Sexual Abuse Counselling
Healing from the trauma of sexual abuse can feel overwhelming
You don’t have to go through it alone.
How EMDR Can Treat Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse leaves deep wounds that affect how you see yourself, how you feel in your body, and how safe you feel in the world. These wounds can be hidden beneath years of silence, shame, or forgotten memories.
At Heart Centered EMDR in Kelowna, we offer a compassionate and research-supported path to healing, no matter where you are in your journey.
You Don’t Need to Remember Everything to Heal
Some survivors of childhood sexual abuse have vivid memories. Others have none at all. This is common — especially when trauma occurs early in life. The nervous system has ways of protecting us from experiences that feel too overwhelming, and memory suppression is one of them.
Remembering is not a requirement for healing. Even if you don’t recall specific events, you might still carry the emotional and physical weight of what happened. Feelings like shame, self-blame, anxiety, or emotional numbness can all be signals from your system that something needs support and release.
How EMDR Helps Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful and non-invasive therapy approach that helps you safely process traumatic memories — whether they are fully remembered, vaguely sensed, or stored in the body.
Survivors often carry an internal split:
One part that functions in the world (the “good” part)
Another part that holds the pain, shame, or memory of the abuse (the “bad” part)
Through EMDR, we work to connect with and gently integrate these parts, helping you reclaim your full sense of self — without being overwhelmed.
Unburdening the Body
Trauma is stored not only in the mind but in the body. Many survivors experience:
Chronic anxiety or hypervigilance
Difficulty feeling safe in relationships
Disconnection or dissociation from their body
Deep-rooted shame or self-blame
Idealization or confusion about abusers (especially in cases of grooming)
EMDR works with these survival responses by helping the nervous system release what it has held onto for so long. You don’t have to stay stuck in “survival mode” — healing is possible, and you can begin to feel grounded, connected, and free.
Safe, Supportive, Trauma-Informed Therapy
We know how isolating it can be to carry the weight of sexual abuse — especially when silence, secrecy, or shame have followed you for years. But you don’t have to keep carrying it alone.
Working through trauma with a trained EMDR therapist in a safe, non-judgmental space can be the key to:
Reducing shame
Restoring a sense of wholeness
Reclaiming your body and voice
Building meaningful connections again
You Are Not Broken
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means releasing the pain and reclaiming the parts of yourself that were never truly lost. With the right support, your story can transform from one of survival to one of strength, freedom, and wholeness.
Get started with Heart Centered EMDR, today.
Book a confidential consultation.