Since The Feel Better Letter(our monthly newsletter) is meant to help you feel good, it may seem surprising that I am highlighting such a difficult and upsetting issue. Sexual abuse and talk of it is rarely uplifting. Stick with this article, though, and I promise to give you some good things to feel about by it's end.
Years ago, my entire psychotherapy practice focused on trauma survivors and I became an expert in treating sexual abuse and trauma of all kinds. So it was expected that EVERY client I treated had been sexually abused. However, these days I have clients coming through my door for every reason under the sun, although almost all issues boil down to simply wanting to feel happier in life.
Years ago, my entire psychotherapy practice focused on trauma survivors and I became an expert in treating sexual abuse and trauma of all kinds. So it was expected that EVERY client I treated had been sexually abused. However, these days I have clients coming through my door for every reason under the sun, although almost all issues boil down to simply wanting to feel happier in life.
So imagine my surprise when I discovered that a startling portion of current clients, regardless of why they initially sought out therapy with me, have had a least one experience with being sexually abused in their past. I have turned this issue over in mind many times and I ask very deep questions about why there is such a prevalence of adults hurting children sexually. I ask "what happens in SO MANY adult's experience that they would find children sexually interesting?" and "why are we all so silent about such an insane issue that affects far more people than the statistics say?" In trying to make sense of it all, I have read all of the research and theories about why sexual abuse exists, and even wondered if our culture needs "lower energy experiences" to help us all grow and evolve.
My main message today is that if you have been sexually abused, DO NOT let the silence in our culture fool you. You have lots of company all around you. Sometimes I think that the silence is meant to protect us all. Perhaps we fear our whole culture would melt down if we really talked about the taboo topic of the sexual abuse of children publicly. And yet, we must, because the silence is keeping us all from the possibility of solutions.
We develop beliefs about ourselves and our world from our life experiences. Sexual abuse survivors often have beliefs about being unworthy, unlovable, not good enough, never safe, and more. These beliefs block so many of the good things that they desire and DESERVE. If you have been sexually abused, please know that there are very effective "treatments" available to heal and release those blocking beliefs. You do not have to suffer, nor suffer in silence.
So I am putting the call out there. If you want to end the silence in your own life, feel free to email me to simply make your voice heard and acknowledge that you and your experience is real. I will read all replies.
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