Glencairn - Sexual Abuse

Sexual Abuse Evaluation & Treatment

Glencairn MFT Center provides treatment for children, adolescents and adults who are sexual abuse victims, perpetrators, or both. My unique approach looks at the spectrum of sexual abuse from a holistic perspective across the life span. Treatment is family centered and systemic, and narrative and cognitive behavioral theories guide services. Glencairn's treatment programs provide individual, group, and family therapy to people who have problems related to sexual assault.

What is sexual assault?

Sexual assault occurs when one person forces any unwanted sexual contact onto another person. The perpetrator can be a stranger, friend, partner, family member, acquaintance, professional, clergy, babysitter, or anyone. It can involve any type of unwanted sexual behavior.

Being sexually assaulted involves both physical and psychological assault. Assault victims experience a range of emotions including fear, shame, anger, and depression. Most sexual assault victims are women and most perpetrators are men. However a significant number of males are sexually assaulted and a significant number of women are sexual perpetrators. The same person can be both a victim and a perpetrator of sexual abuse.

Why is family treatment important?

A family centered approach means that treatment takes into account the fact that family member and extended family is affected by the sexual abuse in different ways. Family members may have been abused themselves as children, they may feel guilty about not protecting the victim, or they may have abused someone themselves! For healing to occur it is important to include all significant family members in the process, especially if both the victim and the perpetrator are part of the same family.

Why have a sexual abuse evaluation?

Mental health professionals are required by law to report incidents of sexual and physical abuse. Once the abuse has been reported, police and social service professionals are mandated to investigate the allegations. Separate and apart from the official investigation to determine whether the abuse occurred, a clinical practitioner can assess the victim or perpetrator to determine the appropriate level of intervention and whether the person needs specialized treatment. I have been providing confidential and private assessment and treatment services to children, adolescents and adults who have been victims of sexual abuse or who have offensive sexual behavior problems for over 15 years.

During my extensive work with youth, I developed an assessment process that is thorough and can identify the optimal placement (at home or in residential) to keep the victims and community safe as well as identifying the individual treatment needs of boys and girls who have hurt someone through sexually aggressive behavior. My comprehensive evaluation process has received acclaim across Kentucky. My process reduces the risk that someone else will be victimized as well as ensures that the young person receives the level of care appropriate for maximum rehabilitation.

What is specialized treatment?

I am state certified to treat adolescent and adult sex offenders who have been court ordered into treatment. I am a clinical member of the Association for the Treatment of Sex Abusers and have been trained by the most respected and knowledgeable experts in the field. I provide a comprehensive, individualized program for people identified through assessment as appropriate to receive treatment in a community setting. Community safety is the number one goal!

Since people and contexts are unique, treatment must be helpful in meeting each person's special needs. Different treatment tracks are available and each person may have a different contract that may include any combination of program steps. Youth receive sex education that is appropriate for their age, developmental stage, and cognitive abilities.

Family participation is essential to the person's success in treatment. All families will be included and involved in their loved one's program. Effective multi-agency collaboration is also basic in developing a strong program. I work daily with social services, law enforcement, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, child and victim advocates, and corrections officers so that each person enters, progresses, and successfully completes treatment.

Specialized assessment and treatment for child, adolescent and adult sexual abuse perpetrators is private pay only. We do not accept insurance assignment for these services; most insurance plans will not pay for sex offender evaluation and treatment. An evaluation is mandatory prior to a person being accepted for treatment.

I remain available to speak with parents, professionals or groups about concerns for child and adolescent sexual behaviors.

What are common responses for victims of sexual assault?

Sexual assault victims respond in many ways. Victims may have many, some, or few of the following physical and emotional symptoms:

• apathy

• fear

• difficulty concentrating

• eating problems, overeating, poor appetite, eating disorders

• feeling nervous or jumpy

• feelings of depression, sadness, hopelessness and guilt, irritability and anger, shame and embarrassment, shock and denial

• headaches, nausea and vomiting, physical pain

• hyper vigilance

• inability to express emotions or trust others

• sleeping problems, nightmares

• social isolation

• less interest in activities

• less interest in sex

• loss of self-esteem

• flashbacks

• panic attacks

• self-mutilation

• substance abuse

• thoughts of suicide and death

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (chronic anxiety, depression, and flashbacks)

What is sexual assault recovery?

Sexual assault victims usually have emotional and physical reactions that fall into three stages. These can be described as shock, adjustment, and resolution.

Shock usually lasts from a few hours to several weeks. The victim experiences shock, disbelief, fear, and anger and may have fearful reactions to the place where the sexual assault occurred. He or she may also have flashbacks, an immediate sense of reliving the sexual assault, and trouble sleeping.

Adjustment comes next. During this temporary stage the victim begins to feel like her or his life is returning to normal and tries to regain some sense of control. They may deny the impact of the assault.

Resolution is the time when healing occurs. It is often an uncomfortable period for the victim. She or he may have many of the same feelings experienced immediately following the assault but now may be closer to being ready to resolve them. She or he may feel depressed, experience mood swings, feel cut off from others, or need to isolate. During this stage of recovery, many victims seek the services of a professional counselor.

What are the recovery steps?

Crisis intervention is an important first step. The first few days after an assault can be especially turbulent and victims need the unique skills of counselors who are trained to respond to crises. Individual counseling is highly recommended. Any person who has been sexually assaulted will benefit from individual counseling sessions with a caring, experienced, mental health professional. Group therapy for sexual assault victims is an excellent way for victims to talk about their experiences with others in a supportive and nonjudgmental atmosphere. Couples counseling can help the victim and her partner to explore their feelings, talk about how the assault is impacting their relationship, and learn coping skills.

Can I get over being a victim of sexual assault?

The simple answer is a resounding YES! But since every person and situation is different, the context of the sexual assault must be explored. Many contextual factors can influence an individual's recovery from sexual assault. Some examples include the following:

The circumstances surrounding the assault
The severity of the assault
The victim's relationship to the perpetrator
The quality of the response of the victim's family and friends
How police and medical workers respond to the assault
The victim's age and maturity level
How the victim views the attack and what meaning she or he gives it
The victim's support system
Community attitudes toward sexual assault

Based on these factors and the perception of the victim, many survivors of sexual assault recover fairly quickly while others struggle to make sense out of the traumatic events. Survivors feel the effects of the experience throughout their lifetime, but the extent that it become defining and shaping of the future depends on the quality of help and support received.