Therapy for Child Sexual Abuse: Women Talk About Helpful and Unhelpful Therapy Experiences

Abstract

Women with histories of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) were asked to describe what was helpful and unhelpful to them in therapy. From 191 completed postal questionnaires, a subsample of 20 participants was interviewed. This paper focuses on three specific areas of therapy raised by interviewees: (1) Establishing a therapeutic relationship; (2) talking about experiences and effects of CSA; and (3) dealing with errors in therapy. Findings suggest that to avoid making serious therapy errors, therapists (1) need special skills to be aware of the dynamics and effects of CSA and of abuse-focused therapy and to deal with abuse-related material, and (2) need to develop an equal and open therapy relationship that includes ongoing consultation with clients about their experiences of therapy. doi:10.1300/J070v15n04_03.

Talking Therapy Services for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) in Scotland: Perspectives of Service Users and Professionals

“…Existing evidence suggests that different approaches may have different contributions for different stages of recovery (Edmond, Sloan, & McCarty, 2004;Feinauer, Bringham, & Provo, 1989;Nelson & Phillips, 2001). Also, it appears that survivors find disclosure beneficial if enquiries are made sensitively (McGregor et al, 2006;Nelson & Phillips, 2001;Reavey, Ahmed, & Majumdar, 2006;Schachter et al, 2004).…”

Child Sexual Abuse in the United States: Perspectives on Assessment and Intervention

“…Whereas numerous studies exist on the outcomes adult trauma survivors, there is a dearth of research on the effects of CSA on children (McGregor et al, 2006;Sar et al, 2006;Urman et al, 2001;Walker et al, 2009). Many experts in the field assert that the experience of CSA, along with other severe traumas, can leave children with "wounds [that] penetrate deeply to the core of their spirit" (Crenshaw & Hardy, 2007, p. 162).…”

“…Some counselors fear that they will re-traumatize their child clients while others feel unprepared to treat child abuse victims at all. Those who are inexperienced or unprepared may unknowing withdraw empathy and distance themselves from clients disclosing their trauma in a form of self protection (McGregor et al, 2006). Training and supervision help counselors learn that moving away from the topic of CSA or discouraging disclosure in counseling would be damaging to the client (Crenshaw & Hardy, 2007).…”

“…Due to the nature of CSA, trust is a central issue: many children tend to respond to others with either blind trust (that does not distinguish between safe and unsafe people) or an inability to trust anyone in any circumstance. Many victims of CSA fear that the counselor will betray their trust or harm them again (McGregor et al, 2006). An important component to the healing process is for children to learn how to trust others again, a process which begins in the counseling relationship.…”

“…Presently there is a scarcity of research from the views of children on trauma, including child sexual abuse (CSA) (Foster, 2011;McGregor, Thomas, & Read, 2006;Sar, Akyuz, Kugu, Ozturk, & ErtemVehid, 2006;Urman, Funk, & Elliott, 2001;Walker, Reid, O'Neill, & Brown, 2009). Most research in the United States has relied on adults' memories of childhood sexual victimization (Goodman et al, 2010;Lindblom & Gray, 2010).…”