I have experience and interest in working with adults who struggle with anxiety, depression, history of trauma, relationships, substance use and abuse (including sex addiction), sexually deviant thoughts,
sexual abuse
, and sexual intimacy.
In dealing with stressors, life events, challenging relationships, and traumatic experiences we develop patterns to keep ourselves safe and sane; which often also limits us. The challenge is unlearning these narratives and trusting our innate wisdom. When we feel safe, secure and accepted for who we are we can begin the process of shedding what doesn’t work for us, while exploring our untapped potential. I believe you are the master of your story; and I hope to create a safe space where we can gain insight about your inner battles, develop skills to enhance holistic development, and realize the potential of your authentic self.
Open Space Therapy Collective
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPCC 6018
People in the Queer and Trans community have a unique way of being in the world. You need a therapist who is part of the LGBTQ community and understands what it’s like to be a nonbinary or queer person. Someone with personal experience living your truth can provide the support you need. You need a therapist who knows that being truthful can make you feel separate from everybody else. Connecting with a therapist who understands can help you embody your most authentic self.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
2.1 Miles away
Provides Sexual Abuse or Assault Therapy
Recovery from rape or assault can seem like a never-ending battle.
However painful and challenging this process may be, we are here to help you heal.
Our main treatment goal is to help you process your assault in a safe environment and help you reestablish safety and connection within your body so that you can begin to get your life back.
Trauma can shatter your view of the world.
Sexual assault and rape can be extremely traumatic and scarring, but you need to remember, you are not alone, and it was NOT your fault.
Regardless of who you were hanging out with, what time of day or night it was, and what you were wearing.
It’s still NEVER your fault.
OUR THERAPY METHODS
Using research-proven methods such as Trauma Focused (TF-CBT), we will examine the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
An important component of healing is challenging irrational thoughts related to self-blame or other distorted beliefs that may have developed as a result of the trauma.
So often, we internalize what happened to us and blame ourselves for what happened to us.
Therapy can help us change our narratives and reclaim a sense of safety, empowerment, and emotional connection.
We incorporate meditation to help you integrate your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations, and another research-proven method validated for trauma and PTSD called EMDR.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
Sounds complicated, but really it’s quite intuitive.
Basically, during EMDR, the therapist and client work together to identify target memories to focus on.
In addition to visual memories of the trauma, there is often a negative self-belief attached to the event.
For example, the client might believe, “I am unlovable” or “I am a weak person.”
The traumatic memory may continue to be relieved through dreams, flashbacks or generalized anxiety.
EMDR involves bilateral stimulation with either rapid eye movement, touching, or auditory sounds.
It’s been found that this repeated desensitization technique re-processes the memory of the traumatic event and the negative self-beliefs associated with it.
It’ll help you reprocess what happened to you and target other symptoms of the trauma as well, such as anxiety and depression.
The goal of EMDR treatment is to eliminate the discomfort due to unprocessed memories, to teach self-regulation techniques to manage related anxiety, and to change negative self-perceptions into believing in your own sense of safety, control and responsibility.
Whichever therapy modality is the best fit for you, you will leave our sessions with the necessary skills to help you transform and reclaim your life.
WHAT IS RAPE?
Did you know that 1 in 6 women and 1 in 10 men have been raped, and if you’ve been assaulted as a child, there is an increased chance of assault recurring as an adult?
It’s heartbreaking stuff.
And it’s no wonder so many people suffer mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, phobias, and trauma symptoms subsequent to being assaulted.
Rape is another word for forced sexual intercourse.
It can occur between married couples as well as strangers, and it can take place literally anywhere and happen to people of any gender: men, women, and trans.
It’s even possible to be date raped, which is when the victim is pressured or drugged, and might be unconscious while the sexual activity is going on.
Regardless, all of these actions are considered rape, and can cause significant trauma to the victim.
Rape and sexual assault can lead to both physical and mental after effects.
