What is In Our Hands?
In Our Hands is a training and learning series grounded in the belief that everyone has a role to play in responding to relational violence.
We use the term relational violence intentionally. While “domestic violence” is often framed through a legal lens, “relational violence” centers the lived experience of harm within relationships.
This language helps us center patterns of power and harm that may not fit into legal or traditional categories, and opens space for more people… those living with violence, supporters, and systems… to see themselves in the work of response and repair.
Whether you’re a neighbor, a peer provider, or a case manager or clinician, these sessions offer space to deepen understanding, build skills, and strengthen practice.
The Approach
The In Our Hands series is rooted in the everyday realities of people navigating harm, healing, and support. We believe learning should be practical, embodied, and directly connected to the work people do, whether that’s offering support as a friend, providing care as a peer, or serving in a formal role like case management or therapy.
These sessions draw on healing centered practices, the wisdom of lived experience, and an intersectional lens that recognizes how violence is shaped by the layers individuals live with and within. The sessions aim to create space for learning that is active, skill-building, and grounded in relationships.
ALL SESSIONS ARE PROVIDED AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS in partnership with
Understanding Relational Violence
These ongoing sessions provide an essential knowledge base and shared language for all participants in the In Our Hands training community. These sessions are designed to be revisited regularly and are woven throughout the learning arc.
This series is foundational for those entering relational violence response work for the first time, and for those who have engaged primarily through legal or systems-based approaches and are now ready to explore these dynamics through a relational lens.
Upcoming Dates:
2/17/2026 1-3pm
3/17/2026 1-3pm
4/14/2026 1-3pm
5/12/2025 1-3pm
6/9/2026 1-3pm
Sign Up for the next Relational Violence Foundations Session here!
Case Consultation Circle
This monthly facilitated circle is an open invitation for:
- Bringing forward complex or challenging relational violence cases
- Receiving non-judgmental feedback from peers and the facilitator
- Practicing ethical discernment and collaborative problem solving
Each session centers confidentiality, mutual learning, and the practice of holding complexity while empowering those we support with greater access to choice. The goal is for participants to leave with greater clarity and next-step ideas.
Upcoming Dates:
2/24/2026 1-3pm
3/17/2026 1-3pm
4/21/2026 1-3pm
5/26/2026 1-3pm
6/23/2026 1-3pm
In Our Hands Certification: This intensive, six-week cohort series offers a structured pathway through three key stages of relational violence response:
- Crisis Intervention
- Stabilization
- Long-Term Support and Accountability
Each session blends:
- Conceptual grounding and shared frameworks
- Practical skill-building for direct application
- Personal reflection and integration activities
Upcoming Dates:
2/26/2026 1-4pm Session 1
3/5/2026 1-4pm Session 2
3/12/2026 1-4pm Session 3
3/19/2026 1-4pm Session 4
3/26/2026 1-4pm Session 5
4/2/2026 1-4pm Session 6
Two Cohorts this Spring! Beginning February 26th! Register Here!
Session Training Dates & Descriptions
February 26, 2026 – Understanding Risk Assessment, Safety Strategies & Utilizing Orders of Protection
This session introduces the foundational frameworks and shared language for the In Our Hands certification. Participants explore what it means to be a trauma oriented practitioner, the relational violence cycle (distinct from the Power and Control and Cycle of Violence models) and various ways of knowing that shape our understanding of harm. The Recovery Arc is introduced as a guide for support work, and participants begin identifying supportive resources through mapping allies and community connections.
The session focuses on immediate safety and short-term planning. Participants learn to assess danger, explore safety strategies, and understand how to engage with protective orders. There is an emphasis on holding a supportive presence, reducing urgency, and supporting autonomy. Participants explore informed consent and the risks and benefits of systems engagement.
March 5, 2026 – Understanding the Stages of Change and Supporting Goal Setting
Explores the stages of change model as applied to relational violence. Introduces understanding needs, collaborative goal-setting, engaging community resources, and supporting ambivalence. Participants practice centering choice in goal setting, identifying informal support networks, and supporting choice without pressure. Participants examine their own social location and change narratives.
March 12, 2026 – Understanding Community Navigation & Non-Traditional Responses to Relational Violence
This session explores how layered contexts (individual, relational, familial, communal, and societal) shape both harm and healing. It develops skills in systems navigation, boundary setting, and long-term engagement. Participants learn to center the needs, voices, and priorities of those they support while navigating both formal systems and informal networks. Emphasis is placed on holding the role of connector and guide, honoring ambivalence and choice, and practicing ethical care in documentation and community-based work.
