Psychotherapy Specializations
Childhood Sexual Trauma
Does romantic touch often feel uncomfortable or awkward?
It may be that for as long as you remember, being touched has been something that you’ve felt truly uncomfortable with. It may even be something that you dread, especially when it comes to intimate settings.
Perhaps you’ve even gone to great lengths to avoid those types of scenarios - simply because touch that leads to intimacy brings up feelings that you don’t know how to manage, or that you really just don’t want to experience.
Quite possibly, those same feelings that you work hard to avoid are also causing some challenges in your marriage or intimate relationships.
When it comes to sex, it may be physically painful. Or maybe it’s something that you just suck up and do or perform because you think it's part of being a good partner, wife or lover - when the reality is that it isn’t something that you look forward to at all.
You find yourself shifting into autopilot and it happens, but you hardly feel like you're in the room during the experience.
The topic often brings with it a significant amount of stress and shame, perhaps even causing lot of inner turmoil that then also spills over within the context of your intimate relationship.
In addition to this…
Sleep may feel like a big struggle…
Perhaps you’ve had chronic sleep issues for as long as you can remember because settling down for the night just doesn’t happen easily or at all. It could also be that staying asleep for the duration of the night also happens infrequently - or that you have recurring nightmares and difficult memories often arise.
It could be that you’re frequently tired and lacking energy as though your tank is consistently empty even if you have had sleep.
Boundaries and saying “no” are hard.
Maybe you’ve consistently struggled with things happening in your body such as recurring abdomen pain, urinary tract infections, irregular periods, ovarian cysts, uterine problems, and ovarian cancer or ectopic pregnancies.
Perhaps your relationship with food feels complicated and has been for quite some time.
Maybe your self confidence and self esteem feel small to non-existent. They’re aspects of yourself that you’ve truly struggled with and perhaps you often feel as though people are walking all over you.
You’re always on high alert.
Many of my clients that have experienced childhood sexual trauma often feel like they’re always “on”. A little like their senses are heightened, kind of like they’re waiting for the other shoe to drop or the next bad thing to happen.
They feel like they’re frequently feeling hyperaware, which often also goes hand in hand with consistently being on edge and anxious.
A fair number of the women I work with struggle with the relationships they have with themselves as well as their relationships with others. It’s difficult to trust ourselves and others too!
Oftentimes, relationships including friendship (with other women) can feel unsafe and doing things alone just seems to be the natural and easy way to go. Which makes maintaining healthy connections and relationships with others, especially men, feel overwhelming and intrinsically conflictual.
The goal for my work with clients like you is to support you in healing and working through some of the painful and challenging aspects of your childhood, parts of your past that’ve been encroaching on your life and happiness.
Therapeutic support for childhood sexual trauma isn’t:
About me or any other therapist asking you to re-tell all the difficult and painful details of your childhood experiences.
It is not about me or any other therapist telling you that it was your fault or that you provoked the incident/s because of a behavior/conversation/wardrobe choice or decisions.
Me asking you to read all the self-help, newest scientific research or blog posts on this topic and then charging session fees for this.
You receiving all the answers in one session and feeling like you're “fixed” or “healed” for good.
Therapy may be for you if:
You have a hard time saying no.
Anger, shame and resentment are baseline emotions.
You feel like a doormat and you struggle with boundary setting.
Memories of some of your childhood experiences are having a tremendous impact on your day to day functioning, or impacting your relationships with your spouse or significant other and children.
You feel like you may not be a safe parent for your children.
Your anxiety is through the roof.
You're struggling to find joy in your life.
Therapy may be for you if:
You have a hard time saying no.
Anger, shame and resentment are baseline emotions.
You feel like a doormat and you struggle with boundary setting.
Memories of some of your childhood experiences are having a tremendous impact on your day to day functioning, or impacting your relationships with your spouse or significant other and children.
You feel like you may not be a safe parent for your children.
Your anxiety is through the roof.
You're struggling to find joy in your life.
Therapeutic support for childhood sexual trauma isn’t:
About me or any other therapist asking you to re-tell all the difficult and painful details of your childhood experiences.
It is not about me or any other therapist telling you that it was your fault or that you provoked the incident/s because of a behavior/conversation/wardrobe choice or decisions.
Me asking you to read all the self-help, newest scientific research or blog posts on this topic and then charging session fees for this.
You receiving all the answers in one session and feeling like you're “fixed” or “healed” for good.
What happens when we first meet for an initial appointment?
We spend time getting clear on what you need and how I can best support you in moving in the direction you desire.
I’m excited to work with clients like you - women who want this healing and wholeness for themselves - because you already have the inner strength and fortitude for the journey forward, those are beautiful aspects of yourself that have brought you here, to this moment.
My clients are digging in and doing the work so that they can rediscover their joy, and peace of mind.
Not to mention the fact that they’re building a healthier connection to their bodies and establishing an overall sense of reconnection to themself, vital aspects that contribute to the life they deserve!
I’m excited to work with clients like you - women who want this healing and wholeness for themselves - because you already have the inner strength and fortitude for the journey forward, those are beautiful aspects of yourself that have brought you here, to this moment.
My clients are digging in and doing the work so that they can rediscover their joy, and peace of mind.
Not to mention the fact that they’re building a healthier connection to their bodies and establishing an overall sense of reconnection to themself, vital aspects that contribute to the life they deserve!
I welcome all parts of you.
Please know that what we discuss during our time together is 100% confidential.
As we begin our work together, you may feel some level of vulnerability, which is entirely normal. However, our pace and the information you choose to disclose to me, along with the solutions or tools for coping are up to you.
What I can say with confidence is the women who begin this work or choose to return to this type of therapy are resilient and courageous, and the opportunity to support you in the process of meeting all aspects of yourself is an honour.