A Phenomenological Exploration of the Church in the Healing Process for African American Women in the Washington, D.C., area Suffering from Self-Diagnosed Depression in Recovery from Intimate Partner Violence

The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of African American women who have utilized the church after intimate partner violence (IPV) suffering self-diagnosed depression in the Washington, D.C. area. The approach guiding the methodology of this study is Clark Moustakas’ (1994) phenomenological approach. There is a need to explore what type of support the church offers as a source of healing for those who need assistance and will not seek professional counseling for various reasons. While there has been much research on depression resulting from IPV, there is a gap in the literature regarding how the church may support those experiencing depression. There will be interviews conducted with each participant, which will be recorded by the researcher for accurate analysis of the data provided by participants. The primary research question focuses on how African American women who intimate partner violence survivors are suffering from self-diagnosed depression describe the role of the church. As the church is sought more by African American women who do not feel comfortable or cannot afford traditional counseling, the significance of the church becoming a healing agent for participants will be a valuable resource for women suffering from self-diagnosed depression after IPV.