The physical trauma can include anything from bruises to pain and abrasions in the pelvis, while the mental trauma can include feelings of embarrassment, humiliation, self-blame, or even hopelessness.
It’s extremely important that you get examined at a hospital right away if you think you’ve been raped; the doctors can help treat your physical trauma and take prophylactics for infections you may have been exposed to.
When it comes to psychological trauma, that’s where we step in.
Rape victims can often develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and high-risk behavioral issues, such as engaging in unprotected sex, substance abuse, excessive drinking, and self-harm.
You might even avoid any media that can potentially depict sexual assault, such as the news and certain movies.
These are ways of coping that act as a band-aid to the underlying trauma–which needs to be addressed in order to heal and get your life back.
MY LA THERAPY
Therapy can successfully improve your life by helping you minimize the anxiety in your life, identify and change underlying thought and behavioral patterns that contribute to your struggles, and provide you with strategies to decrease discomfort while restoring an overall sense of peace.
To experience true and lasting joy in our life, we must face and conquer our pain by healing our underlying trauma and confronting our fears.
See the About Therapy page for a deeper look into this process.
Our evidence-based, scientifically proven interventions are demonstrated by research to be effective in healing trauma, anxiety, depression, and PTSD that may arise from assaults.
WANT TO TALK? SPEAK WITH A RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT EXPERT NOW
If you have any questions, contact one of our specialists for a free consultation any time.
RESOURCES
Frequently Asked Questions
I feel OK physically. Do I need a medical examination?
It is very important to have a thorough medical examination immediately after a sexual assault, even if you do not have any apparent physical injuries.
You may have injuries of which you are not aware. Most sexual assault victims do not have serious or life-threatening injuries. Many victims do not even have visible minor injuries. However, you should still be examined by a healthcare provider with special training in sexual assault victim care. You may be in shock, and you may have internal injuries of which you are not aware. You may also have minor injuries, such as scratches or bruises. The healthcare provider can also document any injuries you have sustained so that if you decide to take any kind of legal action, such as participating in the prosecution of your assailant, you will have a record of what happened to you.
A medical/forensic examination enables you to identify and preserve physical evidence of the assault. During the examination, the healthcare provider can look for any assault-related injuries and collect potential evidence from your body. This evidence may be present immediately after the assault but will deteriorate as time passes.
A sexual assault can place you at risk for getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A healthcare provider can help you evaluate your risk of contracting various STIs and advise you about ways to protect yourself against these risks. One of the benefits of obtaining medical care soon after a sexual assault is that medication can be provided to help prevent some STIs.
If you are a female sexual assault victim, your healthcare provider can evaluate your risk of pregnancy resulting from a sexual assault. Your healthcare provider can offer you treatment to prevent pregnancy or advise you about available alternatives.
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Should I have a medical examination and evidence collection even if I am unsure about making a police report?
Yes. Even if you are undecided about whether you want to make a police report and unsure about whether you want your assailant prosecuted, you should have evidence collected as soon as possible after a sexual assault. This is the best way to keep your options open for the future. Physical evidence is very important in sexual assault cases. Physical evidence that is present immediately after an assault will deteriorate as time passes. If you do not have an examination soon after the assault, the evidence will be lost.
In some communities, you can consent to a medical examination and the collection of evidence and still withhold consent to release the evidence to the police. The hospital or clinic where you have the examination may be able to store the evidence in a locked freezer and preserve the chain of custody. If you later decide to file a police report and participate in the prosecution of your assailant, you can give your consent at that time to release the evidence to the police.
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What happens during a sexual assault examination?
The healthcare provider will usually begin by asking questions about your general health. You will also be asked specific questions about the assault. It may be difficult to recall some or any of the details, and it may be emotionally painful to remember and talk about what happened. Medical personnel ask specific questions to find out what to look for when they examine you. The information you give helps them to conduct a thorough physical evaluation and to optimize evidence collection. For female victims, this usually includes a speculum exam.
