Abuse - Emotional, Physical, Sexual Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

Abuse - Emotional, Physical, Sexual

The area of abuse counselling includes both physical, emotional and sexual abuse therapy effectively conducted in a safe and caring environment. While not visible on the outside, emotional abuse is also a form of assault which, if left untreated, can leave lifelong emotional scars. Abusers often use intimidation to create guilt and fear to make the victim feel ashamed and isolated from other people.
 
● The symptoms of physical abuse are usually the easiest to see, with victims making excuses for scars and bruises.
● Children who are sexually abused will often have an age-inappropriate knowledge of sexuality and may even suffer from sexualy transmitted diseases, or pregnancy.
● Emotional abuse often goes hand-in-hand with either sexual, and or physical abuse. The victim will usually display a poor self-esteem, anxiety, withdrawal from social interactions, lack of trust, pessimism, and suicide attempts, to name but a few.
 
Abuse is often carried through generations, causing victims to become abusers, too. However, abuse can be stopped.
 
Therapists in this directory use a range of approaches to address abuse victims to deal with their fears, anxiety and feelings of shame. They can also help perpetrators to put an end to the abuse.  Psychologists and counsellors utilize a variety of approaches to help victims  heal from sexual, emotional or physical abuse. Couples,  group and family therapy can often be helpful.
 
If you need a counsellor or psychologist to help you address the effects of abuse, you can search through the list of names below to find a professional with the approach best suited to your situation.

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness approaches, Narrative Therapy

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy encompasses a range of six principles that aim to help clients develop greater psychological flexibility. The six principles include:

1. Cognitive defusion help to reduce tendencies to regard thoughts, memories and emotions as real and concrete events.

2. Acceptance is about allowing the thoughts to surface and pass without the need to allow them to interfere with daily life.

3.  Being present means being aware of current existence and being involved with the now.

4. Self observation helps the client to be aware of the self and the unchanging consciousness.

5. Exploring values to discover those that are most important to the person.

6. Committed action involves setting goals based on the explored values, and setting actions in place to reach those goals.

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy and is commonly used in therapy, and in it's sub-forms and helpful for a range of conditions, including OCD. If you require Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, have a look at the counsellors listed below.

Mindfulness approaches help clients to be focused in the here and now. Generally rooted in Eastern meditative techniques,  Mindfulness approaches offer a non-judgmental alternative therapy for dealing with stress and other psychological issues.

By observing worrisome thoughts and learning to accept situations for what they are, people can learn to cope with issues better and make more productive choices.

Mindfulness approaches include a range of models, including dialectical behaviour therapy,  mindfulness-based stress reduction, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. These approaches can be used in a wide range of settings to reduce the symptoms of a broad spectrum of psychological issues.  These therapies can be practiced effectively in individual or group therapy.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Mindfulness approaches, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Narrative Therapy provides clients the opportunity to regain their ability to develop positive relationships by healing past wounds. It can be used in individual, family, adoption and couples contexts.

This type of therapy offers a respectful and non-blaming approach which acknowledges each person as the author of his or her own life. Narrative therapy assumes that people have a range of inner resources that help them deal with difficulties and problems in their lives.

Narrative therapy can be used with children, adults, in groups, couples and individuals. It can help them cope with traumatic events without the need to discuss it directly.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Narrative Therapy, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Note: You may narrow your search by selecting more than one filter below.

Nina Hopmeier

M.Couns., RCC
    • Video on profile
Have you been feeling overwhelmed lately by your emotions and life’s demands? Do you sometimes feel like you have exhausted your coping resources and are stuck with where you are? It’s so easy to let these... Read more

Sophia Mivasair

MCP, RCC
    • Online booking
I work with people seeking to build confidence, clarity, and calm in their lives. You might struggle to express yourself, and be understood in important relationships. You might be stuck on a treadmill of tired patterns... Read more

Nicole Alexander

M.Ed., CCC
    • Online booking
Do you sometimes feel like it is difficult to get through the day? Do you often feel low and like your progress is somehow blocked? Are you at a point in your life where it seems like nothing is changing? I understand... Read more

Emmalee Brunt

M.Couns., RCC
    • Online booking
Emmalee offers in person counselling in Victoria, BC, as well as phone and online video counselling sessions for clients across British Columbia. She works with individual clients and welcomes clients from all gender... Read more

Danielle Berman

M.S.W., RCC
It takes a lot of courage to reach out for support and no one needs to feel alone in their struggles. I believe we can all benefit from having someone to share our challenges, with who is trained to help us find our... Read more

Carly Degenstein

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Welcome! And Hello :) I'm Carly - an RCC (Registered Clinical Counsellor) that's had the honor of working as a therapist for over 5 years now. I run a private practice that... Read more

Zoe Nichele

M.C., RCC
    • Online booking
Welcome, I’m Zoe! I work with people seeking freer self-expression, deeper authenticity, and calmer presence in life. The people I work with are often struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or life... Read more

Ksenia Belova

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
I work with people desiring stronger, deeper and more fulfilling relationships with themselves, and with other people. If you're struggling to feel well and to live the life you want, you may feel cut off from your... Read more