Supportive Groups
The purpose of these groups is to provide a supported space for women to share and explore their experiences of coping in the world after their experience of childhood sexual abuse.
Groups are made up of 6-8 participants, plus two facilitators from Survive. Both facilitators will have experience of working with abuse and working in group settings. At least one of the facilitators will be a qualified counsellor. The groups run for ten weeks, and to promote feelings of safety within the group new members are only admitted at the end of these ten-week blocks. At the end of the ten weeks members can move on to the next group if they wish to. Members are asked to commit to attending all ten meetings once they have decided to commit to membership of the group.
What topics are addressed?
The content of the groups is to a large extent decided by participants, and participants will be asked before the group starts what kinds of issues they might like to discuss. There will also be chances to bring in new topics at all stages of the group as they arise.
Topics that might come up include:
Understanding and dealing with flashbacks
Sexuality and dealing with sexual relationships
Feelings of difference from other people
Making friends
Self-esteem
Saying no without feeling guilty
What doesn't happen in groups?
No-one is expected to talk about any particular incidents from their past, although some people might want to do this.
What happens next?
If you would like to find out more about supportive groups at Survive, contact Gill on 01904 638813. After getting in touch you will be invited for an informal chat to talk about what you want to get out of a group, and to find out more about whether a group can meet your needs at the moment.
Confidentiality
Anything you tell any Survive worker or volunteer will be treated as completely confidential within Survive.
If you ask us to, we may be able to share information you give us with relevant organisations on your behalf.
If we believe you or someone else is at serious risk, or if you tell us about any children who are being
abused, we will talk to you about sharing this information with the relevant agencies, and we may have to do so even if you don't want us to.
If you are interested in finding out more about our groups, call Survive on:
To access any of our other services, you can call our helpline on (01904) 642830. The helpline is open on Monday evenings between 6:30 and 9pm and Thursday evenings between 7.30 and 10 pm, and messages can be left at any other time.
