Want the best mental health practices to help with your sexual assault recovery?
The truth is it’s not going to be easy.
Messy. Complex. Unique.
That’s what the recovery process is.
But most don’t see what lies on the other side of the process…
The truth of what’s possible.
Survivors can heal. Survivors can find peace again.
The question is where to start. What type of help works. Where to find the resources needed during this difficult time.
This article goes over some of the most effective mental health practices that can help survivors get through the process of recovery from sexual assault.
You’ll Discover:
- Why Professional Support Makes All The Difference
- The Role of Therapy in Sexual Assault Recovery
- Building Your Support Network
- Self-Care Practices That Actually Work
- Creating Safety and Stability
Why Professional Support Makes All The Difference
First, an important reality check…
Sexual assault isn’t just a traumatic event.
It has long-lasting effects on mental health.
In fact, about 80% of teenage survivors develop a mental health disorder after sexual assault, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
That’s an astoundingly high number.
And it’s important to recognize that trying to go it alone makes the recovery process much more difficult.
Seeking out professional support, whether that’s through organizations like Kayla’s Survivors or individual therapists, can give survivors access to specialized resources and guidance that’s essential during this time.
Survivor-centered organizations that are trauma-informed can make a huge difference in the healing process.
Don’t get me wrong.
Professional support doesn’t just include therapy. It also means:
- Access to crisis hotlines and immediate support
- Trauma-informed counselors and therapists
- Resources for legal and medical advocacy
- Survivor community programs
The key is to find organizations and services that are specifically trained and focused on sexual assault recovery. General mental health support is great but survivors need trauma-informed care.
The Role of Therapy in Sexual Assault Recovery
One of the most powerful things a survivor can do for recovery is to seek therapy.
But not all therapy is created equal.
Therapy for sexual assault recovery needs to be trauma-focused and survivor-centered to really help. Here are some of the most effective types of therapy for survivors.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
CBT is a form of talk therapy that helps survivors of sexual assault reframe negative thought patterns. It teaches coping skills and provides a safe space to process trauma.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is another therapy that’s shown to be highly effective in treating PTSD after trauma. This method uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain process traumatic memories.
Group Therapy
Group therapy is another highly effective form of therapy. There’s just something about being around others who understand and have been there that is healing.
It can take time to find the right therapist. Don’t give up if the first one isn’t the right fit. The therapeutic relationship is just as important as the type of therapy being practiced.
Building Your Support Network
Here’s something that people may not see coming…
Survivors don’t recover in a vacuum. To heal, survivors need a strong support network to lean on during the recovery process. Consider people in your life who:
- Listen without judgment
- Respect your boundaries
- Believe what happened to you
- Support your healing journey
Friends, family members, support groups, and even online survivor communities can be part of your support network. Quality over quantity is what matters.
Setting Boundaries is Critical
As you build your support network, setting boundaries is critical.
Boundaries are NOT selfish. Setting clear boundaries is an act of self-care and is actually essential for protecting your mental health during recovery.
Survivors don’t owe it to anyone to share their story. It’s okay to share only what feels comfortable, take a break from certain people in your life, and cut people out who don’t support your healing.
Self-Care Practices That Actually Work
Self-care for sexual assault recovery isn’t bubble baths and face masks (although those are nice).
Real self-care for trauma survivors is all about practices that help regulate the nervous system and allow the body to feel safe again. This is because up to 94% of survivors develop PTSD symptoms within the first two weeks, meaning their nervous system is dysregulated.
Grounding Techniques
Grounding techniques are essential for those with PTSD. This is because PTSD survivors spend a lot of time triggered by either anxiety or flashbacks. When this happens, it helps to have grounding techniques to bring you back to the present moment and help calm down your nervous system. An example of a grounding technique is the 5-4-3-2-1 method: name five things you see, four things you touch, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste.
Movement and Exercise
Movement is a real healer for trauma stored in the body. You don’t need to be hitting the gym to max out on weights and cardio. Gentle exercise is what matters here like yoga, walking, and stretching.
Sleep Hygiene
Sleep hygiene is important for trauma recovery because trauma impacts sleep patterns. This means it can be helpful to have a calming bedtime routine, make the bedroom cool and dark, and limit screen time before bed.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness and meditation are important for calming the nervous system and relieving anxiety. This can be as simple as 5 minutes per day to start with and build up from there.
Creative Expression
Creative expression, like art, journaling, music, or dance, can help survivors express their feelings in a non-verbal way. Creativity is about the process, not being “good” at it.
Remember that self-care is about consistency. Daily self-care practices will add up to big healing over time.
Creating Safety and Stability
Survivors need to feel safe during the recovery process. Because, after sexual assault, the world feels like an unsafe place.
Safety is the foundation of recovery and it needs to be both physical safety and emotional safety.
Physical Safety
Physical safety means taking practical steps to make yourself feel more secure. Changing locks or moving, getting security systems, varying routines, having friends and family check in are all things that help create physical safety.
Emotional Safety
Emotional safety is just as important and can include:
- Limiting contact with people that trigger you
- Having a crisis plan when symptoms feel overwhelming
- Identifying safe spaces where you feel calm and centered
- Saying no to things that don’t serve your healing
Stability
Stability also means tending to basic needs like housing, food, and financial security. Community resources and support services are there to help with basic stability.
The Power of Patience in Recovery
One last truth about recovery that survivors often don’t hear …
It’s not linear. There will be good days and bad days.
This is NORMAL. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
Recovery from sexual assault takes time.
So have patience with yourself.
Survivors are not expected to “get back to normal” or to be who they were before.
The goal is to integrate this experience and become a new, even stronger version of yourself that acknowledges this experience AND your strength and resilience.
Healing can come in many forms.
It might look like advocacy work or supporting other survivors.
It might look like private healing.
Survivors heal however they need to and both paths are equally valid.
Moving Forward With Hope
The truth about recovery from sexual assault is that it’s possible.
Survivors can heal. Survivors can find peace again.
Professional support, effective therapy, a strong support network, consistent self-care, and a solid foundation of safety and stability. These are the pillars of recovery.
The road won’t be easy, but survivors are stronger than they know.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Doing so is one of the bravest things a survivor can do.
The mental health practices above create a comprehensive foundation for healing from sexual assault.
The most important thing is to start. To take one small step toward healing today.
It can be calling a hotline, looking for a therapist, or doing one grounding technique. Every step matters.
Healing is possible. Hope is real. Survivors don’t have to walk this path alone.