Sexual Trauma Therapy: Healing, Recovery & Intimacy
Houston Sex Therapy | Houston Sexual Trauma Therapy | Houston Sex Therapist
Sexual abuse & sexual assault are incredibly common. To make matters worse, people are more likely to be assaulted by someone that they know. The betrayal by a friend, partner or acquaintance can be devastating. Emotional wounds are created that one believes will never heal. For many, it complicates our lives in multiple areas of life. This can range from the ability to regulate one’s emotions, how you present in a relationship, heightened insecurities or even flashbacks during times of intimacy.
Sexual trauma symptoms may seem insurmountable. Liaison., which specializes in sexual trauma and sex therapy, uses expertise in complex trauma, psychology & sexology to walk alongside people as they process sexual trauma. Clients have emerged to a space a more clarity than before and a heightened ability to embrace themselves again. Healing from sexual trauma is within your reach.
Healing sexual trauma
Talk therapy can be incredibly beneficial for those who have experienced sexual trauma. Sexual trauma therapy or sex therapy can help clients make sense of their histories and symptoms.
People experiencing symptoms of sexual trauma often say things like:
‘I feel anxious.”
“Sometimes I feel really angry and then I am completely numb. Am I crazy?”
“I am having awful nightmares regarding the rape/assault.”
“It must have been my fault. Wait, why am I thinking this way?”
That last statement is all too common and can be rooted in shame or guilt. These client are not going crazy. Far from it. Believe it or not, all of these symptoms are normal trauma reactions to an abnormal event. Liaison. considers one of the biggest parts of the job is to explain how trauma works and how it can affect you after sexual trauma or sexual assault. Psychoeducation can provide validation and normalization of trauma responses. Simply having the awareness that you are having a normal response in the face of trauma can be powerful.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness assists with emotional regulation and helps clients learn to tolerate distress while practicing acceptance. Mindfulness also aids clients to engage in healthier relationships. Mindfulness practice is nearly unmatched in helping clients hone in on how they feel, how to regulate their emotions even in heated or stressful situations and acquire a better understanding of their partners and others in their lives. The beauty of mindfulness is that it is free and can be practiced anytime, anywhere by anyone.
Trauma-focused therapy
In many trauma therapies, a person recounts and reconstructs the negative events in their lives. In the case of sexual trauma, sexual abuse or sexual assault therapy, this helps them make sense of how the sexual trauma has affected their lives. These therapies aid clients to develop coping skills for emotion regulation and significantly reduce trauma symptoms. At Liaison., the readiness of the client to progress is evaluate at every step. The aim is for the client to better understand their reactions to sexual trauma and how that entwines their own life story.
Difficulties with healing for sexual trauma and abuse
Sometimes victims of sexual trauma or abuse are told to “let go” of their past or “get over it.” This is meaningless advice and can be countertherapeutic. This is part of your life story. With the help of sexual trauma therapy or sex therapy, your relationship with your life story evolves. Reaching a place of self-love, belonging, self-compassion and growth. Simply acknowledging the sexual trauma, processing your emotions about it and implementing effective interventions can allow a person to develop exponentially. It is worth understanding that even if you feel like you’ve dealt with the sexual trauma, it may reoccur with certain life stressors.
There is no definitive cure, per se, for sexual trauma. However, how you process the sexual trauma in therapy can be assisted by learning coping skills and understanding your story. When something traumatic happens again, there may be an increase in trauma reactions. However, this time but you’re more prepared. When it comes to sexual trauma therapy, slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
Dating a survivor of sexual trauma
If you’re a spouse or partner to someone who is working through the aftermath of sexual trauma or assault, you may feel powerless. However, this are areas within your control that may help.
Learn about sexual trauma responses. Learning about trauma reactions and your partner’s triggers specifically. This can provide a place of refuge for your partner.
Believe them & stand with them. If a partner tells you they were assaulted, believe them. Validate their feelings and the experience to provide support.
Be mindful of your reactions. If your partner knows the perpetrator, you may naturally feel angry at that person. However, be careful about how you present that anger. Your partner might misinterpret and believe the anger is directed at them. Alternatively, if you fall apart in response to their news, they may blame themselves for burdening you and think, “I never should have told them.”
Find support for yourself. If you’re in a relationship with someone that experienced sexual trauma, you need your own support system as well. This could be your own therapist as you help your partner work through their trauma.
Consider sex therapy. Intimacy after sexual trauma can be confusing and convoluted. Working with a sex therapist either as a couple or individually can be of assistance.
Be cautious about consent. When initiating physical touch, some partners may need you to liberally ask, “May I touch you here?” “Is this OK?” “Is this comfortable?” Communicate as openly as possible before, during and after sex.
Sometimes simply listening to your partner is the most beneficial thing that you can do. If despite your best efforts something triggers your partner during sex, recognize it is not about you nor is it a rejection. Just listen as they express their feelings and emotions in the moment without judgment or an assumption that you need to “fix” everything with a statement.
The journey with sex therapy or sexual trauma therapy can produce positive changes. The changes are incremental, but over time they are monumental.
Houston Sex Therapy | Houston Sexual Trauma Therapy | Houston Sex Therapist