Surviving Childhood Abuse
Over the last 30 years, there has been a growing acknowledgement that child abuse is not just a myth or freak occurrence. Whereas 50 years ago doctors and psychiatrists believed the incident of child sexual, physical and emotional abuse to be somewhere in the region of 1 in every 1000 families, the most recent estimates are that child abuse is present at some level somewhere between 1 in 50, to 1 in 4 homes here in the UK depending upon which study one chooses to quote. Of course, for those who have suffered abuse at the hand of someone who should have been a trusted carer, these types of statistics really do not matter. To make matters worse, for many who have had such experiences in childhood, the difficulties continue well into adulthood. Deciding who you can trust to tell about it, whether you will believed, deep fears about being judged or blamed alongside worries that if you tell you will only upset other family members all combine to perpetuate this silent legacy of childhood. It is no wonder then that so many sufferers of childhood abuse find it difficult to seek assistance.
In addition to my other professional counselling training and experience, I have a specialist Post Graduate Diploma with the University of Middlesex in working with adult survivors of child sexual, physical and emotional abuse which provides an additional set of skills to add to an existing portfolio of qualifications in counselling and over 25 years clinical experience. This training is significant in that primary counselling training does not broach the subject of child abuse in any depth as it is seen as advanced work. The unfortunate consequence of this is that the great majority of counselling practitioners are poorly prepared to work in this area. It also explains why it can be so difficult to find support groups.
Moving forward is not easy, and I do not claim to offer up any magic potions or quick fix solutions. However, if you finally feel that it is time to step out from the shadows of your childhood, then I’d like you to know that not only that possible, but more available to you that you possibly have hoped to dare. If you or a loved one has experienced the inhumane tragedy of childhood abuse and are tired of living locked within the prison of secrecy, self-doubt, fear and self-blame that is common amongst survivors, I can offer you an opportunity to confidentially speak about your experiences in a healthy, safe and understanding environment. It is never too late to start working towards a life in which joy and freedom are more than just words on a page.
If you have any questions about how counselling may be able to help you move forward and beyond these issues, please feel free to telephone for a fully confidential, no obligation conversation prior to making a first appointment.
