Sexual Abuse therapists in Holywood, Northern Ireland NI, United Kingdom UK
We are proud to feature top rated Sexual Abuse therapists in Holywood. We encourage you to review each profile to find your best match.
Sexual Abuse
Janine & ComposurePsychology Team
Psychologist, Chartered Clinical Psychologist, HCPC & BPS registered, DClinPsy, CSAccred.(AAC), MPhil (cantab)
All of our Clinical Psychologists at ComposurePsychology are experienced in working with and sensitive to people living trauma from sexual abuse. We help you to identify how trauma may be continuing to impact your life and how you can learn new strategies to lower the distress and impact any trauma has contributed to. We draw from evidence based therapies including; CBT, ACT, CFT, SFT, DBT, EMDR, systemic, narrative, psychodynamic and others.
13 Years Experience
Online in Holywood, NI Northern Ireland
Sexual Abuse
Emma Poxon
Counsellor/Therapist, MA Person-Centred Experiential Counselling
Sexual abuse is an incredibly painful thing to experience, as your therapist I am here to be with you, reminding you that you are not alone. We can explore what you have experienced without fear of it being "too much". Therapy is a space wherein you can say and do anything, and I am here to be your support throughout this, allowing the pain to have a space to dissipate in. You are not a problem to be fixed, my aim as your therapist is to try to provide the right conditions to allow you to explore whatever you want to bring to therapy to support your growth. This isn't a therapeutic approach wherein I will set a treatment plan or tell you what to do. We will work together as a partnership rather than me taking away your autonomy. I absolutely love the work I do, it is the biggest privilege being let into people’s personal worlds and seeing the immense growth of my clients. I hope to hear from you soon!
7 Years Experience
Online in Holywood, NI Northern Ireland (Online Only)
Sexual Abuse
Liz Frings
Counsellor/Therapist, PG Diploma Person-Centred Psychotherapy. EMDR Accredited
Creating a Safe SpaceThe foundation of healing from sexual abuse is safety—and therapy provides a confidential, judgment-free space where you have complete control. You decide what to share, when to share it, and how fast to move. A trauma-informed therapist understands that building trust takes time and will never pressure you to discuss anything before you're ready.Processing the TraumaSexual abuse often gets "stuck" in your nervous system, which is why memories can feel so vivid and overwhelming. Trauma-focused therapies help your brain properly process these experiences so they become integrated memories rather than present threats.EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is particularly effective for sexual abuse. It helps reprocess traumatic memories without requiring you to describe every detail out loud. Through bilateral stimulation (eye movements or tapping), EMDR helps reduce the emotional intensity of memories and transform beliefs like "I'm dirty" or "It was my fault" into more accurate, compassionate truths like "I survived" or "I deserve safety and respect."Trauma-Focused CBT helps you work through trauma memories while also addressing unhelpful thought patterns and avoidance behaviors that keep you stuck.Releasing Shame and Self-BlameOne of the most insidious effects of sexual abuse is shame—the feeling that you're somehow damaged, dirty, or responsible for what happened. Therapy helps you understand that shame belongs to the perpetrator, not to you. Your therapist will gently but consistently help you recognize that:
The abuse was not your fault, regardless of the circumstances
Your body's responses (freezing, not fighting back, physical sensations) were survival mechanisms, not consent
You deserve compassion, not judgment
You're not defined by what was done to you
Reconnecting with Your BodySexual abuse often causes disconnection from your body—feeling numb, dissociated, or like your body betrayed you. Somatic therapies help you gradually reconnect with physical sensations in a safe, gentle way. You learn that your body isn't the enemy; it protected you the best way it could and can be a source of wisdom and strength.Rebuilding TrustAfter abuse, trusting others—or yourself—can feel impossible. The therapeutic relationship itself becomes a space to practice trust. Your therapist demonstrates consistency, respect for boundaries, and genuine care without exploitation. Over time, this experience can help you believe that safe, trustworthy relationships are possible.Working Through Relationship and Intimacy IssuesSexual abuse often complicates romantic and sexual relationships. Therapy provides space to explore these difficulties, whether that's fear of intimacy, difficulty with physical touch, complicated feelings about sex, or patterns of choosing unhealthy partners. You can work on communicating your needs, setting boundaries, and gradually reclaiming your sexuality on your own terms.Processing Complex FeelingsIf the abuse was committed by someone you knew, loved, or depended on—which is often the case—your feelings might be complicated. You might experience grief, anger, confusion, or even lingering attachment alongside the trauma. Therapy honors this complexity without judgment and helps you make sense of seemingly contradictory emotions.Addressing DissociationMany survivors of sexual abuse experience dissociation—feeling disconnected from yourself, your surroundings, or reality. This was likely a protective response during the abuse. Therapy teaches grounding techniques to help you stay present and gradually reduces the need for dissociation as you process the trauma.Healing Developmental WoundsIf the abuse occurred during childhood or adolescence, it may have disrupted your normal development—impacting your sense of identity, sexuality, boundaries, and relationships. Therapy helps address these developmental wounds and supports you in reclaiming aspects of growth that were stolen from you.Breaking Silence and IsolationSexual abuse thrives in secrecy. Simply speaking your truth to someone who believes you and responds with compassion can be profoundly healing. Therapy breaks the isolation that abuse creates and reminds you that you're not alone—many survivors have walked this path before you and found their way to healing.Reclaiming Your PowerAbuse strips away your sense of control and agency. Therapy helps you reclaim your power—making choices about your healing process, setting boundaries, discovering your voice, and recognizing your strength. You learn that you're not a victim defined by what happened; you're a survivor with agency over your future. Building a Life Beyond SurvivalEarly therapy often focuses on stabilization and processing trauma. As you heal, therapy shifts toward building the life you want—developing healthy relationships, pursuing goals, experiencing joy, and discovering who you are beyond the abuse. Recovery isn't just about reducing symptoms; it's about thriving.
