Who We Are
Awareness Matters is a training organisation delivering part knowledge-based and part therapeutic-based programmes and workshops on abuse-related issues. Every programme is designed to support victims and survivors and are underpinned with a trauma-informed framework and approach, to best address the dynamics and impacts of coercion, control and domestic abuse within relationships. We run workshops and training for multi-agency professionals from both statutory and voluntary organisations in the UK and internationally.
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We offer three facilitator trainings: Who’s in Charge? Programme, for parents and carers experiencing child to parent violence and abuse, Escape the Trap Programme, for young people experiencing coercive control and intimate relationship abuse, and the VOICE Programme, for adult victims of intimate coercive experience and domestic abuse. All workshops and trainings are now available online.
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Trainings not only develop professional skills and awareness on abuse-related issues, but also encourage and support delegates to fully embrace the part knowledge-based and part therapeutic-based approach that is woven into every stage of the programmes.
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Whether you’re a front-line practitioner working with victims and survivors, a team leader, or service manager, our training is delivered in a highly accessible way, ensuring a full opportunity for learning, discussion, strategies, and tools to support best practice.
Having worked with thousands of victims across voluntary and statutory agencies, our experienced trainers are uniquely placed to understand the needs of victims and survivors, as well as the practitioners supporting them.
Upcoming Trainings
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Escape the Trap
14th, 15th and 17th October 2025
An 8-week programme designed to support to support all young people to learn about the dynamics of grooming, coercion, and power and control at an early stage in their experience of intimate relationships.
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VOICE Programme
8th, 9th and 10th December 2025
A 12-week domestic abuse programme for adults addressing domestic violence, coercive control and impact of such significant traumatic experiences within a therapeutic framework.
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Who's In Charge?
14th, 16th and 17th July 2025
A nine-week programme for parents whose children are using abusive or violent behaviour toward them or who appear out of parental control.
Meet the Team
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Cathy Press
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR
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Paula Devaux
ASSOCIATE TRAINER
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Carole Baker
CO-PARTNER IN THE WHO’S IN CHARGE? PARTNERSHIP
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Evie Turner
MARKETING COORDINATOR
About Cathy
Cathy is a psychotherapist, trainer, and author, based in Suffolk. With over 25 years experience as a therapist and trainer, Cathy has worked with thousands of victims and survivors, and the practitioners supporting them from both statutory and voluntary organisations.
Cathy is a registered MBACP Senior Accredited Counsellor and Supervisor with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy adhering to the BACP Code of Ethics. She has a particular interest in the traumatic impact of domestic and sexual abuse, and has long believed in the integral connection between mind and body and draw on somatic approaches to enable clients to move through traumatic experiences.
For many years Cathy sat on the DV Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel addressing domestic abuse prosecutions for the Suffolk Crown Prosecution Service and continues to provide consultancy for organisations.
Cathy wrote her first book, When Love Bites, with respect to the thousands of young people and adults with whom she has worked across three decades. Nearly all wished that someone had noticed what was happening to them, warned them or talked more openly about the reality of coercive and controlling behaviours. This is the aim of When Love Bites, a relationship guide that clearly relays the behaviours and beliefs of Controllers and their Loving Partner counterparts.
About Paula
Paula has specialised in domestic abuse for over 20 years, commencing her career as a Probation Officer in 2003. During her career within the National Probation Service her range of roles has included facilitating and Treatment Managing perpetrator intervention programmes, chairing MARAC’S (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences) and in her senior management role, she became the Strategic Lead for Domestic Abuse for the Norfolk and Suffolk Probation Trust. Throughout this period, Paula directly influenced numerous Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Boards, with her extensive knowledge and experience in risk assessment and management.
Paula is an experienced trainer and group work facilitator in a number of areas, including DASH (Domestic Abuse Stalking, Harassment and Honour Based Abuse Risk Assessment), Women’s Safety Officer/ IDVA Training, Building Better Relationships Programme. Paula delivers Escape the Trap and the VOICE Programme for Awareness Matters and will soon be delivering the Who’s in Charge? programme.
In addition to the above, Paula is also a registered associate lecture for the University of East Anglia, delivering regular lectures to the Health, Law and Social Sciences Faculties. She is also an active member of the Crown Prosecution Scrutiny Panel and on the Board of Trustees for the Domestic Abuse Charity Dawns New Horizon.
Paula is particularly passionate about educating children and young people to recognise and protect themselves from teenage relationship abuse. Paula has worked closely with a number of schools and colleges, delivering assemblies and workshops to children of all ages. As a facilitator and a trainer for the Escape the Trap Programme, Paula says ‘Delivering this programme is an absolute joy and so well received by the young people I have worked with. I would absolutely love to see this embedded in all schools and believe this is an essential gap that exists in our education system. This proactive approach to tackling domestic abuse is arguably a life skill that all young people should be taught before leaving school. It is essential that we are far more proactive than just reactive to domestic abuse and ETT enables us to potentially derail the next generation of victims and perpetrators.’
Learn more about Paula at: www.pauladevaux.co.uk
