RAPE & SEXUAL ASSAULT

TRAUMA RECOVERY

Everyone's experience of being raped or assaulted is different and the healing process depends on many factors, such as your internal resources, your previous experiences - both positive and negative, external support available and any threats used by the assailant.

If you were also subjected to any form of abuse, bullying or trauma in childhood, you may find that feelings of helplessness associated with the past are re-triggered and you may feel additionaly overwhelmed by this.

Most people who have been raped or sexually assaulted suffer from a significant degree of physical, emotional and psychological trauma during the attack, immediately following the attack and for some considerable time afterwards.

This cluster of symptoms is defined by Burgess and Holstrom (1974) as Rape Trauma Syndrome.

RAPE TRAUMA SYNDROME

These extreme, long lasting, stress reactions are the result of being faced with a life threatening experience.

Most people will experience on some level, terror. Fear of being murdered, injured or mutilated. Along with the terror is the feeling of absolute helplessness and powerlessness. You may have experienced a sense of disbelief that this was happening to you. Most people freeze, paralyzed with fear. Some people physically fight back but are rarely able to escape.

Some people report that they psychologically detached from their ordeal by blocking out what was happening, focussing their attention on a fixed object or sound, or repeating unassociated words to themselves, or they report splitting off from what was happening to their body. This splitting is commonly referred to as dissociation.

TYPICAL IMMEDIATE & LONG TERM EFFECTS

Inability to fall asleep

Waking up during the night and unable to get back to sleep

Nightmares - reliving the trauma or dreaming of being chased, threatened, murdered or trapped

Feeling of not being able to relax - even when asleep - feeling of being in a continual hyper-vigilant state

A marked decrease in appetite may develop

Stomach pains may lead to not wanting to eat

Food may not taste right

Feeling of constant nausea

You are likely to be in a great deal of shock

You may feel as though a part of you has died and that your whole world has changed completely

You may feel unable to cope with life and all of your previous coping mechanisms may have broken down

You may be trying to rapidly regain a sense of control and self respect

You may be trying to make sense of your experience. You may have periods of time where you feel completely overwhelmed and out of control e.g sobbing, rage, inappropriate laughter, terror etc.

You may appear to others as being withdrawn, tightly in control, expressing very little emotion and talking about your ordeal as if it had happened to someone else

You may feel numb

You may be struggling to think logically or make decisions, and this can be problematic as you may have many decisions you need to make at this time, for example - whether or not to report the attack to the police, undergoing tests for sexually transmitted disease and HIV, pregnancy test etc.

You may find yourself jumping or flinching at the slightest sound

You may find yourself unable to cope with sudden shocks or surprises

You may be fearful of being attacked again

You may have increased concern for the safety of your loved ones

You may feel like you are constantly being watched by the attacker

You may feel unable to leave your home through fear of being attacked again

If the attack took place within your home, you may feel the need to leave and never return there

You may have developed panic attacks

You may be experiencing flashbacks to the assault in either a visual, auditory or sensory form

You may fear being overwhelmed by your emotions and may continue to block them from your awareness in order to maintain a sense of being in control

You may fear the reactions of others to the attack - fearing for example, not being believed, judged, blamed, rejected etc.

You may find yourself re-running the attack time after time in your head, trying to make sense of it

You may find that you begin to blame yourself and develop feelings of guilt

You may have unanswerable questions that persist in your mind with no respite, for example - why me? what did I do wrong? why didn't I scream, fight, run?

You may be feeling powerless and filled with shame, fear and self loathing

You may be feeling dirty, on the inside as well as the outside and you may feel contaminated to the core of your being.

ALL OF THESE FEELINGS AND REACTIONS ARE NORMAL RESPONSES TO AN ABNORMAL EXPERIENCE

Even though, right now, you may believe that you will never recover from this severe trauma, I would like to let you know that it is possible and it is acheivable.

TRAUMA RECOVERY WITH SHARON HALES

I have specialised in treating survivors of sexual trauma for the last 20 years. (14 of those years were spent working full time at Tyneside Rape Crisis Centre as a Specialist Counsellor and Trainer)

Throughout this time, I have been privileged to witness many, many people recover, going on to live a happy and fulfilled life.

I work with adults and children, female and male survivors.

I use a range of techniques including Advanced Counselling, Energy Meridian Therapies, Life Coaching, Deep Relaxation, Guided Visualisation and Stress Management. I tailor make each session according to the needs and requirements of every person I work with.

If you have been subjected to rape or sexual assault AT ANY TIME IN YOUR LIFE, and if you are still suffering from the impact of this soul destroying trauma, give me a call.

Appointments are available

Monday & Friday 9.30 - 4pm

Tuesday & Thursday 9am - 9pm

Cost: 1st Session £50 for one and a half hours. Subsequent sessions £35 per hour

TRAINING & WORKSHOPS

I have extensive experience in both devising

and delivering training for a wide range of

people in these types of abuse – including:

I am currently offering

the following training

courses and

workshops:


1. Basic, through to Advanced Training on

all aspects of Childhood Sexual Abuse


2. Basic, through to Advanced Training on

all aspects of Rape

3. Energy Therapies and Trauma -

Professional Development for Counsellors

Courses are tailor made for professionals,

taking into account current levels of

awareness and experience.


If you are interested in attending any of

these courses or if you would like to receive

training in your work place, please contact

PAX

on:

(0191) 2515403