"I was able to acknowledge my own emotions and find self-compassion and forgive myself for what I saw as mistakes."

“When I arrived at Survive, I was reluctant to reflect on my past – especially the years before I left home for college.

My father, now deceased, had sexually, physically and emotional abused me and dominated the home in which I grew up. I did not want to ‘rake up’ details of the past abuse so the Survive counsellor instead helped me understand why I was so self-critical.

As the work progressed, I was able to acknowledge my own emotions and find self-compassion and forgive myself for what I saw as mistakes. This process allowed me to reconnect with my mother and piece together happy memories. By being able to remember the good times, I was able to change the narrative that my whole childhood had been abusive.”

 

Names have been changed to protect the identity of the survivor. Images are for illustrative purposes only.

Sexual abuse counselling services York

THE SURVIVOR - DARREN

“I wouldn’t be here without you”

Towards the end of the work, there were no more flashbacks or trauma symptoms.

Back to top

Sign up for our e-newsletter to receive regular updates on how we are helping survivors of sexual trauma rebuild their lives, relationships and reach their potential.