Sexual Abuse

Many of us have experienced sexual abuse in our past.  Whether the abuse is from childhood or more recent events, this is some of the most devastating pain we can experience.

When a person has experienced sexual trauma, the body can “hold” the memory of the assault which can bring up unwanted feelings when that part of the body is stimulated.  This can have physical reactions that are confusing and overwhelming.

Sometimes we are afraid to think about why this may be happening and this makes it hard to describe the way we feel.  We can shut off our feelings so that we have a lack of awareness of the sensations or we can even “numb out” in our heads to protect ourselves from fear and pain.

We can also have a wide variety of other symptoms: depression, anxiety, and anger are some of the most common.  Other problems including erectile dysfunction, inability to reach orgasm, chronic pelvic pain, vaginismus (contractions of the vagina that prevent penetration), dyspareunia (genital pain occurring just before, during or after intercourse), and lack of interest in sex may show up as well.

If you have experienced sexual trauma in the past, you deserve to be out of pain and to experience the full measure of pleasure that your senses can bring you, but this can feel completely out of reach due to the past trauma.

I use a combination of Somatic therapy, EMDR, Safe & Sound Protocol, Sex Therapy, and Polyvagal Therapy to heal sexual trauma first.  Then I work with clients to learn to awaken themselves to sensory pleasure and to notice and enjoy.  They gradually become fully awake to life, their surrounding environment, their partner, and all that is wonderful in sex.