhythm, survivors overcome feelings of anxiety and learn to attune to their bodies and minds.
- Alcohol and Substance Recovery Support Group: Recovery group for survivors looking for support in their efforts to remain sober who also experienced domestic violence.