The healthcare provider will look for injuries, such as tender areas, marks on your skin, and bruises. Although many sexual assault victims do not sustain physical injuries, it is still important to be examined by a healthcare provider. If you do have visible injuries, you will be asked to give your consent to have photographs taken. Photographing injuries is important because injuries heal over time.
In addition to checking you for injuries, the healthcare provider can collect evidence that may be related to your sexual assault. Depending on the types of sexual contact that occurred, evidence collection may include taking samples from the mouth, body, vagina, or rectum. Other evidence may be obtained from fingernail scrapings, foreign matter on your body, and the clothes you were wearing at the time of the assault.
After the examination is completed, the healthcare provider will document the findings in a medical record or on a sexual assault reporting form. The written record can later be subpoenaed to assist in the legal process.
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Can I have someone I know (a support person) stay with me during the examination?
You can have a support person (or persons) of your choice – such as a sexual assault victim counselor, a friend, or a family member – accompany you throughout the medical care process.
Can I get a sexually transmitted infection (STI) as a result of a sexual assault?
The likelihood of getting an STI as a result of a sexual assault depends upon a number of factors, including the type(s) of sexual contact that occurred, the number of assailants, and whether or not an assailant was infected with an STI at the time of the assault.
A number of STIs can be contracted during sexual contact, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B, herpes, HIV, genital warts, bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis. Immediate and effective treatment options are available for some of these STIs.
Immediately following a sexual assault, most healthcare providers offer victims two choices for dealing with the risk of STIs. You may choose to reduce the risk of contracting certain STIs (hepatitis B, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis) by taking medication immediately as a preventive measure, or you may wait to see if you actually contract any infections before taking medication.
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Do I need to be checked for STIs after a sexual assault, even if I have no symptoms?
Even if you do not have any symptoms of an infection, you should be tested for STIs following a sexual assault. Unfortunately, it is possible to have STIs and not have any physical symptoms. If left untreated, most STIs can cause serious medical problems. Even if you choose not to have an evidentiary examination immediately after a sexual assault, you should see a healthcare provider for STI testing and information about the treatment options available to you.
What are my chances of contracting HIV as a result of the assault? Should I be tested?
The probability of contracting HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) through a single sexual contact is low. Nevertheless, you should consult with a healthcare provider to assess your risk factors and what you can do in the unlikely event you contract HIV as a result of a sexual assault. In some circumstances, the likelihood of HIV transmission may be reduced by preventive therapy with certain medications. After you and your healthcare provider discuss your individual risk of exposure to HIV following a sexual assault, your healthcare provider can advise you about whether preventive medication is recommended for you. If preventive medication is indicated, it should be started as soon as possible, within 72 hours after a sexual assault.
For your own peace of mind and the protection of your sexual partner, most healthcare providers recommend that you be tested for the disease. The recommendations for follow-up testing are at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months from the date of the sexual assault.
There are laws in some states, including California, that permit a criminal court judge to order a sexual assault suspect to be tested for HIV and other communicable diseases, such as hepatitis and syphilis, and to inform the victim of the test results. If a suspect has been arrested for your assault and you wish to have the suspect tested, ask the police investigator or the prosecutor involved in your case for information about obtaining a court order to have the assailant tested for these diseases.
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Can I get pregnant as a result of a sexual assault?
Your personal risk of becoming pregnant from a sexual assault depends on many factors, including the time in your menstrual cycle when the assault occurred, the regularity of your cycle, the use of contraception, your fertility, the fertility of the assailant, and whether or not the assailant ejaculated in or near your vagina. A healthcare provider can help you evaluate your personal risk of pregnancy.
If you are at risk for becoming pregnant as a result of a sexual assault, a healthcare provider can explain the various treatment options available to you. If you choose to have immediate treatment to prevent the risk of a pregnancy, the options are most effective if you seek care within 72 hours after the assault.
You may also decide to wait to see if you become pregnant as a result of a sexual assault. If you do become pregnant, a healthcare provider can discuss your options with you.
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