There are many elements from which the PAR Model is composed. Some of the core elements are provided on this page.

A complete detailing is included in the Institute's advanced certification programs and in Ari Cowan's forthcoming book, Violence and the Alchemy of Being.

Core elements shared between all of the models.

Key Elements

Core Elements

Core elements of the Violence Integrative Prevention and Restoration (PAR) Model (many of which are shared with the Integrative Power Management Model and the Integrative Conflict Management Model) include:

The Public Health Approach Rather than taking a judgmental, legalistic, or moralizing approach, the PAR Model incorporates the public health approach. The five steps in this process are: assessment, development of response protocols which reflect the assessment, application of those protocols, continuous evaluation and adjustment, and a process of repeating these steps.

The Need for Human Power There are three ontological questions incorporated into the PAR Model. The answers to these questions frame the way in which human beings operate and establish meaning and value for their existence. Meaning and value are elemental forms of power, without which being in the world makes no sense. To support the answers to the three ontological questions, we accumulated power. We incorporate healthy, benign, or unhealthy forms of power (or a combination of the three) to perpetuate our existence. Violence is an unhealthy manifestation of power.

Conflict and Violence as "Disease" Under the PAR Model, violence is a symptom arising from activity by a “thought-borne pathogen" (the "Severe Malevolent Thought Virus," or SMTV) which emerges from a condition called the Experienced Power Deficiency Disorder (EPDD). In its milder forms, the SMTV creates conflict, dissension, unwarranted suspicion and related outcomes.

The Brain and the Nature of Reality A concept shared between the Models is the notion of "the construct." We construct our experience of reality from information coming from something called "the universal field." By reframing the construct about power, conflict and violence through a cognitive approach, challenges such as excellence, conflict and violence are seen in new ways — ways that differ significantly from ineffective traditional approaches. This concept, combined an evolving understanding of neuroscience, provides a rich set of resources for managing effective positive change.

The Five Bodies The 5-bodies concept describes five manifestations or “bodies” that constitute individual and collective human existence. This concept punctuates being into aspects of human existence which have unique characteristics. This facilitates understanding of the dynamics of violence and provides insight into effective ways to apply prevention, intervention, and restoration.

Fear The PAR Model identifies a number of manifestations of fear. By recognizing fear and applying healthy, nonviolent power and control strategies, violence can be avoided and resiliency strengthened.

The Objectification/Action Process The Objectification/Action Process (also called "the actualization process") is one in which a progression of events must take place in order for those with five functioning bodies to commit acts of violence. In this process, human beings are rendered as "objects" which, in turn, enables people to commit acts of violence.

Power Swapping and Infusion The answer to the problem of aggravating the experience of loss of power with punishment is to replace the unhealthy power (violence) with healthy power, rather than take power away. This is the "power swap."