Recounting Graphic Sexual Abuse Memories in Therapy: The Impact on Women's Healing

Perspectives of Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse: An Exploration of the Adjustments to Self-Structure through Meaning-Making in Therapy

“…Theme 2: Acknowledgement-Acknowledgement of the Abuse and its Impact Participants in the study by Spitzer and Avis (2006) found that the most helpful aspect of their work in therapy was the addressing of, and meaning given to, their experience of abuse. A number of studies identified examples of how therapy was the first time that survivors had named their experience as abuse and become aware of and connected the impact of the abuse on their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors in the present and the past (Chouliara et al, 2011;Easton, Leone-Sheehan, Sophis, & Willis, 2015;Kia-Keating, Grossman, Sorsoli, & Epstein, 2005;Krayer et al, 2015;Parry & Simpson, 2016).…”

“…The acceptance of self was described in the studies in many forms such as, "more positive self-definition and perception" and "great pride about their personal strength and resiliency" (Phillips & Daniluk, 2004, p. 180). Many of the studies identified examples of improved well-being, self-esteem, confidence, self-reliance, and assertiveness (Arias & Johnson, 2013;Chouliara et al, 2014;Parry & Simpson, 2016;Spitzer & Avis, 2006). However, some participants in the Phillips & Daniluk's (2004) study acknowledged that some aspects of who they are were still negatively affected by their early abuse experiences, such as their relationships with their bodies and sexuality.…”

“…Finally, missing from this review is consideration of whether meaningmaking in therapy may have a negative impact on the self-structure of survivors. Other than research done by Spitzer and Avis (2006) which identified that during therapy participants were negatively impacted by recounting details relating to their abuse but following completion of therapy they believed that there had been a positive impact on their functioning, no other research recording unhelpful movements was identified. One possible explanation for this apparent gap in the research is due to the eligibility criteria used to recruit the participants of the reviewed studies which frequently required the participants to consider themselves recovered and resilient.…”

“…Theoretical models on healing from CSA developed by Arias and Johnson (2013) and Draucker et al (2011) reflect a number of important factors and components which contribute to the recovery of CSA survivors, such as spiritualism, supportive relationships (including therapists), and volunteering or helping others. Participating in talking therapy has been found to be beneficial to survivors of CSA (Arias and Johnson, 2013;Chouliara et al, 2011;Spitzer & Avis, 2006). Vilencia, Shakespeare-Finch, and Obst (2013) reported that it is only when survivors of CSA acknowledged how deeply the experiences of abuse had negatively affected the way that they saw the world and themselves that the real pain and healing began; finding a new way of seeing one's self was paramount.…”

Sharing cathartic stories online: The internet as a means of expression following a crisis event

“…Similarly, Spitzer and Avis (2006) show that recounting memories of prior abuse did aid their participants' healing process, but only when the retelling was done as a means to better understand the abuse and improve sense-making regarding the abuse they have suffered. This is supported by Bloom-Feshbach (2001) who promotes that a constructive recounting of a destructive event can aid in the clinical recovery of patients suffering from psychological trauma.…”