March 19, 2026 – Understanding Client Complexity
This session focuses on supporting individuals navigating layered needs such as mental illness, substance use, and intense trauma responses. Participants examine how to move beyond deficit models and binary thinking to hold the full complexity of people’s experiences. Focus is also on ethical considerations such as confidentiality and mandated reporting.
March 26, 2026 – Understanding Stabilization and Utilizing Psychoeducation Groups
This session explores the stabilization phase as a time to build a solid foundation from which meaningful life changes become possible. Participants will consider how safety, consistency, and connection create the conditions for growth and how to support others in navigating that process. Participants will also begin developing key foundational skills for group settings, including containment, pacing, and how to respond to shutdowns, resistance, or disclosures. Attention will be given to recognizing and addressing harm that may surface within group spaces in ways that uphold safety, dignity, and accountability.
April 2, 2026 – Understanding Accountability, Those who use Violence, Healing, and Long-Term Support
This session defines the intervention phase as an ongoing, relational process that can take many forms, particularly for those navigating alongside or outside of legal systems. Participants receive an overview of legal system navigation and explore broader understandings of accountability. Healing is approached as non-linear and grounded in agency, connection, and sustained support. The session invites exploration of how those who have caused harm engage in change, and introduces strategies for long-term accompaniment that center clarity, boundaries, and the capacity for growth.
Register for the Certification Here! Space is Limited!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is are these trainings for?
These sessions are designed for:
- Community members seeking greater understanding and tools for response
- Peer providers and those pursuing endorsement through lived experience
- Case managers, navigators, clinicians and direct service workers who want to deepen their skillset and integrate healing-centered practices.
I’ve already done a few domestic violence trainings. Would this still be valuable for me?
Absolutely!
In Our Hands offers a relational approach that centers how harm and healing unfold within relationships, emphasizing connection, context, and the ways people navigate power, care, and responsibility over time. Even for those familiar with traditional domestic violence frameworks, this training expands understanding through deeper attention to complexity, choice, and long-term support, beyond what is often covered in systems-focused or compliance-based trainings.
Can I join if I’ve never worked in domestic violence services before?
Yes. The training is designed to be inclusive and accessible. Whether you’re just beginning or bringing years of experience, the sessions offer opportunities to learn, reflect, and grow in ways that align with your role and context.
Are there continuing education credits (CEUs)?
Yes. CEUs are available through the New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board. Attendance and participation in the full certification series is required to receive credit.
What is the Peer Support Endorsement Pathway?
For peer providers, the certification series fulfills the training requirement for the Relational Violence Peer Endorsement. This endorsement supports those with lived experience in offering relationally grounded, values-based peer support in response to harm.
Can I take just one session or do I have to register for the whole series?
You can attend the ongoing Understanding Relational Violence or Case Consultation sessions individually. However, the Certification series must be taken in full to receive CEUs or be eligible for endorsement.
What does it mean to be “healing-centered”?
Being healing-centered means prioritizing dignity, choice, connection, and community. It means holding space for complexity, recognizing the impact of layered identities and systems, and supporting practices that sustain, not drain, those doing the work.
Is there a cost to attend?
No. All In Our Hands trainings are currently offered free of charge to anyone who wishes to attend.
How many people are in each training?
Trainings are limited to 15 participants to ensure a safe, engaged, and interactive learning environment.
What’s the format of the sessions?
Each in-person session is a mix of short lectures, guided discussion, and interactive activities. The goal is to create spaces that are both informative and relational, with space for practice and reflection.
Are sessions virtual or in-person?
All sessions are currently offered in person. There are no virtual options at this time.
Are session materials available after the training?
Yes. Slides, tools, and other learning materials are shared with participants following each session.
Are sessions recorded?
No. Because of the sensitive and relational nature of this work, live sessions are not recorded. However, asynchronous peer learning materials are included in certain tracks.
Are the trainings accessible?
We work to ensure the trainings are accessible to all participants. If you need specific accommodations (physical access, sensory supports, printed materials, etc.), please let us know in advance so we can prepare and support your participation fully.
Still have questions? Reach out to dvspecialistnm@gmail.com
Domestic Violence Specialists, LLC 