Who This Guide Is For
Designed specifically for professionals operating within the domestic violence and trauma support sector.
DV Advocates
Frontline support personnel guiding immediate survivor navigation.
Shelter Staff
Residential workers establishing secure, trauma-informed housing environments.
Safehouse Coordinators
Operations managers maintaining confidentiality and physical security.
Outreach Workers
Community engagement specialists delivering rapid response education.
Case Managers
Long-term planning coordinators supporting survivor self-sufficiency.
Social Workers
Licensed clinical and structural support practitioners.
Trauma-Informed Instructors
Educators facilitating specialized professional training programs.
Community Educators
Public awareness advocates presenting to diverse institutional groups.
DV Prevention Specialists
Systemic intervention and policy strategists.
Purpose of the Program
Domestic Violence Behind Closed Doors is built with explicit core objectives designed to elevate awareness and protect agency standards.
Increase DV Awareness
Expose the subtle, non-physical mechanics of coercive control, isolation, and psychological manipulation that often remain hidden behind closed doors.
Support Healing & Empowerment
Center survivor agency by validating internal resilience, rejecting shame-based narratives, and reinforcing self-determination at every juncture.
Structured Facilitation
Provide realistic, relatable scenarios accompanied by a safe, structured methodology for facilitators to navigate complex emotional discussions without harm.
The Facilitator Role
Facilitating trauma-informed simulations requires absolute clarity of purpose. You are an anchor, a guide, and a stabilizing presence—not a therapist or an investigator.
Critical Boundary Clarification
Facilitators do not diagnose, psychoanalyze, interrogate, or push for disclosures. Your mandate is to maintain container safety, normalize emotional responses, and facilitate structured reflection.
Core Facilitator Mandates
- Create a safe, predictable physical and psychological environment.
- Guide participants steadily through the simulation process.
- Normalize complex emotional reactions without pathologizing.
- Encourage reflection without judgment or correction.
- Reinforce absolute empowerment and personal safety choices.
- Provide tangible grounding tools and immediate stabilization techniques.
- Connect participants seamlessly to professional support resources when needed.
Preparing the Space
Safety begins before anyone enters the room. Establish physical, emotional, and systemic safety protocols.
Physical Space
- Quiet, private, and comfortable environment
- Soft lighting options to reduce sensory strain
- Tissues and fresh water readily available
- Tactile grounding objects placed within reach
Emotional Space
- Normalize taking breaks without penalty
- Validate all surfacing feelings completely
- Reinforce total participant autonomy
- Maintain an atmosphere free of judgment
Safety Considerations
- Never force participation or engagement
- Avoid pressuring personal disclosures
- Watch vigilantly for trauma triggers
- Have agency crisis protocols ready
Facilitation Formats
Explore the four primary ways facilitators can deliver the VICARIOUS™ simulation depending on participant needs and setting.
Group‑Guided Simulation (All Together)
The facilitator guides the group through each scenario collectively. Participants discuss reactions, choices, and insights as a shared experience.
- DV psychoeducation groups
- Shelter community meetings
- Advocacy workshops
- Prevention and awareness classes
Group Simulation with Individual Participation
Participants complete the simulation individually on their own devices while the facilitator oversees the group. Afterward, the group processes the experience together.
- Mixed‑experience groups
- Larger DV education sessions
- Trauma‑informed empowerment groups
1:1 Simulation (Individual Session)
The facilitator and participant complete the simulation together during a one‑on‑one session.
- Individual advocacy
- Case management
- Counseling or therapeutic support
- Safety planning conversations
Remote / Virtual Facilitation
The simulation can be delivered remotely through Zoom, telehealth platforms, virtual DV support groups, and remote shelter programming.
- Privacy
- Stable connection
- Clear instructions
- Emotional safety check‑ins
Introducing the Simulation
Before launching the experience, facilitators must set clear, trauma-informed expectations to ensure participants feel entirely secure and sovereign over their participation.
Absolute Autonomy
Participants are completely in control. They can pause, step away, or stop the simulation at any time without explanation.
