Introduction

Child Sexual Abuse is an impactful experience; disruptive to developmental and relational processes in ways that arrest the nervous system within the stress responses and are deleterious to interpersonal relationships (such as within families, friendships, and with intimate partners). Moreover, the intrapersonal effects and psychosocial impacts on the development of trust in oneself and in others can be felt by those affected across their lifespan. Recovery for adults who experienced Sexual Abuse in childhood often contains the rewarding pearls and painful pitfalls that come with trauma and grief work in counselling and psychotherapy. So, do adult survivors tell us they need from Counseling and Psychotherapy in order to help them heal from CSA? This workshop aims to inform participants of the lived experience of the CSA survivor, what they say is helpful in therapy and what is not helpful. Additionally, current mandated reporting implications for therapy and what works to help ensure any rupture is either avoided or identified and managed well will also be addressed.

The course will cover:

• An overview of the adult CSA survivor.
• What clients say works in therapy.
• The therapeutic relationship and attributes of a counsellor working with adult clients of CSA.
• Moral Distress.
• Boundaries and self-care.
• Reflexive Practice.
• Guideposts for resources, including Children First and Mandated Reporting.