Courses for Survivors of All Genders
“The Into the Light Course has given me tools for life on self-awareness which I use almost daily”.
Looking for courses in London for survivors of sexual abuse? (also elsewhere!)
Our Into The Light Psycho-Education Course for Survivors has been running for over twenty five years and many people have said their life has been changed as a result. Psycho-Education may sound like a complicated word but it just means receiving information in a supportive and therapeutic setting.
Psycho-education has proved to be extremely effective in helping Survivors recover from the damage of abuse:
“Just five minutes of Psycho-education can cut through years of shame and stress”
Duncan Craig Survivors Manchester: PODS Magazine Volume 3 No 4
The structure of the course is topic based and information giving but with plenty of time for sharing experiences and feelings.
During the course we focus on different aspects of the impact of sexual abuse on us as adults. We look at how it affects our self image, our relationships, ways out of negative cycles of behaviour and ideas for moving forward to gain better relationships and new hope for the future.
The course is facilitated by a Professional Counsellor and is underpinned with a therapeutic approach. All BACP Ethics apply.
You can access this course in three ways:
In a Women’s Group Setting or one to one online for all genders.
Women’s Group Course:
This course is available as a women’s group in London, women of any sexual orientation are welcome.
Group sessions are held weekly for one and a half hours. Each group has 6-8 members. This course is run in the Autumn and Spring of each year as a hybrid version. With seven sessions online and three sessions in a safe and confidential setting in West London with excellent transport links. The course is specifically designed to break the isolation that Survivors can often feel and many courses have led to long lasting friendships being formed.
Benefits of attending the Course in a Women’s Group:
- Meet other Survivors in a safe caring environment
- Gain information and empowerment from relevant topics for Survivors
- Receive support from trained Counsellors/Facilitators
- Opportunity of forming deep lasting friendships
One-to-One Course for Survivors of All Genders
We offer this course on a one to one basis on line throughout the UK for Survivors of all genders.
Benefits of attending the Course One-to-One:
- Gain information and empowerment from relevant topics for Survivors
- Receive support from a trained Counsellor
- Focus on the topics most relevant to you in your journey
- Individual attention on your life today
Please contact us for more details.
Course outline plan:
Session One: Introduction And Facing Fantasy
- What exactly constitutes abuse
- Difficulties in talking about abuse
- Escaping into fantasy
Session Two: Truth, Lies and Memories
- Facing the past
- How memories intrude today
- Effects of abuse now
Session Three: Families And Feelings Of Shame
- How families go wrong
- Why we internalise shame
- Letting the shame go
Session Four: Anger And Contempt
- How we handle our anger
- Differences between rage and anger
- Self contempt and other centred contempt
Session Five: Powerlessness and Betrayal
- Damage of powerlessness
- Relational problems of being betrayed
- Building good boundaries
Session Six: Confusion And Ambivalence
- Difficulties with partners
- Sexual struggles
- Reclaiming sexuality
Session Seven: Co-Dependency
- Co-dependent relationships
- Emotional enmeshment
- Developing healthy attachments
Session Eight: Emotional Pain and Eating Difficulties
- Breaking the cycle of addiction
- Eating difficulties
- Processing pain productively
Session Nine: Confrontation And Forgiveness
- Acknowledging the harm
- Confronting is your choice
- Difference between forgiveness and reconciliation
Session Ten: Moving Forward
- New internal messages
- Looking to the future
- Finding further support
In a recent course:
- 100% of attendees said they benefitted a lot from the course
- 100% of attendees said their emotional stability had improved a lot
- 100% of attendees said their confidence had improved a lot
- 100% of attendees said their self esteem had improved a lot
- 80% of attendees said the course had helped improve their relationships a lot
- 100% of attendees said their negative behaviour patterns had been improved a lot
- 100% of attendees said they felt much more hopeful since completing the course
Comments by people who have attended our past courses:
“I am a different person to who I was when I first came here, the knowledge I have gained from here has truly been life changing. I am a better me”.
“This course is invaluable – it has brought us out of isolation. The compassion and kindness, empathy and understanding shown by the Facilitators and other members has been very very healing.”
“The Course has directly benefited my whole family”
“This course gives the space and empowerment to speak and feel support in a world that one learns to hide in. It tests you in ways that will forever be with you and brings love and kindness to oneself. This course gives one the space to see what one deserves in life and show that there are people out there that understand and can hold you through this.”
“The women I met through it (the course) now are dear friends.”
“Best money I have spent on myself. Should be offered as standard to anyone who comes to counselling / women’s aid/police re sexual assault.”
“The course has been amazing. I feel better educated on a subject that no-one really talked about with me. I feel the information given has been ‘myth-busting’ for me, and I have felt at times incredible relief after such information was given to me.
I have felt supported and cared for throughout ….and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that I was given. It’s a great starting point in my journey. The course was even better than I could have dreamed of in what I have gained from it.”
“The course created for me a deeper understanding for my healing.”
“I found it hugely beneficial …the Facilitator was amazing… I could not have done my journey without her.”
“The course was pivotal in my journey of recovery from sexual abuse.”
“The group helped me put in place strategies of self care for the first time.”
“This carefully planned and cultivated course has been life changing. There were patterns of behaviour I didn’t even realise could be connected to the abuse I survived and understanding this has opened up and freed me in so many ways. It’s given me hope and confidence and opened my life up.
Being part of a group has also made me feel not only less alone but allowed me to feel like I can be myself. It’s changed my life considerably and I feel at last I’m on the road to being able to be the real me.”
“I was able to identify the effects of the abuse and it was such a relief to hear others had been through similar experiences.”
“I found everyone very supportive, empathetic and easy to share experiences with. I also found the coursework very good.”
“For anyone considering this course, I could not recommend it enough, even if you have other counselling or have tried other therapies, as there is something very special about how this course works. The only way I can describe how it has helped me, is that I feel like it has given me the combination code to unlock the mess inside that I have been unable to understand. Thanks.”
Contact us for further information on this course
This programme is an ACC recognised training course. It is available for people and organisations with counselling experience to run in their own environments. All training and materials are supplied.
Contact us for information on further counselling or courses in London for survivors of sexual abuse available (also in other areas).