What to Expect When Beginning Therapy for Sexual Assault
After a sexual assault, everything can feel unsafe. You might be struggling with constant fear and unable to trust anyone, even yourself. Maybe you feel betrayed by your own body, like it's no longer yours or just a source of pain. Sleep is difficult. Intimacy feels impossible. You're hypervigilant, always scanning for danger, replaying what happened, wondering if you could have done something differently. The shame, the guilt, the rage- it's all so overwhelming that some days, just getting out of bed feels like too much.
You might feel broken. But you're not.
You've already taken the first step by looking for a therapist you can trust. And that takes incredible courage. You know you need help.
That's where we come in.
At Ash & Blooms, all of our clinicians have specialized training in healing from sexual assault. We deeply understand trauma, and we know how to help you reclaim your sense of safety, power, and peace. If you're seeking therapy for sexual assault or sexual abuse, we're here for you.
Here's what to expect when you begin trauma therapy with us.
A Process Tailored to You
While every healing journey is unique- shaped by your experience, cultural background, personality, and priorities- there is a general framework for treatment that provides structure while honoring your individual needs.
Phase 1: Building Trust and Safety
In the beginning, we're not going to rush you into talking about the assault if you're not ready. Instead, we'll focus on:
Creating a safe therapeutic relationship where you feel seen, heard, and believed
Understanding your priorities and what you need most right now, whether that's managing panic attacks, improving sleep, feeling safer in your body, or something else entirely
Developing a treatment plan together that feels both safe and productive
Learning effective coping skills to help you manage symptoms and prepare for deeper work
This phase is about stabilization and finding somewhere safe to land. We want you to have a clear sense of what your process will look like and feel equipped to begin processing the trauma itself. This is absolutely critical in helping you to feel a sense of control and helping you to begin rebuilding self-trust. Think of it as building a foundation strong enough to support the healing work ahead. Once you’re ready, we move along.
Phase 2: Processing Trauma Through Somatic Therapy
Now, with a solid toolkit of coping skills, we begin the deeper work of processing the trauma itself.
We use approaches grounded in neuroscience, like EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Havening Techniques to work directly with your nervous system. These are somatic therapy techniques that allow you to heal trauma without needing to verbally recount the assault.
How does this work?
Trauma gets stored in the body (we’ll teach you all about this), not just the mind. Traditional talk therapy can sometimes re-traumatize survivors by forcing them to relive the event, and it misses the mark in terms of what we know about the neuroscience of trauma. Somatic therapies take a different approach:
EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping) to help your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they're less distressing and feel more like regular memories
Havening uses gentle touch and sensory input to calm the amygdala (your brain's fear center), collapse neural pathways storing trauma, and create a sense of safety in your body
These techniques help your nervous system understand that the danger has passed and that you're safe now.
We may also bring in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy to work with any inner conflict or residual feelings. IFS helps you understand the different "parts" of yourself- like the part that feels ashamed, the part that's angry, the part that wants to protect you by shutting down, and helps them work together instead of against each other. This is particularly helpful when it comes to things like deciding whether or not you’d like to report the assault, or internal conflicts about what you “should have done.”
This phase is about helping you feel safer in your body and clearer in your mind.
Phase 3: Empowerment and Reclaiming Your Agency
As acute symptoms begin to resolve and you start feeling more grounded, our focus shifts to include more deliberate empowerment work.
This is where you get to embody and reclaim your sense of self and your power.
During this phase, we might discuss things like:
Whether or not you want to report the assault (there's no "right" answer- only what feels right for you), and moving through the judicial system
If and how you want to tell others about what happened
What you need to feel safe moving forward
How to rebuild your self-esteem between sessions
The emphasis here is on YOUR agency and YOUR choices. Assault takes away your power. Therapy gives it back.
We're not here to tell you what to do. We're here to help you reconnect with your own inner knowing so YOU can make empowered decisions about your life and your body.
Phase 4: Rebuilding and Reigniting Your Life
With a newfound sense of empowerment, we turn our attention to what comes next: learning to thrive after trauma.
This phase might involve:
Building strength in your body through movement, yoga, or other body-based practices that help you feel powerful and in control
Reigniting sexual pleasure (if and when you're ready) and learning how to have a healthy, satisfying relationship with your sexuality again
Ongoing improvement of self-esteem and challenging any residual internalized shame or negative beliefs that often follow sexual assault
Creating a life that feels fulfilling and aligned with who you are now
Sexual assault can shatter your sense of worth, leaving you feeling damaged or "less than." Part of healing is learning to see yourself with compassion and reclaiming your inherent worthiness.
For many survivors, this is also when they begin to explore pleasure again- whether that's sexual pleasure, creative expression, joy in relationships, or simply the pleasure of feeling safe in their own skin. Whatever it is you crave, we help you to ease into it.
Healing Is Possible
If you're reading this, you might be wondering: Will I ever feel normal again? Does this stuff really work?
The answer is yes- and also, you might discover a new version of "normal" that's even more authentic and empowered than before. We have come so far in terms of what we know about the neuroscience of trauma and what effective treatment entails- yes, it works.
Healing from sexual assault isn't about going back to who you were before. It's about integrating what happened and becoming your most empowered whole self.
The trauma will always be part of your story, but it does not define you. With the right support, you can:
Feel safe in your body again
Trust yourself and others
Experience pleasure and connection
Live a life that feels full and free
You don't have to do this alone. In fact, relational trauma requires relational healing.
We have the honor of helping survivors like you heal from trauma and reclaim their lives almost every day, and we’d be honored to support you along your journey as well.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
At Ash & Blooms, we specialize in trauma-informed therapy for women who have experienced sexual assault or abuse. Our clinicians are not only trained in healing trauma, but also in the specific nuances of sexual assault trauma. Most importantly, we will genuinely honor your unique process and the pace that feels safest to you.
You deserve a therapist who understands trauma, who won't rush you, who can effectively implement modern therapeutic approaches, and who will meet you exactly where you are.
You've already taken the first step. Let's take the next one together.
Written by Dr Megan Mansfield, a Clinical Psychologist (PSY31497) specializing in sexual trauma therapy, somatic therapy, and building empowerment. She provides therapy online in California & in-person therapy in Pasadena. If you’re ready to begin your journey or have some questions about the process, schedule time to talk with Dr Megan here.