We thank MISA – Mens Information Support Association for sharing the below Good News Story.

QPS Police Referral “Good News Story” – From Physical Conflict to Therapy Date Day

QPS job: Physical altercation at a family house party. Previous police involvement for other verbal conflicts. One prior referral sent.

Upon arrival of QPS the couple explained to QPS that they had on-going verbal arguments but that this was the first time that it had turned physical. The couple went on to explain that they had both been struggling with their mental health. The couple explained that they have been managing a number of external stressors; loss of business, struggling financially, navigating parenting, strained relationship with kids, navigating kids with their own mental health issues, and navigating their own childhood traumas. The couple expressed that “anger outbursts” and conflict had become their norm.

Following the job QPS officers send a referral to MISA.

The couple accepted the referral and engaged with MISA for couples counselling. The male party also engaged for individual counselling.

Nine months later the couple recognised that they were sliding down the same slope as they were on in 2021 when the police attended for the physical conflict and the couple decided to re-engaged with MISA for couples counselling.

In 2022 the couple committed to engaging in regular couples counselling sessions at MISA. This equated to 18 couples counselling sessions in 2022. The couple grew to enjoy coming to MISA for counselling and started to refer to their couples counselling session days as their “date days”. They began engaging not only in the couples counselling together but also after their sessions, would make a point to go and do something together.

The couple reported being able to better regulate their emotions, increased self-awareness, ability to navigate situations where they may have opposing views and respectfully communicate their point of view, both having a voice in the relationship, and as a whole reported having a happier family unit. The couple also reported one of their children commenting to them on how much happier they both seemed.

The couple continues to engage with MISA on an as needed check-in basis.  The couple have not had any further involvement with the police.