Are Concerned for Your Child’s Safety and Wellbeing?
Are you doing everything you can to guard your son or daughter from the dangers of abuse, but still feel they may be at risk? Perhaps, you worry that your child may be the victim of sexual abuse, but do not know how to approach the subject with them. Is your son or daughter suddenly demonstrating a drastic change in behavior, such as unexplained phobias, separation anxiety or inappropriate childhood sexual behavior? Perhaps, they are suddenly showing signs of depression and/or anxiety, including avoiding activities they once enjoyed or isolating themselves from family. Are they acting out in class, being aggressive toward siblings or refusing to undress or go to bed for no apparent reason?
Or, maybe you know someone has hurt your son or daughter in the past and you want help healing your child’s trauma. Harm to your child may have turned your world upside down, flooding you with fear, guilt, grief and anger. You may be asking yourself, “How do I help my child? What do I do? How can I get their life back on track?” Perhaps, you’re desperately searching for someone to talk to who can support you, validate your concerns, answer your questions and equip you to effectively help your child. Do you wish you could understand what is going on in your child’s life, confidently protect them from external threats and heal their pain and suffering?
Childhood Sexual Abuse Does Not Discriminate
First, if your child has been abused, know that this is not your fault. Sexual exploitation of children can happen in any family, regardless of economic status, race, culture or religion. Fortunately, most children are safe; however, even children with the most loving, protective parents can fall victim to abuse.
The very nature of sexual predation is deviance and secrecy: predators look for holes in parents’ trust and protective barriers in order to harm their victims. As a result, it’s very difficult to constantly shield children from every threat. Social factors can complicate the task of protecting our children as well. The access and anonymity of social media, the innate trust we place in friends and family members and the ease with which children can be prematurely subjected to sexual content via technology all have their inherent dangers and pitfalls.
However, if you suspect that someone is harming your child, interpreting the warning signs and getting help immediately is of crucial importance. I understand that successfully managing the overwhelming fear, anger and guilt can seem impossible, but counseling can provide you and your child with a space dedicated to the healing process. With the help of a compassionate childhood trauma therapist skilled in sexual abuse counseling, you can get the awareness, education and help you need to heal your child and protect them from further harm.
Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Can Help Alleviate Complicated Childhood Trauma
Counseling for children stops the cycle of secrecy in a way that is nurturing, safe and therapeutic. We all need the ability to tell our own story—to give narrative to our experiences—but for children who are still finding their voices, it can be difficult. Therapy allows them the space to address and vocalize painful experiences and emotions without being overwhelmed by them. As your child’s personal story and history takes shape, the trauma loosens its hold and healing can begin.
Everyone reacts differently to childhood trauma therapy, so I always work to determine what approach will serve your family most effectively. In a safe and compassionate environment, we begin by earning the trust of both you and your child, with the understanding that you as a parent are a secondary victim. Through psycho-education, I can help you understand the dynamics of sexual abuse and how it affects you and your child. I’ll help you develop your own voice for confronting the reality of it all, strength for dealing with legal logistics and support for navigating the fear, anger and guilt. I can also act as a sounding board for any of your concerns and pace the overall therapeutic process so it doesn’t overwhelm you. And, if abuse has originated from within the family, I can even help you with any voluntary, family reunification goals you may have, once the time comes.
As I work with your child at their pace, I will teach them how to give voice to their story—how to use language to express their emotions. We’ll use play therapy to stimulate discussion, talk about how to set healthy boundaries and explore the idea of what it is to feel safe, which can help reduce any fear-based behaviors they may be exhibiting. Using mindfulness strategies, guided imagery and muscle relaxation techniques to calm physical sensations and regulate intense emotions, your child can learn to remain in control of their mind and body. Some children, even young ones, can benefit from EMDR therapy by teaching them how to reprocess and break down stressful, traumatic memories into smaller, more manageable ones. In some cases, we can employ trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT) to validate their feelings, educate them about the effects of sexual abuse and give them the ability to articulate their experience outside of sessions.
I have dedicated my career to helping children recover their childhood from the pain of sexual abuse. I know how hard it can be to navigate the complexity of childhood trauma, but I also know that healing is possible for you and your child. No matter how lost you are or how much suffering your child may be enduring, treatment for childhood sexual abuse can help.
I am considering child sexual abuse treatment, but I still have some concerns…
I am worried that I cannot afford child counseling.
Because cost should never be an obstacle to healing trauma, I do accept some insurance, reduce fees on a case-by-case basis and work with alternative funding sources. If money is still an issue, I can also assist in finding a professional who can help you and your child. The important thing is to make your child’s health and safety a priority by getting them the help they need, sooner rather than later.
I am afraid that my child will be put on medication.
I understand that you may be anxious about medicating your child. Fortunately, most of the time, childhood trauma treatment is extremely effective without medication. I also steadfastly believe that children have the resilience, strength and resources within them to heal without the help of pharmaceuticals. Through child sexual abuse treatment, your child can learn to trust again, develop the means to talk about their experience and feel equipped to manage complex emotions and physical sensations if they arise.
I’m afraid child abuse treatment will just bring up memories and cause more pain.
The effects of sexual trauma can be devastating for a child even long after the initial experience. So, I want you to consider, not just your child’s present wellbeing, but also their overall mental health throughout their life. How might burying this trauma affect their personal development and intimate relationships as an adult? Counseling for childhood sexual abuse allows your child to engage in the healing process immediately and ends the perpetuation of secrecy and trauma that can follow them throughout their life. This trying time does not have to limit your child’s potential for happiness.
You Don’t Have to Work Through This Difficult Time On Your Own
If your child has been abused or you suspect someone is harming your child, therapy for childhood sexual abuse can give you the direction, support and answers you need. Please call 443-340-0505 or email mccolleyhufnagel@gmail.com for your free 15-minute consultation to see how childhood trauma counseling can help you and your child.
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