CONTACTING LUNDY BANCROFT

PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW BEFORE CALLING LUNDY!

YOU WILL SAVE YOURSELF TIME AND FRUSTATION!

The telephone number for Lundy Bancroft listed on this site is primarily for scheduling Lundy for a speaking engagement . Lundy receives a large number of phone calls (about 50 per week) about other subjects, and is unfortunately not able to return them all.   Please read through the material below before calling for other purposes, to help you find the information you are looking for as closely as possible and to help save yourself the frustration of having difficulty getting your call returned.

Referrals to group programs or individual counselors for abusive men

            Lundy does not have a national directory of programs for abusive men, and cannot provide referrals to local programs. People who are seeking services for men should call their nearest program for abused women, and ask that program for a referral to an abuser program for men. (Some of these programs also offer services for abusive lesbians or gay men.) Abused women's programs are in the best position to evaluate which abuser programs (also called Batterer Intervention Programs) are of the highest quality, safest, and most victim-advocacy oriented.

            Lundy does not provide direct counseling for abusive men himself anymore, as he is fully occupied with his training, writing, and activist work.

            For more information on how to evaluate the quality of an abuser program, see the article "Assessing and Monitoring Programs for Men Who Abuse Women", available on this web site.

            Some callers are seeking services for verbally and psychologically abusive men who are not physically or sexually violent. Specialized services for verbally abusive men are rarely available currently, so men who are serious about changing should participate in a Batterer Intervention Program. Be aware also that most abusive men who claim that their abuse is strictly verbal or psychological are in denial about times when they were deliberately physically intimidating; made overt threats; used forms of violence such as grabbing, poking, or shoving; or coerced the woman into unwanted sexual contact. Men with any history of such behavior should participate in a batterer program, as they meet the definition for physical abuse.

            Some callers are seeking information about Cooperative Therapy, which is explained elsewhere on this website. Cooperative Therapy is not an abuser program; it is a system for emotional healing and recovery that is in fact not appropriate for abusive men. Some abused women choose to use Cooperative Therapy to assist in their own healing. Non-abusive men and other people seeking support and recovery are also invited to participate.

Referrals to programs and individual counselors for abused women or their children

            Lundy does not, unfortunately, have a national directory of counselors for abused women or their children. If you do not know where to find your nearest program, call the national domestic violence hotline at (800) 799-SAFE. If you with to find an individual therapist for yourself, rather than using abused women's services, the women's program can help you find a therapist who is knowledgeable about abuse for you to contact. That program is also the best referral source for therapists or groups for children.

Assistance with matters related to child custody and visitation, and child protection

           Lundy returns as many custody-related calls as he can, but the number of calls is quite a bit too high at this point for him to be able to return them all. Please click on the child custody section of this website, and read the information their carefully before calling.

        If you are interested in hiring Lundy as a public speaker, consultant, or expert witness, or if you are looking for information about the Cooperative Therapy program, call (413) 582-6700.

For other communications, write to:
Lundy Bancroft
P.O. Box 253
Northampton MA 01061