How to Heal from Sexual Abuse
The biggest thing for my healing journey was time, it took me years to get to where I am today. I still struggle with the reminders of the sexual abuse I experienced at such a young age, but the pain has dulled with time. The next thing that helped me was traditional and non-traditional therapy such as hobbies. I went through traditional talk therapy from the early age of eight and into my adulthood, then EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) Therapy for two years, and utilized hobbies like painting, writing, yoga, and gymnastics to heal.
The next important step in my healing process was cultivating my support system. Not only having a family (genetic or chosen) but also having a network of survivors who understand what it's like to experience and heal from abuse. Finding support groups in your community,
Reminders I tell myself: It wasn't my fault, I'm not alone, and I am a real abuse survivor.
The websites linked below have crisis lines if you ever feel you need to talk to someone about the sexual assault or abuse you've experienced. Both websites also have many helpful resources that you can utilize.
Helpful Books for Abuse Survivors:
These books have helped me in my healing process after experiencing sexual assault and abuse.
Through the years I've learned that healing isn't linear, you'll have good and bad days. Some days it may feel as though you've healed; other days the weight of the world will feel too heavy, and lying in your bed is all you can muster and that's a very normal way to feel.
What's important is having the resources to heal and taking the time to improve your mental health. The End CAN Website link will take you to an article about the thirteen stages of healing from childhood sexual abuse. I've also attached the SafeBAE website resources page which has many helpful videos, statistics, educational media, and options for justice.
Thank you for reading this newsletter and if you have any further questions don't hesitate to email me at skylerboschen@yahoo.com