The impact of sexual trauma (sexual abuse, incest, rape, and other unwanted sexual encounters) can last long after the threat has ended, and is frequently the underlying cause of anxiety, depression, addiction, and other unhealthy compulsive behavior. If you have experienced a sexual trauma, you may be living life in a very limiting way. It may be extremely difficult for you to find love, engage in healthy sex, and/or trust others-even yourself. Further, if a member of the same sex assaulted you, you may struggle with questions concerning your sexual orientation. Regardless of the type of abuse you suffered or how long ago it occurred, feeling broken or damaged in some way is a common response. You may have wondered if the abuse was in some way your fault, which can significantly impact self-esteem and the ability to trust, while also create questions about what healthy sex really is.
If you have experienced sexual abuse, you are not alone.
Some studies show that there are 60 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the United States today and that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 18. Other studies suggest that only 30% of sexual abuse is reported and numbers may be three to four times higher than what most studies show. Sexual abuse often goes unreported and is kept secret because it is an uncomfortable topic to address. Many families refuse to discuss the issue and even go so far as to scapegoat the victim. Most people who were abused as children did not receive support and help during childhood, and symptoms often emerge in adulthood. Many also keep the abuse they suffered a secret for decades, especially if they were afraid of the perpetrator or confused about the abuse.
The good news is that regardless of whether you were abused 15 days or 15 years ago, there is help and hope for healing. A skilled and compassionate therapist who specializes in sexual abuse and sexual trauma can help you rediscover your voice, work through difficult symptoms, and find relief.
Sexual Abuse Counseling
Counseling for sexual abuse and sexual trauma can be extremely effective. Often, having a safe space to name your experience and share your story can be empowering. By speaking openly, you can bring clarity and insights to how what happened in your past is playing out in your life today. Developing an awareness about your thinking and behaving in regards to relationships and sexuality can be a powerful experience. Once you understand and bring compassion to these patterns and what they stem from, making different choices becomes possible.
In safe, non-judgmental, and compassionate sessions, counseling can help you regain your voice, bring awareness to your body, and make a lasting, healing shift. Naming your experience can be empowering, and in working together, you will realize that you are not alone. You can also begin to realize that you are not defined by your experience–it is something that happened to you and is not who you are. As you start to accept yourself and your history, you can shift your perspective about yourself and the trauma, and begin to heal.
While telling your story can be empowering, sexual abuse trauma happens to the body and must be released through the body. In sessions, therapists can use EMDR and Brainspotting techniques and methods to let your body tell your story and let go of the trauma. EMDR and Brainspotting incorporate somatic work to bring awareness to your body. This approach calls attention to the level of activation and deactivation of the nervous system, where trauma is stored, rather than solely focusing on the narrative or content of the story. Many clients spent years in talk-based therapy without experiencing lasting relief. However, using EMDR and/or Brainspotting, survivors of sexual abuse can increase their resiliency, expand their capacity to tolerate the experience, and integrate trauma in a positive way. Once the experience is integrated in a positive way, it loses its impact.
Through integrative mind-body approaches such as EMDR and Brainspotting, you can heal the wounds and effects of trauma. It is possible to experience life more fully, with a renewed ability to sexually and emotionally connect with a partner in ways that feel nourishing and positive. You can clear through your history, stop blaming yourself, feel more willing to connect meaningfully with others, and take healthy risks. Life can feel lighter. And while you may never forget your experience, you can come to peace with it, accept it as part of your past, and move forward into a fulfilling and satisfying life.
lea@leavoigt.com | virtual practice only | 615-592-5036