Clinical Therapy
A sexual assault can be a devastating emotional experience. At the Sex Abuse Treatment Center (SATC), support is available for all survivors of sexual violence. SATC has experienced professional therapists to help with your healing.
Therapy for children
SATC provides individual and family therapy, victim support services, and legal systems advocacy for children. Victim support services may involve collaboration with outside agencies such as the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center or the Children’s Alliance to secure additional resources. Because a sexual assault impacts the entire family, we also offer services to non-offending parents and other family members.
Therapy may be individual or with one or more family members. The type of therapy will depend on the child's age, level of development and the needs that arise from the trauma of the abuse. Behavior therapy and cognitive therapy incorporating play techniques and art are examples of the types of therapy available at the SATC.
The primary goals of therapy with a child are to identify and express feelings, to understand that the assault was not the child's fault and to develop healthy coping skills. The therapist also works with the child and family members to minimize the risk of the child being victimized again. For a child to receive ongoing therapy at the SATC, written permission from a parent or legal guardian is necessary.
Therapy for teens
The SATC offers individual, group and family therapy, victim support services and legal systems advocacy for adolescents who have been sexually assaulted. Victim support services may involve collaboration with outside agencies such as the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center or the Children’s Alliance to secure additional resources.
Services are also available for non-offending family members. The type of therapy offered depends on the needs of the teenager, but may involve behavioral or cognitive techniques, the use of art or other media, readings and keeping a journal. These and other approaches can help the teen to identify, label and express feelings and thoughts about the abuse and encourage the development of positive coping skills and risk reduction strategies.
In order for a teen (under 14) to receive ongoing therapy services at the SATC, written permission from a parent or legal guardian is necessary. Under certain circumstances, teens between the ages of 14 through 17 may initiate counseling at SATC without their parents’ permission. However, the therapist will work closely with the teen to stress the importance of involving parents in treatment planning. If the person who is abusing the teen is a parent, step-parent or other family member, please call the SATC hotline and our intake workers can assist in finding help and looking at your options.
Therapy for adults
Individual and family therapy are available and the SATC also offers groups that can complement individual work. Partners or family members of survivors currently in treatment at the SATC may receive therapy services at the SATC.
The SATC also provides victim support services and legal systems advocacy to assist clients with a wide range of issues. The goals of therapy are unique to each person, but generally involve helping the person gain a better understanding about the dynamics of sexual assault, correcting false beliefs about what happened, developing appropriate coping mechanisms, teaching skills and techniques to decrease the risk of being victimized again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about therapy
Why should I consider therapy?
Dealing with the trauma of a sexual assault can be a lonely and frightening experience. Through therapy, you can learn to better understand your thoughts, feelings and reactions. You can also learn to regain a sense of safety and self-esteem. It takes courage to recognize these problems and seek help. It isn’t a quick or easy process. Healing from the trauma of sexual violence takes time and patience and starting therapy is a big step towards recovery.
Who will I see?
Our staff consists of therapists who are trained in the area of sexual violence and trauma, including psychologists, social workers and marriage and family therapists. We also have a psychiatrist who is available once a month for medication consultations. SATC clinicians have specific knowledge and experience in working with sex assault victims.
How much does therapy cost?
We accept many different medical insurance plans. If you do not have insurance or have an insurance plan for which we are not a participating provider, we’ll help you find other resources to pay for services. For example, if you report your assault to the police, we can help you apply to the Crime Victim Compensation Commission (CVCC) to ask that they cover the cost of therapy. Another option, if you meet certain financial conditions, is our sliding fee schedule which will reduce your out-of-pocket payments. Even if you have no resources, you can still begin treatment at the SATC. We have public funds to help those who want services but cannot afford it. We’ll work with you to determine how we can best meet your treatment needs.
Are services confidential?
Privacy is always a concern for sexual assault victims. All information within the SATC and anything you share with your therapist is confidential. We will not release or disclose any information without your consent. The only exceptions to our confidentiality policy are if you pose a threat to yourself or others, or situations involving child or elder abuse. If your therapy records are subpoenaed by a court of law, we’ll inform you and work with you and your attorney to determine the most appropriate course of action.
Other general FAQs
If I don't speak English very well, can I still come in for therapy?
SATC services include those who don’t speak English. Ideally, a person can see someone fluent in their native language and we can assist in referring them to an appropriate service provider. However, if we can’t find such a therapist, SATC will use interpreters from the Bilingual Access Line during therapy.
I'm a man and was sexually assaulted. How can you help me?
Many think that only women are sexually assaulted. Because of this misconception, the incidence of sexual violence experienced by men is under reported as male victims often feel alone and don’t want to tell anyone about the assault. Any man can be a sexual assault victim.
Many of the feelings men experience following a sexual assault are common to all victims: denial, confusion, guilt, fear and helplessness. But men also can worry about how a sexual assault affects their masculinity or sexual orientation. It’s important to remember that the assault has nothing to do with your sexual orientation. Sexual assault is a crime of violence and power, not of sexuality: assaults against men are committed primarily by straight men. As a male, you may need special support to cope with the aftermath of an assault. You can receive that support, therapy and confidentiality from SATC.
I'm an elderly person who was sexually assaulted. Can you help me?
One common myth about sexual assault is that its victims are only young women. It’s a shock when people learn about elderly persons who are also victimized. Offenders often seek out the most vulnerable individuals to attack. Since older people, especially women, are believed to be physically weak and fearful, they may be thought of as easy victims.
The impact of sexual assault can also be different for the elderly. Some live alone, which can increase feelings of vulnerability. Some may have limited mobility and transportation, which can create feelings of isolation. Physical problems may lessen their ability to defend themselves and may lead to fears about safety. And for older persons, it’s likely to be especially embarrassing to discuss a sexual assault. For this reason, it’s believed that sexual assaults of older persons are greatly underreported.
However, the elderly have developed considerable emotional strength, learning the necessary resiliency to cope with and recover from a crisis that a younger person may not have. The SATC therapists have the knowledge and experience to support them and their families, and address their individual needs, including plans for personal safety.
I’m an LGBTQ individual who was sexually assaulted. Can you help me?
We understand that individuals who identify as LBGTQ are at a significantly higher risk of being sexually assaulted. In fact, as many as one in two LBGTQ individuals have a history of sexual abuse. The SATC therapists are sensitive to the issues that face the LBGTQ community and will provide a supportive, compassionate and welcoming environment to begin the process of healing.