The applicant, a woman seeking help, approached the DLSA office with concerns about her marriage. She reported that her husband had refused to live with her and was preventing their children from visiting her. She also shared that her husband had been physically abusive and had substance abuse issues, which contributed to conflict within the family. Despite a failed counseling session from the Women’s Institute., the case was referred to the counselor at North West DLSA, where further intervention was made to resolve the issues.
Upon referral to North West DLSA, couple counseling was initiated. Multiple legal notices were sent to both parties, and the applicant visited the DLSA office for follow-up sessions. During the counseling, it was revealed that while the applicant was currently living with her husband in her in-laws’ house and there was a positive shift in the behavior of both the husband and the children, the husband’s daily alcohol consumption and subsequent abusive behavior while intoxicated continued to cause tensions. The applicant expressed a desire for a peaceful life without abuse and hoped for her husband to address his alcohol problem.
The counselor took a multi-faceted approach, offering individual counseling for the respondent (husband), as well as continuing couple counseling. The respondent was advised to address his alcohol dependency and was provided with resources, including the national toll-free helpline number for support. Additionally, both parties were encouraged to seek resolution and to engage in healthy communication.
After continued counseling and follow-ups, both parties began to make significant strides towards resolving their issues. The applicant reported that she and her husband were now living harmoniously, with no further incidents of abuse. The children’s behavior improved, and the overall family dynamic became much more positive. The husband’s behavior also showed signs of improvement, and he agreed to take action regarding his alcohol consumption.
After a series of successful counseling sessions, both parties expressed satisfaction with the progress made. The couple reached a mutual understanding, and both agreed that the matter could be concluded. They decided to close the case with the assurance that any future concerns would be addressed through continued communication and follow-up if necessary. The final resolution led to a more peaceful and healthy environment for the entire family.
• Counseling helped both the applicant and respondent communicate effectively and address the root causes of their issues.
• With consistent follow-ups and the willingness of both parties to improve, a peaceful resolution was achieved.
• The importance of addressing substance abuse and providing resources for change played a significant role in the success of the case.