The impact of child sexual abuse on adult survivors
Tickets for this event are available on Eventbrite.
The aims of the day are to:
- Gain knowledge and skills to help clients who have experienced sexual abuse.
- Gain information on shame, anger, powerlessness, betrayal and sexual ambivalence.
- Gain insight into styles of relating from this client group.
- Pass on information gained to clients where appropriate.
- Identify your own feelings in order to set them aside to focus on client.
The seminar will cover the following:
Introduction from the speaker (Rebecca Mitchell*)
How I came into the work
Facts and Figures
- statistics on sexual abuse in the UK
- impact on our society
- demonising of abusers
Secrecy and shame
- why victims carry the shame of the abuser
- how shame affects relationships
- helping clients displace the shame
Supporting clients during disclosure
- being in the moment
- window of tolerance
- supporting ourselves
Help for flashbacks
- different types of memories
- role of the brain
- grounding techniques
Looking at anger
- how we can explain anger to clients
- what lies behind anger
- helping clients understand their rage
Damage of powerlessness
- why clients can be re-victimised
- why clients seek to control
- helping build good boundaries
Sexual ambivalence and confusion
- causes of ambivalence
- intrusion of past memories
- helping clients reclaim sexuality
Betrayal and trust
- The outworking of the damage of betrayal in relationships
- Suspiciousness and hyper-vigilance
- Helping re-build trust in the counselling room
Self-care for counsellors
- why it is important to care for yourself
- self-care suggestions
Questions and answers and checkout.
A time to reflect on the day together.
*About the Speaker - Rebecca Mitchell
Rebecca Mitchell graduated from City University, Westminster Pastoral Foundation and the Metanoia Institute with qualifications in Counselling and Groupwork Facilitation. She is a Registered Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), BACP Private Practice and the ACC.
Rebecca founded, and has run, Into the Light programmes since 1993 and has facilitated them in various counselling services in London, in addition to training other counsellors to work with survivors and working with victims of domestic violence. She has had articles on Sexual Abuse and related topics published in several publications including the BACP magazines “Therapy Today”, “The Independent Practitioner” and “Private Practice”. Rebecca has spoken on live radio including LBC and Radio London and at conferences and community and youth groups on issues around sexual abuse and relationships.
Rebecca has written a book for both survivors and counsellors on recovering from sexual abuse called “New Shoes” published by Lion Hudson that has been well received by Survivors and Counsellors.