What is abuse?
Abuse refers to the mistreatment, harm, or exploitation of an individual, often in a pattern of behaviour that is used to exert power and control over them. Abuse can have profound and long-lasting effects on the person’s physical and mental well-being, often requiring intervention, support, and healing processes to address its impacts. Explore the different types of abuse below:
Symptoms of abuse
Changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, chronic pain, physical pain, headaches, stomachaches, or fatigue
Fear, anxiety, sadness, hopelessness, unwarranted guilt, shame, selfblame, anger, irritability, mood swings, emotionally detached or numb
Social withdrawal, isolation, changes in sleep patterns, self-harm,avoiding certain places, activities, or people
How can therapy help?
Validation & Empowerment
Acknowledging people's experiences as valid and empowering them to regain a sense of control over their lives. This can look like normalizing healthy patterns or identifying abuse.
Coping Skills
Teaches individuals coping skills and strategies to manage the symptoms and triggers of the abuse. These skills may include safety planning, mindfulness, and grounding tools.
Addressing Traumatic Memories
Therapists use evidence-based approaches to address traumatic memories and process the impact of them in a way that feels safe and minimizes the possibility of re-traumatization
Building a Support System
As individuals work on setting boundaries, and making empowered decisions for safety and future goals, it is also crucial to build a support system of people they trust
Why is Trauma-Informed Therapy Important?
Safety & Trust
Prioritizes creating a safe and trusting environment where individuals feel secure to explore past traumas without fear.
Emotional Regulation
Equips individuals with specialized techniques to regulate overwhelming emotions stemming from past traumas or hardships
Empowerment
Empowers individuals to reclaim their sense of control and agency, facilitating the journey towards healing and recovery.
