Counselling
We’re here to listen to any individual over 11 years old who have experienced sexual violence and/or rape at any time in their lives.
We work in partnership with you to expand your choices, facilitate recovery and encourage personal growth. The emotional support team will explore and empower you to consider and reduce potential impacts, such as fear, shame, isolation, anger or depression. For others it may be about escaping the violence or talking through your choices, such as other referral options or reporting the crime to the police.
SARAC offers confidential support for people in Burton, Lichfield, Tamworth, Uttoxeter, Swadlincote and South Derbyshire who are at risk of or has experienced sexual abuse and/or rape. The services are provided by experienced and qualified sexual-abuse-trauma supporters, who can assist with:
- Understanding and managing the immediate and ongoing impacts of experiencing sexual assault;
- Making decisions about what to do; and
- Information about the police, legal and other services in the local area.
It is not possible to define how we assess an individual’s levels of need. However, we can assure you that we will carefully consider your referral with the aim to support you, but if we consider your situation or well-being to be below the threshold we deem necessary to engage you safely in emotional support, we hold the right to not approve your referral and suggest alternative support to you.
We support those who contact us to identify what it is they feel is best for them at that time. The supporters will assist you to do what you choose to do.
Are you ready for counselling?
In our experience, when supporting victims/survivors, one of the key factors to successful healing is to know when you are ready for counselling or if you need it at all.
You might not be ready for counselling yet, and that’s okay. If these statements apply to you, then it might be time
- I feel ready to talk about the impact that sexual abuse has had on me
- If one of my coping mechanisms is substance abuse, it is stable
- I have effective ways of taking care of myself in between sessions, if I get triggered
- I am ready to make sense of my experiences
- I am ready to face difficult emotions and memories that may arise
- I am not at risk of suicide
If you are not ready for counselling, we can still provide support through our emotional support work, which is provided on a weekly basis via our helpline.
What is emotional support?
An emotional support worker can provide you with the following
- Information about what our services look like and what to expect through your healing journey
- Tools and techniques for improved physical and emotional wellbeing
- Awareness raising of expected trauma responses and coping mechanisms to sexual abuse
- Non-judgemental listening on a weekly basis
- Help to prepare you for counselling sessions
- Guidance to empower you to move forward at your own pace
Everybody’s journey is unique and people take different times and pathways to healing. We will help you create a personalised service for your own recovery.