Zero Pass or Fail
There is no scoring, evaluation, or grading. The simulation utilizes short, realistic DV scenarios built solely for awareness and empowerment.
Running the Simulation
What to do—and what strictly to avoid—while participants navigate the digital experience.
During the Experience
- Stay present: Remain accessible and grounded in the room.
- Observe distress: Watch for signs of physiological overwhelm or heavy breathing.
- Offer breaks: Proactively suggest pausing if tension rises.
- Avoid interpreting scenarios: Let participants derive their own insights.
- Avoid telling participants what they "should" feel: Honor emotional sovereignty.
Do Not Do This
- Push for disclosure: Never demand personal trauma details.
- Compare experiences: Refrain from saying "I know how you feel" or comparing stories.
- Minimize reactions: Never dismiss emotional responses as overreactions.
- Use clinical jargon: Keep language human, accessible, and grounded.
- Make assumptions: Do not assume why a participant chose a specific path.
After the Simulation
Immediate grounding steps required before transitioning into group reflection.
Breathing
Guided slow diaphragmatic breaths.
Stretching
Gentle movement to release physical tension.
Silence
Intentional quiet to process internally.
Objects
Using tactile grounding items.
Affirmations
Re-centering in present safety.
Facilitating Reflection
Use these core questions to guide participant processing. Ensure every response is met with validation rather than critique.
Core Reflection Questions
“What stood out to you?”
“What tactic felt familiar?”
“What emotions came up?”
“What helps you feel safe?”
“What does empowerment mean to you today?”
Group Facilitation Tips
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01
Allow silence Do not rush to fill quiet moments; participants need time to formulate thoughts.
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02
Validate emotions Acknowledge the weight of what surfaced without trying to fix or minimize it.
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03
Encourage autonomy Remind participants they dictate how much or how little they share.
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04
Avoid leading questions Keep prompts open-ended rather than steering participants toward a desired answer.
Trauma‑Informed Communication
Examples of supportive phrasing designed to eliminate judgment and foster empowerment.
“Why did you choose that option.”
“What made that option feel right for you?”
“That wasn’t healthy.”
“What do you think that choice brought up for you?”
“You should…”
“One possibility could be…”
Managing Emotional Responses
Tactical facilitator guidance for managing overwhelm and dissociation safely in real-time.
Overwhelm Protocol
- Offer breaks: Immediately provide space to step away from the group.
- Encourage grounding: Guide them back to physical anchors in the room.
- Validate feelings: Assure them their reaction is completely normal.
- Remind them they are safe: Re-orient to the current physical time and place.
Dissociation Protocol
- Speak softly: Maintain a calm, even, low-tone vocal cadence.
- Encourage sensory grounding: Ask them to notice textures, colors, or sounds.
- Avoid touch: Never physically touch a participant experiencing dissociation without explicit permission.
- Offer water: Provide a cool glass of water to anchor physical sensation.
Closing the Session
“Thank you for participating. Your awareness, your voice, and your healing matter. You deserve safety, compassion, and support.”
Encourage journaling, rest, self-care, and speaking with an advocate if needed as participants transition back to their daily lives.
Optional Add‑Ons for Agencies
For agencies that purchased the Daily Homework & Reflection Add‑On, utilize these tools to extend processing and track programmatic engagement securely.
Daily Reflection Sheets
Structured prompts for individual post-simulation processing.
Encourage Journaling
Promote ongoing internal documentation and self-discovery.
Use Prompts in Groups
Incorporate reflection questions into follow-up support circles.
Track Engagement
Monitor participation metrics ethically across agency cohorts.
Facilitator Ethics
Uncompromising ethical pillars governing every VICARIOUS™ facilitation session.
Confidentiality
Protect participant disclosures and data with absolute agency discretion.
Cultural Respect
Honor diverse cultural backgrounds and systemic barriers without bias.
No Victim-Blaming
Reject any language or framing that questions survivor decisions.
Prioritize Safety
Place participant emotional and physical well-being above curriculum pace.
Professional Referrals
Know your limits and connect participants directly to clinical care when needed.