Circle of Faith

InterAct Circle of Faith. Domestic Violence Clergy and Faith Leaders Training InterAct.

For additional information, please contact Cindy Faison at cindyf@interactofwake.org

Circle of Faith (COF) is an InterAct Initiative designed to educate and prepare faith leaders to provide trauma-informed, faith-based counsel to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Through the Circle of Faith Initiative, InterAct will support faith leaders in their personal and professional growth to increase their capacity to respond to survivors experiencing violence practically.

The COF program is comprised of a 5-month training aimed at fostering a cohort of faith leaders from different religious and cultural backgrounds who serve as InterAct’s spiritual counselors for survivors and ambassadors of “safe faith communities.”  Each month, Circle of Faith members will meet for two hours to discuss issues around domestic and sexual assault through a combination of instruction and interactive activities. The curriculum will be a combination of presentations and activities.

Over the 5 months, faith leaders will have an open, ongoing dialogue on the impact of domestic violence and sexual assault on survivors and their families within their communities and collectively learn/develop practical trauma-informed skills to support survivors in overcoming abuse.

Faith leaders who successfully pass the evaluation will be placed on InterAct’s spiritual counselor’s referral list.

Vision Statement

To educate and prepare faith leaders to support survivors of domestic and sexual assault by providing trauma-informed, faith-based counsel.

Our Mission

To foster a cohort of faith leaders who will partner with InterAct by serving as spiritual counselors to survivors.

Our Goals

To provide faith leaders with a foundational understanding of the dynamics of domestic and sexual violence and spiritual abuse. Develop a cohort of faith leaders who serve as InterAct’s spiritual counselors to survivors. Establish more “safe faith communities” within Wake County.

A safe faith community is a faith community that is openly supportive of survivors, actively engages in preventive measures, and is responsive to acts of domestic and sexual violence.

Topics covered

Scope of the domestic violence problem, confidentiality, dynamics of domestic violence, categories of domestic violence, sexual assault, types of domestic violence, spiritual abuse by offenders, explore why victims may remain in abusive relationships, effects of domestic violence of children, InterAct and Community Clergy/Faith Leaders, supporting survivors, safety planning and domestic violence protective orders.

 

Schedule of Training (2nd Mondays – adjustments are possible)                                                                              

Spring/Summer: February – June

Fall/Winter: August – December

 

A separate class for congregants/laypersons is available upon request.

For additional information, please contact Cindy Faison at cindyf@interactofwake.org

 

Please click here for a printable version of the Circle of Faith information.