Coping with Sexual Abuse
Facilitator Reproducible Guided Self-Exploration Activities – written for practitioners working with individuals or groups
The Coping with Sexual Abuse Workbook contains assessments and guided self-exploration activities for a variety of populations to help participants cope more effectively with the feelings and effects of sexual abuse.
Each chapter of this workbook begins with an annotated Table of Contents with notes and examples for the facilitator. Each chapter contains two primary elements:
- a set of assessments to help participants gather information about themselves in a focused situation,
- a set of guided self-exploration activities to help participants process information and learn ways of coping with the sexual abuse they experienced.
In our workbook, Coping with Sexual Abuse, the term ‘survivor’ identifies someone who has been sexually abused. To honor and empower that person to heal, the authors present a process for healing regardless of when or how the person was abused, the amount of work the person has completed related to the abuse issues, or the person’s present lifestyle. Each journey of recovery is personal and unique. Some survivors of sexual abuse move through similar challenges as they attempt to heal, and some have their own unique challenges.
The Coping with Sexual Abuse Workbook is designed to be used either independently or as part of an integrated curriculum. You may administer any of the assessments and the guided self-exploration activities to an individual or a group with whom you are working, or you may administer any of the activities over one or more days. Feel free to pick and choose those assessments and activities that best fit the outcomes you desire.
Chapter 1: Beginning the Healing Process
This chapter helps participants identify where they are in their healing process, and allows them to explore the abuse in a safe way so that they can begin the healing process.
Chapter 2: Symptoms of Sexual Abuse
This chapter helps participants explore different types of symptoms that they may be experiencing that are related to the impact of past sexual abuse.
Chapter 3: Sexual Attitudes
This chapter helps participants identify the specific attitudes related to their own sexuality.
Chapter 4: Feelin’ Good about Me!
This chapter helps participants identify how good they feel about themselves. This is a critical component along the journey to healing.
All of the worksheets, assessments, and activities in the Coping with Sexual Abuse Workbook are reproducible for your convenience.
This workbook is also available in PDF eBook format, making it simple to store on your computer or mobile device, and to access with a PDF viewer. The PDF format also allows you to easily print copies of the activities and worksheets during therapy and counseling sessions.
Coping With Sexual Abuse Card Deck
Need a creative way to start your session? Use the Coping with Sexual Abuse Card Deck. The open-ended questions will break the ice and stimulate conversation. Use them alone or in conjunction with the corresponding page in the book.
Sample Questions:
State two words that describe who you were before your abusive situation.
How have you changed due to your traumatic experience?
Do you feel that you are safe in your community from your abuser or potential others? If not, what can you do about it?
