What happens to a couple relationship when one or other partner has experienced childhood sexual abuse?
Many things bring couples, or individuals, into therapy, and the emergence or disclosure of childhood sexual abuse in the history of one partner may seriously derail the relationship. The abuse may have only surfaced recently, or may be known to only one partner. Memories may be triggered by the birth of a child, by the interventions of other members of the survivors family, by emergent dysfunction within the sexual relationship.
In this workshop we will explore the nature of childhood sexual abuse, the damage it may cause to “normal” development around sense of self, boundaries, safety and the client’s sexual identity. We will then consider the implications of some of these “after-effects” on the couple relationship and the ways in which we as counsellors can help our clients, in one-to-one or couple counselling, to understand and manage these challenges.
We will work with theoretical approaches and with clinical material, to which participants are very welcome to contribute. The workshop will be interactive and practical and to result in participants having an enhanced sense of the process and outcome of childhood sexual abuse, and increased skills in helping clients engage effectively with it.
Our Facilitator Ruth Morgan has worked in the therapeutic world for 30 year as a psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer. She is UKCP registered and a Senior Accredited therapist and supervisor with the BACP.
She is also a Relate trained Couples Counsellor, where she worked for 10 years and has 12 years’ experience as a supervisor at Croydon Rape Crisis Centre (RASASC), which has informed her interest in this theme.
Ruth has run an Introductory course in Couple Counselling for several years, including recently for CB Counsellor Training, and is particularly interested in the dynamics that unconsciously affect the complex ways in which partners interact with each other.
Ruth has taught on a number of counsellor training courses and has considerable background in running workshops and courses, both privately and for a number of counselling agencies.
Lunch: This break will be approx. 45 minutes and we therefore suggest you bring a packed lunch and a drink.
There is a tearoom and two pubs on the High Street if you wish to explore the village.
Morning break: Teas, coffee and biscuits Afternoon break: Cake!