In the wake of the #metoo movement, the highly publicized cases of Brock Turner, Harvey Weinstein, and Brett Kavanaugh have evoked thousands of men and women to come forward and share their stories of sexual assault. Sharing about the incident with someone you trust can be helpful, but only if the response is one of belief, support, and non-judgment. It is important to know what to say — or what NOT to say — to someone who has shared a history of sexual assault.
As a parent, realizing that your child is experiencing bullying and harassment from their peers is a difficult and painful experience, and often one that leaves you feeling helpless. After all, you can’t be with your child every second of the day or control the behavior of others. But, there are ways that you can support your child, as well as empower them to stand up for themselves and others who are being bullied.
When it relates to mental health, terms such as “trauma-informed care” are now part of the lexicon in supporting youth and vulnerable populations. Various types of trauma can affect everyone differently and can have profound negative emotional, mental, and physical effects on the brain and body. One focus area in trauma-informed care at Sunstone Counseling is race-based stress, which are symptoms that individuals experience after being exposed to distressing or life-threatening experiences, such as systemic racism or discrimination.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can originate from experiencing or witnessing any number of frightening or distressing events, such as a serious accident, a natural disaster, combat or a violent assault, or personal abuse or harassment. If you’re living with PTSD, you may feel as though you’re destined to deal with these symptoms forever. But treatment is possible, and you do not have to bear this burden alone.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and there is no better time to address the silence that is fueled by sexual assault. Sexual assault thrives on silence; the louder we can show our support for survivors, the more we shed light on an epidemic. Here are 5 ways that you can help.
Whether it’s physical or sexual abuse, emotional neglect, homelessness, or the sudden loss of a loved one, childhood trauma leaves a lasting impact on the child and even the adult they grow into. Here are 3 therapeutic approaches to help children – and adults – process and heal from trauma.
