Psychological Evaluations for Immigration Cases in Washington State
Whether it happened recently or many years ago, the effects of a sexual assault can impact almost every area of your life.
Maybe it’s on your mind all the time, making it difficult to feel safe in your body or at ease around other people. Maybe it only comes up every now and then, but when it does you feel overwhelmed, terrified, or paralyzed.
You may be feeling embarrassed, ashamed, guilty, or confused about what happened.
Memories of what you experienced may come up at the worst times, like on a first date or during an intimate moment with a partner.
You might be feeling like you can’t get away from what happened- that you’ve been changed in ways you don’t like and didn’t ask for.
Trauma therapy for sexual assault can help.
You are so much more than what happened to you.
Sexual assault trauma can make you feel like your life isn’t quite yours anymore. Like some part of you- your body, your mind, your spirit- has been broken and there’s no way forward. It might feel like the story of your life is split into “before” and “after,” and you’re stuck in a part of the story you want to move on from.
I know that it may seem impossible right now, but you can heal from sexual assault trauma. You can be free of the pain, shame, and fear that so many people experience after an assault. You don’t have to stay stuck, you can move forward and reclaim your life. Let’s work together to help you write the next part of your story, and fill it with healing, wholeness, and joy.
Therapy for sexual assault trauma can help you…
Reduce flashbacks, nightmares, and panic attacks
Develop the skills to safely process and move through trauma
Process and release shame, embarrassment, and guilt
Re-engage with your sexuality with yourself or a partner
Feel prepared and confident for medical appointments such as an annual check-up with the gynecologist
Frequently asked questions about trauma therapy for survivors of sexual assault
FAQs
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Traumatic experiences are stored differently in the brain than non-traumatic experiences. Trauma therapy works by helping your brain to process the traumatic experience through to the point that it can be stored as other, non-traumatic experiences are.
We begin by developing the skills needed to feel safely present and respond effectively to thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. This skill base will support you in safely working through traumatic experiences. As you feel comfortable, we will use a combination of trauma-informed approaches such as brainspotting and IFS to help you safely process and release trauma, and integrate these changes for sustained healing.
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There are many different ways to work with and heal traumatic experiences that don’t involve explicitly talking about what happened. Many people, as we go through the therapy process together and develop safety and trust, decide to share their experience out loud as part of their healing process. You are in charge of if or when you want to share, and how much. You do not need to go into detail for us to work effectively together to help you heal.
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When you’re ready to get started, reach out to schedule a free phone consultation. I’ll ask you a few questions to learn more about what you’re looking for as well as answer any questions you may have. If we both decide we’re a good fit, we can go ahead and schedule your first session at the end of our call.