Support Services – Healing After Abuse

Healing after abuse takes time. Our Support Sessions offer a safe and confidential space where you can talk with a dedicated Support Worker who will listen, believe you, and support you at your own pace.

You’ll have up to four weekly sessions (each lasting 50 minutes) focused on what you need right now. Your autonomy and choice are at the heart of every session. Our approach is about supporting your present wellbeing. Together, we’ll look at the effects of trauma and explore practical ways to cope, such as grounding techniques, self-care practices that can help you feel calmer, more in control day-to-day, and understand what you have been through.

These sessions may be offered as a standalone service, or they can lay the foundations for counselling, aimed to help you build confidence, stability, and readiness to explore things more deeply or to simply have the space to share how you are feeling on a daily basis.  Each session is tailored to your needs, providing a compassionate, non-judgemental environment where you can begin to make sense of what’s going on and find ways forward.

Sessions can take place in person, over the phone, or via video call, whatever feels more comfortable and accessible for you.

“This service has helped me to deal with my struggles, especially ones that have been ignored by other people and services. I have been given tools, have felt accepted, and I now know who I am. My feelings, thoughts, and ability to cope has massively improved. This has been my best journey to help with recovery and moving forward.”

At RASAC, our specialist counselling service offers a confidential, and supportive space for you to explore the impact that sexual and/or domestic abuse may have had on your life. Our counsellors work in line with the BACP Code of Ethics, ensuring professional, ethical, and safe practice at all times.

Through collaborative sessions, you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, to manage the effects of trauma and support your day-to-day functioning.

You can access up to 10 weekly sessions, (each lasting 50 minutes) tailored to your unique needs and preferences, providing personalised support throughout your healing journey.

Counselling can be held in person, over the telephone, or via online video calls, depending on what feels most comfortable and accessible for you.

“It has meant the world to me to work with RASAC … I feel that I have strategies to use myself now.  It has been an honour to have counselling and I feel such peace now.  All the pieces of the puzzle have been collected up and I understand my trauma…I am strong again.”

Our Art Therapy service provides a safe, creative space for young survivors of sexual and/or domestic abuse to express their thoughts and emotions through art. This therapeutic approach allows young people to explore their experiences in a non-verbal, supportive way, helping them process feelings, build self-awareness, and support their healing journey.

Sessions are led in a confidential, trauma-informed, and child-centred way. Activities are designed around the individual, giving young people the freedom to engage at their own pace and in ways that feel safe and meaningful.

Art Therapy sessions can help young people to:

• Express emotions that may be difficult to put into words
• Explore experiences and feelings safely
• Develop coping strategies and emotional resilience
• Gain a sense of control and agency over their healing process

Young people can access up to 10 sessions, planned collaboratively with their therapist to best meet their needs and preferences. Sessions can be held in person or via online video calls, depending on what feels most accessible and supportive.

“This support was very helpful and helped me to become more confident and creative. The different methods used, like the collaging really helped. It felt more genuine than other one-to-one support.”

We offer an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) therapy service for survivors of sexual and/or domestic abuse. This service provides a safe space to process traumatic memories and reduce their impact on daily life.

EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing experiences, supporting healing from trauma and improving overall wellbeing.

Sessions are led by trained EMDR therapists in a confidential, trauma-informed environment, with a focus on your pace and safety. This ensures each survivor receives individual attention and support throughout their healing journey.

You can access up to 10 sessions, planned collaboratively with your therapist. Sessions can be held in person or via online video calls, depending on what feels most comfortable and accessible for you. EMDR Sessions are currently only available in person based at our Huddersfield office.

“I feel like a new woman, I have let go of the past and I feel completely different.”

“I can see the path forward now, I know what I need to do to move on.”

At RASAC, we recognize the transformative power of healing within a supportive community. That’s why we offer psychoeducational groups for both women and men. These groups are designed to complement one-to-one therapeutic support, so we ask that participants first engage in individual support before joining a group.

What to Expect

Our psychoeducational groups are small, supportive spaces where individuals come together to learn, reflect, and heal alongside others with shared experiences. These groups aim to:

• Foster Connection – You’ll be with others who may have faced similar challenges, creating a sense of understanding, validation and solidarity.
• Promote Learning – Sessions focus on topics such as trauma, coping strategies, emotional regulation, boundaries, and self-care – empowering you with knowledge and tools to support your healing.
• Provide Structure and Support – Each group follows a structured programme facilitated by specialised workers, ensuring a consistent, therapeutic space.
• Encourage Personal Growth – Group members are invited to explore their experiences, build resilience, and develop new perspectives in a safe, respectful environment.
• Support the Healing Journey – Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. Sharing the journey with others often helps individuals feel less alone and more hopeful about the future.

We understand that joining a group can feel daunting, but many participants find it to be a deeply rewarding and empowering part of their recovery.

“I have valued being listened to and believed within group, for not being criticised or put down, or told to get over it like others in my life have before. To be made to feel like a real person and that I do matter.”