A women’s center or hotline crisis counselor may provide referrals to local resources such as a list of therapists and psychiatric professionals. This is useful information and talk therapy services can be very helpful in recovering from traumatic memories, however a person may not have insurance coverage or may have insurance coverage for only a limited number off providers. The other flaw with referrals to standard therapists and psychiatric professionals is that they are not necessarily specialists in counseling for survivors of sexual assault.
I have had trouble with both insurance coverage difficulties and with finding a therapist that is familiar or comfortable with discussing sexual assault recovery. I have received some helpful literature from a women’s center advocate but she also made it clear that she was only an advocate for providing referrals and that the center did not provide counseling services. Some support groups were available for people comfortable with a group setting.
“Good luck and hang in there,“: words to remember everyday.
The national hotline for sexual assault type issues contact information: RAINN, Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, 1-(800) 656-4673, = (800) 656-HOPE, https://rainn.org.
Useful books on the topic:
- The Date Rape Prevention Book; The Essential Guide for Girls & Women, by Scott Lindquist, FCPP, CPS, Crime Prevention Specialist, (Sourcebooks, Naperville, IL, 2000) [goodreads] [Book details on publishersweekly.com]
- It’s My Life Now; Starting Over After an Abusive Relationship or Domestic Violence, by Meg Kennedy Dugan, MA, and Roger R Hock, PhD, (Routledge, New York, 2000) [Amazon]
- The Emotionally Abused Woman; Overcoming Destructive Patterns and Reclaiming Yourself, by Beverly Engel, MFCC, (Lowell House, Los Angeles, 1990) [Amazon, 1992 edition]
- Violent Partners; A Breakthrough Plan for Ending the Cycle of Abuse, by Linda G. Mills, J.D. Ph.D., (Basic Books, 2008, New York, NY) [Amazon]
- How Can I Get Through to You? (Reconnecting Men and Women), by Terrence Real, (Scribner, 2002, New York, NY) [Amazon, 2003 edition]
- Rebuilding the Garden; Healing the Spiritual Wounds of Childhood Sexual Assault, by Karla McLaren, (Laughing Tree Press, Columbia, CA, 1997) [Amazon} *This book is written by a survivor who shares strategies for recovering from problems with dissociation which are more different than typical. She has trained and worked as a “psychic healer.” I wrote a brief review of the book, an excerpt: Seeking guidance from someone who self designates as a psychic healer may not be a first choice for most people but dissociation is the mind or psyche separating itself from the body’s present. The visualization strategies the author shares are designed to help restore a sense of an inner core that is always safe and to help reconnect to the world. Read more: Spiritual gardening for the dissociated soul, .
/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./