Sexual Trauma
What is Sexual Trauma?
One of the most horrific and impactful types of trauma a person can be affected by is sexual trauma. Sexual trauma is caused by a nonconsenting sexual act that can take place in many different forms and have lasting impacts on the person that has experienced the trauma. A few different forms of sexual trauma include rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual violence in a relationship, online sexual harassment, familial sexual abuse, and childhood sexual abuse.
A lot of people think of sexual trauma as being caused by someone that they do not know, or have no personal relationship with. However, this often isn’t the case. The majority of sexual trauma cases that occur happen with someone that the person loves and trusts. This can be family members, partners, a babysitter, and even a church official. Sexual trauma can feel very confusing. Because of this, some people will have a hard time labeling their experience as sexually traumatic because of the love they had for their perpetrator.
The experience may be a one-time tragedy or it can be a recurring situation that leaves you
feeling lost without a sense of security or safety. For some people, the sexually traumatic event that they went through happened years ago and has somehow been pushed to the back of their minds so that they don’t have to confront it. For others, they’ve experienced sexual trauma in their adult lives and are struggling to cope with the emotional and bodily symptoms that have occurred because of it.
Being able to understand the symptoms of sexual trauma can be difficult since every person responds to it in their own unique ways. However, having an understanding of the impacts of sexual trauma can help you recognize your own response. This recognition can eventually lead to transformative freedom and peace apart from that experience.
Often times, people have difficulties using traditional talk therapy in the treatment of sexual trauma because they do not want to relive their experience by continuously talking through it. This is why Somatic therapy can be so helpful for those who have experienced sexual trauma. It is a way for us to free you from the trauma that has been held in your body which will lead to emotional and mental release as well. Together, we help you develop an understanding of your mind-body connection to bring your body into a state of balance once again.
Symptoms of Sexual Trauma
The responses to sexual trauma are highly individualized as everyone reacts in their own ways. Some may experience no psychological distress at all. Others may have severe psychological and bodily symptoms, and a few may even be classified as having PTSD depending on the level of severity. However, the majority of individuals will undergo some type of short term effects and long term effects after their traumatic experience.
Short term effects are the symptoms a person may be dealing with right after their trauma has occurred. These can include:
- Shock
- Fear
- Anger
- Withdrawal
- Confusion
- Anxiety
Long term effects are the symptoms that continue to affect a person long after their traumatic sexual experience is over. These may include:
- Drug use/alcohol use
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Suicidal thoughts
- Co-dependency
- Shame
- Self-blame
- PTSD
- Dissociative patterns
- Sexual/relational problems
This is not an exhaustive list of the symptoms that a person can experience because, as mentioned before, everyone responds and copes in different ways. However, if you are concerned that you have not dealt with your sexually traumatic experience in a healthy way, the best thing to do is talk with a therapist to see how they can help you work through your symptoms.
How can counseling help?
Here at Seattle Trauma Counseling, we believe that a traumatic sexual experience impacts your mind, body, and spirit. Through Somatic Therapy, our goal is to create a supportive therapeutic relationship so that we can release you from all of the negativities that your sexual trauma has brought to your life. By helping you to assess your own mind, body, and spirit we are able to have a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of the symptoms that you’ve been facing.
Often times, people have difficulties using traditional talk therapy in the treatment of sexual trauma because they do not want to relive their experience by continuously talking through it. This is why Somatic therapy can be so helpful for those who have experienced sexual trauma. It is a way for us to free you from the trauma that has been held in your body which will lead to emotional and mental release as well. Together, we help you develop an understanding of your mind-body connection to bring your body into a state of balance once again.
The idea of bringing your mind and body into a state of balance may sound foreign to you. For many, you’ve been hindered by your negative symptoms for far too long and in ways you may not even be aware of. For others, you’ve been ready to feel free again for a long time, but you haven’t figured out how to get there. Either way, we at Seattle Trauma Counseling are ready to begin your journey of healing together.