counseling victims of sexual assault poster

Counseling Victims of Sexual AssaultA 5 Phase Model

Empowerment & Encouragement

Effective assessment skills Empathic Strengths based

approach CBT and Gestalt-based

interventions

IMPLICATIONS

5 TREATMENT PHASES

Assessment & Education

Phase 1

Rapport & Strengths

Phase 2

Cognitive Interventio

n

Phase 3

Emotion Focused

Phase 4

Trauma Narrative

Phase 5

MODEL TENETS

CONTACT

Brooke Bagley MS, NCC – Sexual Assault Center, Knoxville, TN & Joel F. Diambra, EdD, LPC-MHSP, NCC – University of TennesseeACA 2015 – Orlando, Florida

RATIONALE• Each year, there are about

237,868 victims of sexual assault.

• 1 out of every 6 American women and 3% of men have been the victim on an attempted or completed rape.

• Victims of assault are• 3x’s more likely to suffer

from depression• 6 x’s more likely to suffer

from PTSD• 26 x’s more likely to

abuse drugs• 4x’s more likely to

contemplate suicide

Brooke Bagleybrookelynnbagley@gmail.com

Higher client retention rate Up to 70%

Clients report: Decrease in acute

stress/trauma related symptoms

Overall increase in functionality after 3 sessions

Clients approach and engage in trauma narrative work sooner in the therapeutic process than those treated otherwise.

Sessions 1-2 Sessions 2-3 Sessions 3-4 Sessions 4-5 Sessions 5-6

• Psychosocial assessment/

• Education materials related to common trauma reactions

• Rapport and trust are 99.99% of the therapeutic process

• Focus on client reported strengths

• Identification of triggers

• Negative thought patterns

• Gestalt & Mindfulness

• Dissociation/ body and mind “disconnect”

• Once a client has reached stability evident througho Self-reporto Presenting mood, behaviors, & languages

• Helpful in gaining awareness of perceived safety, coping, and potential for resilience

• Normalizes and validates client’s experience

• Language is HIGHLY important

• Survivors often report:

o Reduced perception of control

o Diminished trust in others

o Negative self views

o Decreased worth related to being loved, cared for, and valued.

• Introduction of CBT based education and interventions:

• Helps combat self-deprecating thoughts/beliefs

• Increased sense of control

• Amplified awareness of emotional reactions

• Helpful with trigger identification

• Works to encourage clients to develop more positive self-views

• New language and positive self-views incorporated into narrative

• Encourages new meaning making

• Re-telling decreases severity of trauma response