Abuse Counselling

Abuse is about power and control. No-one deserves to be abused. Abuse counselling gives you the space to regain control of your life and start the process of healing. I can help. As a qualified counsellor, I will help you talk through what has happened at your pace, so you can start to recover.

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What is abuse and can counselling help?

Power over others is weakness disguised as strength – Ekhart Tolle

Abuse is the mistreatment of another person. Whether adult or child, it can happen in many different ways. If you have been subjected to abusive behaviour, you may feel tormented. Also, you can feel like your trust has been totally shattered.

Counselling provides a confidential space to talk through your feelings. Allowing you to heal and move forward. It offers a place to discuss whatever you have been through. Here, with the help of talking therapy, you can overcome the impact of these traumatic experiences.

Experiencing this kind of behaviour is devastating and impacts on your self-esteem. It often causes our mental health to suffer. Therapy provides a way to start trusting again. Furthermore, in time, you learn to cope and feel better in yourself.

I have undertaken specific training in supporting clients who have been abused. This is whether their traumatic experiences were recent or historic.

I have worked with domestic abuse victims and sexual violence survivors. My approach, allows clients to start to feel empowered. Often their power has been diminished by the perpetrator’s damaging behaviour. At your pace, you can learn to trust again and re-gain control.

You can find out more about me and my experience to see if I am the right counsellor for you.

Abuse comes in different forms

These damaging experiences affect all genders and ages. Please look after yourself when reading these as they may trigger difficult emotions for some.

Physical

Intentionally causing a bodily injury, pain, or impairment to another person. This can happen to children and adults. Examples of physical abuse: being slapped, burned, cut, bruised, punched, kicked or improperly physically restrained.

The effects can be profound. The physical wound may heal, but often there are psychological scars which remain.

Emotional, also known as psychological

An emotional abuser uses demeaning words or gestures to gain power over another person. Again, this could happen to a child or adult. For example:

• Name-calling
• Making threats
• Destructive criticism
• Manipulation
• Withholding affection
• Belittling

In emotionally abusive situations, a wide range of effects can result. Some examples include anxiety, depression, withdrawal, loss of trust, suicidal thoughts, insomnia and isolation.

FAQs including Fees

Sexual

When a person is forced or pressurised into taking part in sexual activity, this is known as sexual abuse. Examples include:

• Childhood sexual abuse
• Rape
• Sexual assault
• Female genital mutilation
• Male genital mutilation
• Sexual exploitation

All forms of sexual violence involve an element of power and control. Within therapy, we can work together to start to take back control of your life.

Sometimes anger and other feelings surface without a person knowing why. Talking through these experiences with a professional counsellor can help you to process past emotions. It is important to address these issues. Moreover, you can heal from the pain and suffering caused.

Neglect

Neglect is the failure to provide necessary care, assistance, guidance or attention to a person. We may assume this applies to children only. But, a vulnerable adult or elderly person may also experience such treatment.

Neglected children often experience adversely affected development. It can have a seriously negative effect on a person’s emotional and physical well-being.

If you are an person who experienced neglect as a child, your adult relationships may be affected now. You may find it difficult to trust others. In addition, neglectful childhood experiences leave a footprint. Working through the trauma is crucial.

Domestic abuse

This takes place in the home and can sexual, emotional, psychological or financial abuse. It may be within a partner relationship. But, it can also happen between different family members. The perpetrator attempts to maintain power over the other person.

Domestic abuse victims may experience all different types of abusive behaviour. These may include:

• Verbal
• Sexual
• Threatening behaviour
• Bullying
• Insults
• Constant fault-finding
• Aggression
• Violence
• Questioning the person’s reality, also known as gaslighting

The majority of victims are women, but men suffer too. Furthermore, children suffer growing up in a domestically abusive environment, whether they witness it or not. Nobody is immune to the effects.

Sometimes a person may not be aware that they have been abused. In addition, victims may minimise the behaviour. They could be fearful of upsetting the person who is abusing them. No-one deserves to be treated in an abusive way. With support, you can re-build your life.

Therapy builds trust after suffering

My psychotherapy practice is based in Leamington Spa, Snitterfield and Stratford upon Avon. I provide you with space to talk about what has happened to you.

I am an experienced counsellor for victims of abuse. My counselling practice offers a safe and confidential environment. I will not judge you. Instead you will feel listened to, accepted and understood.

You may find this work demanding. I will accompany you and try to understand how you feel. I have a deep level of understanding of the trauma caused. Collaboratively, we can build a trusting relationship.

This will support and empower you. Furthermore, we can work together to enable change in whatever form you would like that to be.

Working creatively

Additionally, I am qualified in working creatively in the counselling room. For instance, we can use writing, art, poetry or stones as another form of communication.

This can be particularly good for clients who find difficulty in putting their feelings into words. If you would like to work in a creative way, please feel free to discuss with me.