Sexual abuse and trauma
Unwanted sexual contact can have a profoundly disturbing effect on emotional well-being whether experienced in childhood or later on in life. Long-term effects include fear, anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, inappropriate sexual behaviour, poor self-esteem, a tendency towards substance abuse and difficulties with close relationships.
Traumatic events are any experience which causes a child exceptional pain or anxiety and childhood trauma victims who are left untreated can develop a pattern of depression, nightmares, panic attacks and self-harm. As the emotional growth of children who experience trauma is damaged, they grow up with feelings of fear and shame, which are difficult to leave behind.
Information about the abuse or traumatic event suffered during childhood remains stored in the brain in the form of unconscious memories, and a careful exploration of defences and possible repressed memories is undoubtedly warranted in some cases, but at Progress we feel that it is often best to use techniques that can teach clients to deal with, and work through, the difficult feelings brought up by abuse. The aim of therapy is to help the client deal with present day relationships and situations so that they can lead a life that is not coloured by past experiences.
At Progress we have members of our team who are qualified and experienced in dealing with these issues. One-to-one counselling work supports the client in a calm therapeutic environment, whilst helping them to re-establish the broken emotional links with the adult world. The process is to help the damaged client to understand the past and to reclaim parts of themselves that they have dissociated, disowned or devalued as a result of their trauma.
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