Recovering From Sexual Trauma.
Most current content about trauma recovery does not include information about recovering from sexual trauma. And, by sexual trauma I mean trauma that has manifested through some form of sexual experience, or trauma that impacts people’s relationships with sexuality or gender.
Which, frankly, is a wide range of experiences that affect many (if not most) folks! Yet, we’re not talking about it! I have a few choice words about how problematic this is, but, I’ll save those for another day…
In my experience and in my work, the process of trauma recovery is a unique and winding path. That said, I believe recovery work involves five key elements:
Establishing Voice & Choice: Recovery work includes identifying our yes’es, no’s and maybe’s. It includes developing embodied wisdom about ‘what would be perfect’, and learning how to listen to and respect our internal voice and preferences.
Expanding Embodiment: Recovery work includes connecting more deeply with our bodies and emotions. Practicing embodiment means practicing feeling a wide variety of experiences and emotions and being able to sit with them. This may be done by exploring sex and pleasure, but, it doesn’t have to!
Healing Through The Body: Whether practiced solo or with folks that feel safe enough (such as a Somatic Sex Educator!), receiving pleasurable touch and fulfilling desires can be a beautifully healing and sacred experience. As can touch that aims to unwind trauma stored in tissue.
Exploring Mutually Respectful Connection: Within recovery work, the process of asking for what we want while celebrating others’ boundaries is deeply supportive in learning to unwind feelings of fear, contraction, and self-silencing.
Embodying Wellness and Pleasure: Recovery work is a process meant to open each of us to greater aliveness. Manifesting the practices, pleasures, and people that most deeply support our experiences of aliveness is key to ensuring that we cultivate a joyful life.
Supporting clients as they come home to their bodies and joy is always such an honour. In my practice trauma recovery work is more than learning how to not get triggered as easily - it’s about connecting with your power and passion and individuality!