The article emphasizes the importance of therapists being trauma-informed and knowledgeable about sexuality to effectively assist survivors of sexual trauma. It discusses the varied responses to trauma—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—and introduces the concepts of small 't' versus big 'T' trauma, which help in understanding the spectrum of survivor experiences. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of allowing survivors to select the terminology they are comfortable using to describe their experiences, acknowledging that some may not identify their experiences as trauma due to shame, normalization effects, or internalized societal expectations.
Therapists must be trauma-informed and sexuality-literate to assist in the recovery of sexual trauma survivors, particularly addressing complex responses like fight, flight, freeze, and fawn.
Recognizing that not all non-consensual experiences are labeled as trauma by survivors is crucial, as this can stem from guilt, dissociation, societal norms, and personal understanding.
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