Sexual Assault Counselling
Counselling services for sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, or molestation
SEXUAL ASSAULT COUNSELLING - WHAT IS IT?
Sexual assault counselling is meant to free you from the turmoil that sexual violence of any kind can often leave behind. This type of counselling is specialized and requires an individualized approach in order to be effective.
No person’s experience is the same as another’s. There are different forms of sexual violence that people receive counselling for such as, sexual abuse, sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, and childhood molestation. Many times these services extend to both survivors of sexual violence and their allies (ie: family, friends, etc.).
Experiencing the trauma of sexual assault can have a profound and overwhelming impact on your mental health. When subjected to sexual contact without consent, it can leave lasting emotional scars, especially when abuse may have occurred at a younger age when it’s not fully understood at the time.
SYMPTOMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
Sexual assault counselling may be needed due to conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance misuse, the development of personality disorders later in life, and difficulties in relationships. These are just a few of the areas in life that can be affected by unwanted sexual contact – the impact is significant.
Here is a more comprehensive (but not exhaustive) list of symptoms:
- Flashbacks, nightmares, or reliving the assault over and over
- Shock, denial
- Confusion about the event(s)
- Feelings of guilt or shame
- Problems trusting others
- Feelings of low self-worth
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Inability to complete normal daily functions
- Withdrawing from others, social isolation
- Feeling like it’s your fault
- Issues with sexual identity
- Issues with sexual functioning
- Substance misuse issues
- Relationship issues
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
DO I NEED SEXUAL ASSAULT COUNSELLING?
It is super common to avoid getting help for sexual assault. We acknowledge that you may not want to relive the trauma that you have endured and that is completely understandable. Why live through it more than you already have?
There are counsellors who utilize certain talk therapy approaches to process sexual assault, but talk therapy is no longer the gold standard. FreeMind Therapy prides itself on offering the most up to date trauma approaches that get results much faster and less painful than the traditional therapy methods.
These include Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing, and Rapid Resolution Therapy, to name a few.
Committed to your well-being, we specialize in trauma-informed care with all clients. Our master-level therapists are extensively trained to comprehend the profound impact of trauma on mental health. This understanding shapes our therapeutic approach, ensuring your comfort and overall wellness are prioritized throughout the healing process.
Our skilled therapists provide personalized one-on-one counselling sessions designed to meet your unique needs. We offer a safe and confidential environment for you to navigate your emotions, address trauma-related challenges, and start feeling better quickly.
MY FAMILY MEMBER WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED
Sexual assault affects not just survivors but also their loved ones. If you are supporting a loved one who has suffered from sexual violence, you may benefit from counselling as well. In recognizing the importance of a support network for survivors, sometimes the best way of doing that is to learn about the issue and how you can help.
FreeMind extends counselling and support services to friends and family members of survivors. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and tools to better understand and assist your loved one on their path to healing.
SEXUAL ASSAULT COUNSELLING APPRAOCHES - WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?
All therapists at FreeMind Therapy were selected due to their knowledge of working with trauma. Our team utilizes trauma-informed care in all of our work. However, we provide a variety of approaches that we believe are best suited to healing the effects of sexual violence. At FreeMind, these include:
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on healing quickly from troubling events or distress. It’s a process that responds to eye movement and thinking about troubling issues. Your brain amazingly re-processes the issue so it can become healed.
Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT)
Rapid Resolution Therapy combines mindfulness, meditation, and visualization with precise and intentional communication approaches. It has the ability to reroute the neurological connections connected with your trauma memory or limiting belief.
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic therapy is a sort of psychotherapy in which the body is used as a resource to examine deeper emotions, sensations, and belief systems that may be difficult to reach using typical cognitive therapy-based techniques. It focuses on how suppressed emotions and traumatic events may appear in the body as physical symptoms.
Trauma/PTSD-focused cognitive therapies
Focusing on improving and addressing the symptoms of trauma and PTSD that are occurring in the individual. Through developing skills to regulate emotions and improve unhelpful feelings and thoughts, and gradually exposure to memories of traumatic events to help recondition the mind to easing the emotional distress.
Please contact us by phone or email to inquire further about these therapy options (info@freemindtherapy.ca)
WHAT IF I AM NOT QUITE READY?
It’s completely natural to feel uneasy when facing past traumatic experiences. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably been waiting for the moment when you will be ready to talk about it.
The perfect place to start is with a free 20min phone consultation. You don’t need to go into any details, but it’s a place to see if you connect with the therapist and hear about the approach they might use.
The issue with waiting to start therapy is avoidance. Avoidance is the thing that so often contributes to prolonged, worsening symptoms and therefore delayed healing. Opening up to your therapist about these feelings of avoidance is a perfect first step. You will be met with compassion and no pressure to move in a direction that doesn’t feel good to you.
Our dedicated and highly trained therapists genuinely empathize with your concerns and are wholeheartedly dedicated to establishing a safe and nurturing environment to address these concerns and begin healing at your pace or using approaches that you feel more comfortable with.
Together, you and your therapist will collaborate on crafting a personalized approach, ensuring that therapy is a manageable and supportive process tailored to your unique needs.
Different therapeutic modalities offer distinct approaches, and you have the freedom to discuss any elements you’d like to avoid with your therapist. This way, they can select the most suitable approach for you or adjust things as you go along.
HOW DO I BEGIN?
Our primary focus is to create a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive environment where you can express your feelings and thoughts at your own pace. We understand the complex and sensitive nature of these experiences, and our team of trained professionals is here to support you on your path to healing and recovery.
Complete the form below, and we will match you with a therapist that is best suited to you. Or, if you’ve already selected a therapist from our Team page, click the “Book Now” button, and schedule a free 20-minute consultation to explore if it’s a good fit for you.
