Trauma, especially sexual abuse or assault, shakes your identity to its very core. It can be a single event or repeated exposure to having your boundaries crossed and damages your mind and body. It makes it difficult to want to get emotionally close to someone, even when you want to trust them. After sexual abuse, you question everything - who am I? why do people do bad things? Is the world even safe?
You may experience the following:
spacing out or feeling like you often float out of your body
becoming startled easily from loud sounds, even when you know it’s something non-threatening like your pet or the doorbell
feeling hollow inside or numb
wanting to either stay very far from other people or wanting a lot of physical closeness but difficulty staying emotionally present
using drugs, alcohol, or sex more than you used to in order to try to feel something
difficulty trusting the world or feeling safe in your own body
flashbacks, vivid images, or dreams about the event(s)
difficulties with sexual functioning, including lack of orgasm, pain with intercourse or penetration, or difficulty staying present
Trauma counselling can take many approaches, but the goals are to help you understand the effects of the trauma on your life, be able to soothe your body when it becomes overwhelmed and detached, and create safety, in order to be able to recount your trauma experience rather than live it and move on in order to live a fully present life! It’s a tough journey and not a quick one but being able to be in control and feel safe after being hurt and scared is definitely worth it; counselling is an investment in yourself and your future.
After counselling, you will:
know what is happening to you when you become overwhelmed so you’re in control rather than your body
have tools to be able to conquer those moments when your emotions come in stronger than you expected
experience less stress and anxiety
be able to sleep better and feel more relaxed in general
have closer relationships, especially romantic ones, and feel connected with your partner
engage in better sex and closer physical intimacy
feel truly present in your body
“Recovery can take place only within the context of relationships; it cannot occur in isolation.”
Contact Us
We want to help you reconnect with yourself, process the experience(s) you faced, and help you regain control of your body and your emotions. Counselling is a difficult process, but we are here to walk with you through the journey, allow you to feel heard and acknowledged, and provide you a safe container for anything that frightens you - it won’t frighten us.
If you feel that one of our therapists is the right person to help you through this tough time in your life and help you gain control of your life, body, and mind, contact us today for a free 15-minute phone consultation. For more information, you can phone the office or contact us here: