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ABUSE COUNSELLING

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Simply stated, All abuse is the misuse of power!

It occurs when equality, mutual respect and power are out of balance. There are many forms of abuse, as one can imagine. They always take place in relationships using the methods that disempower people. The most obvious method is physical assault or bullying of weaker individuals, including not only children and women but also men. Other sources of power that can be used to hurt are: withholding finances/financial information, insulting words, guilt or fear mongering, intense emotions, neglect, emotional withdrawal, sexual withdrawal, and employment, political or spiritual abuse.

Physical abuse could range from destroying property to violent personal interactions.
Sexual abuse is defined as forced, coerced intimate relations without your willing consent. Children, young teens and even powerless victims by definition are not capable of giving consent. It also includes forcing you to watch pornography or participate in sexual experiences that you are not comfortable with.
Emotional, verbal and psychological abuse can be defined as taunting, ignoring, insulting, yelling, blaming, threatening, accusing, labeling and holding back approval as a form of punishment.
Financial abuse is the neglect of or withholding of financial information, creating dependency and/or reduction in the human condition.
Spiritual abuse is the misuse of authority, scriptures, or position in order to intimidate, shame, manipulate, guilt or control.

Victims of abuse in all its forms requires not only therapy to heal their emotional wounds, but also practical guidance and topical education. Abuse can be traumatizing and devastating, but with help you can heal and grow beyond your experience of abuse.

In almost every situation victims do not stop the cycle without getting help! This is a systemic issue that requires processing deep emotional wounds and experiences that have now begun to define the person. These individuals must find safe people and places to reclaim themselves or, in some situations, claim themselves for the very first time.

What is Involved with Abuse Counselling

In the safe and non-judgemental environment of individual therapy, your therapist will legitimize and validate your story and history of abuse. Remember, you are not responsible for your abuse or guilty for what happened. Victimization is the abuser’s fault – it is not the victim’s choice. Victims do not seek abuse.

Your therapist will help you face, reconstruct, and reframe your traumatic experiences to provide a foundation for your therapeutic journey. Counselling can help restore your self-esteem and re-examine healthy ways of relating to others whether you are trying to end an abusive relationship, struggling with childhood sexual abuse, overcoming a past of domestic violence and relationship abuse, or looking to heal after family violence and parenting abuse.

Counselling is a safe space for you to discuss your life and set out on the path you want to be on. We ensure full confidentiality, carefully guarding the sacred trust that is the foundation for a beneficial therapeutic relationship.

What Does Abuse Counselling

(Psychotherapy) Treat

Abuse in any form or context can harm an individual. Even after the abuse has stopped, survivors can still experience distress. Abuse survivors have a higher risk of mental health concerns. They may experience one or more of the following issues:

Anxiety
Anger
Depression
Dissociation
Mood Issues
Posttraumatic Stress (PTSD)
Shame
Self-Destructive Behavior
Trust Issues

While abuse can lead to mental health concerns, not every case results in extreme distress. The severity of the consequences can depend on the situation. For instance, someone may feel differently about abuse from a parent and abuse from a stranger. Whether loved ones recognized or dismissed the abuse can have a large impact.

Demographic factors can also affect how someone responds to abuse. For example, someone during childhood is more likely to develop mental health concerns. Gender roles can influence how one responds to sexual abuse. Socioeconomic status may decide whether someone receives adequate treatment.