15 Years Experience
Online in Holywood, NI Northern Ireland
Sexual Abuse
Lisa Sanfilippo
Therapist, MA, MSc, UKCP, MBACP
We can restore healthy relationships and intimacy- even if we have experienced abuse in the past. Feeling fearful, confused, ashamed, overly-sexualised or afraid of intimacy are important ways our nervous system may be dealing with something really difficult to process. And these protective patterns can shift. Sexual abuse or assault are, sadly, far more common than you'd think. Working with sexual abuse means working gently and delicately at your pace, often not even needing to re-hash the content of past events, but understanding how the after-effects have created your protective responses. We start with restoring a feeling of safety and integrity so that you can move at your own pace. I take a gentle, measured approach, helping you to heal somatically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually. My approach is informed by somatic experiencing and Polyvagal approaches, which work with our bodies and nervous systems.
14 Years Experience
Online in Holywood, NI Northern Ireland
Sexual Abuse
Empowered Wellbeing, Trauma/Complex Trauma (CPTSD), Dissociation and Addiction Recovery Care
Life Coach, view my credentials online at: www.recoveringfromwithin.com/credentialslongform
For over fourteen years, we have supported Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse and those healing from racial and generational trauma, both historic and current, to recover. Our lead practitioner had done personal recovery work as a CSAS/survivor and brings compassion to supporting and facilitating so many others on their own organic healing journeys. We are skilled with one time abuse, ritualistic abuse, torture, some trafficking, and repeated sexual abuse trauma recovery support work. We are skilled with offering compassionate support for dissociation, shock trauma, neurodevelopmental, various Parts Work Models and Systems Models, Inner Child Work, somatics, non dominant handwriting, memory reconsolidation, working with no memories, coherence and integration work, endocrine and immune system integration support...We bring a compassion and well developed capacity that is helpful to this work. We can organically weave in what the client needs and adjust as we go, sourcing from models as diverse as TIST, DBR, IFS -- Internal Family Systems, EFIT, distance CranioSacral, Traditional/Eco-Relational Ways, Ancestral Healing, Attachment Theory, Inner Child Somatic and Expressive Work, Functional and Integrative Care, Intersectional Oppression Care.. to build a rich organic framework for meeting the recovery needs of each individual survivors. We support clients receiving adjunct peer group and other care so that there is a strong safety net for the work. We often support folks through this work for a minimum of three years, though each person is different. Some folks may recover to the point of needing less frequent sessions, sometimes something will activate and more or longer sessions may help for a period of time. One doesn't need to be diagnosed to do this work. Some folks have patchy memories or doubt their memories, that's natural. All are welcome. What is asked is that folks show up with a willingness to meet what's coming up for them as compassionately as one can as they recover. The practitioner will offer lots of support with this as the client is moving through memories, feelings, flashbacks, symptoms, situational challenges, activations...If you have questions, please feel free to ask.
15 Years Experience
Online in Holywood, NI Northern Ireland (Online Only)
Sexual Abuse therapists in Holywood, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Statistics
Sexual Abuse therapists in Holywood, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom average 17 years of experience and charge around ¤116 per session. 100% offer online sessions. The top treatment approaches are Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) (66%), Integrative Therapy (63%), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (49%).
Average years in practice
17 Years Experience
Average cost per session
¤116
Accept insurance
49%
Offer sliding scale
49%
Gender ID
| 63% |
Female |
|
| 31% |
Male |
|
| 4% |
Non-Binary |
|
| 2% |
Gender Fluid |
|
Session Type
| 71% |
In Person and Online |
|
| 29% |
Online Only |
|
Top Treatment Approaches
| 66% | Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) |
| 63% | Integrative Therapy |
| 49% | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) |
| 44% | Existential / Humanistic Therapy |
| 41% | Psychodynamic Therapy |
| 34% | Psychoeducational Therapy |
| 34% | Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) |
Ages Served
| 95% | Adult |
| 63% | Young Adult |
| 59% | Senior |
| 51% | Teen |
| 22% | Children |
Client Focus
| 76% | Women |
| 63% | Men |
| 59% | LGBTQ+ |
| 51% | Persons with Disabilities |
| 46% | Christian |