JOHN DAY – John Stauffer of Hines is a Vietnam veteran, a retired minister and he owns and operates Oregon Life Solutions, a counseling office located in the “L” building at 530 E. Main, Suite 10.

While Stauffer offers a wide range of individual counseling for various issues such as marriage and family therapy and a substance abuse program, he also works as a resource for the Grant County District Attorney’s office to administer a batterers intervention program (BIP).

“The DA’s office has been amazing to work with,” he said, noting that they are helping people understand that domestic violence is “not just a two-person thing, but the whole family is affected – ultimitely the entire community is affected.”

He said the abusers aren’t “just a bunch of criminals – they’re everybody from a cross-section of the community.”

It could be anyone you see at the grocery store, he noted.

Stauffer has help at his office from a substance abuse counselor, and from his wife Cathy who is clinical supervisor at Harney Behavioral Health – she’s an advisor and consultant for her husband under contract.

Their philosophy is that “domestic violence is an intentional and a learned behavior that’s identified by a pattern of behaviors that the batterer uses to gain power and control over an intimate partner.”

“It’s more than hitting,” he added.

When a person is referred to him for BIP they usually fit into one of three categories: committed, reluctant or resistant, the greatest portion are reluctant – they don’t want to give up their money or their time, he said.

The 18-month program is not a quick, easy fix, he said.

He meets individually and in groups with clients for about 2 hours a week using an educational intervention curriculum which covers topics such as types of abuse, developing equality in relationships, articulating the impact of abuse, taking responsibility for abusive behaviors, and using learned skills and supporting choices to be respectful and not abusive.

Stauffer added that he rigidly follows the Oregon statute that dictates how to run a BIP.

Although he has seen some successes, Stauffer admits that most clients are still batterers when they leave his office.

“They have to choose to change,” he said.

“I want the community to know that Oregon Life Solutions is more active in victim’s advocacy than the actual treatment of the offender,” he said. “We really care about the victim.”

As a protective father of four grown daughters, he says, “There’s never a time when it’s OK to speak disrespectfully to a woman.”

To reach Stauffer, call 575-0909 or 541-413-1351.