This piece was first published the the Still Whole Wellness blog. Incest AWARE is not a medical institution and does not offer medical advice. These suggestions are exploratory options for healing after incest by a survivor, therapist, and coach that have been helpful from personal experience.
Although there are many methods that are available for people looking for ways to heal after incest, it's important to do your own research to find the ones that will be the most effective for you. Take some time to explore different types of treatments and see what resonates with you. You may find that there are certain frameworks or practices that have a powerful healing effect. I will break down a few of the alternative healing modalities that I have found to be extremely helpful to both myself as well as the clients I serve. Before I discuss these modalities, allow me to explain what to look for in a practitioner.
How to Reach Out to a Practitioner After Incest
It's also important to reach out for help from a qualified practitioner or coach. When selecting a practitioner, look for someone who is trauma-informed and is a good connection for you. Someone who can help guide and support you in your journey to heal after incest. This can be invaluable when trying to incorporate different healing modalities into your recovery process.
While reaching out for help is sometimes difficult, it is absolutely necessary to get to the healing place you desire. There is no shame in seeking help, as there are numerous trained professionals that specialize in helping people to heal from the effects of trauma. There are many benefits to having someone else in the healing journey with you. A trusted professional can provide encouragement and emotional support during difficult times. They can also offer techniques and practices to help you cope with the anxiety and emotional pain that you are experiencing.
A Few Healing Modalities to Explore After Incest
It is possible to heal from the devastating effects of sexual trauma, including incest. There are numerous modalities, tools, and resources available to help you move through the process. Incorporating reiki, tapping EFT, and coaching can help with both emotional and physical healing. Seeking support from a qualified and trusted professional can help you on the path to emotional freedom.
Reiki, EFT Tapping, EMDR, and Life Coaching are all therapies that can be used to help heal sexual trauma like incest. All of these practices work with the mind and body to heal on a physical and emotional level.
Reiki
Reiki is an energy healing modality that helps to realign the body’s energy and balance chakras. It can help reduce stress, ease pain, and promote physical healing. During a Reiki session, the practitioner channels energy through their hands, sending healing vibrations through the body. This helps to unblock any blocked energy and brings balance to the body, mind, and soul. Read about an incest survivor's journey to healing through Reiki.
EFT
EFT Tapping is an energy therapy that helps to release physical and emotional tension in the body. During a session, the practitioner uses their fingertips to tap on various pressure points on the body to access energy meridians. This helps to release stuck energy, creating balance in the body. Tapping helps to relieve stress, create emotional clarity, and form new thought patterns.
EMDR
EMDR is a psychotherapy technique used to process and resolve past trauma. During a session, the practitioner will focus on a single thought, image, or sensation and ask the patient to track the movement of their eyes back and forth. This eye movement helps to unblock memories that are stored in the body, allowing the patient to confront the trauma in a safe and secure space. EMDR can help to reduce feelings of anxiety, and PTSD, and can even reduce physical symptoms associated with past trauma.
Life Coaching
Here's my favorite, life coaching! Life coaching is an amazing tool that can help survivors of sexual trauma like incest make lasting, positive changes in their lives. It’s a specialized type of coaching that focuses on creating action plans and building coping skills to deal with and process the emotional and physical aftermath of a traumatic experience. By having someone to talk to who’s not a family member, therapist, or other healthcare provider, survivors can be given a space to discuss and come to terms with the trauma.
All of these therapies can help to reduce the physical and emotional symptoms of sexual trauma like incest. They can provide relief from anxiety, depression, and physical pain, and help the individual find healing. Ultimately, they all provide a safe space to heal and reconnect to the self.
- Dr. Lori Pitts
Dr. Lori has an M.S. degree in Professional Clinical Counseling, Life Coaching Certification, a Doctorate in Metaphysics, and holds a Grand Reiki Master certification. Before working in private practice, Dr. Lori worked in the mental health field for over fifteen years working on trauma healing, and substance use disorder, and took great joy in working with family units. Dr. Lori believes that we should all make efforts to heal every day.
She is a 3x’s survivor of sexual assault trauma and believes in taking a holistic approach to heal from sexual assault. Desiring to teach others what she has learned along her journey, Dr. Lori founded Still Whole Wellness in 2017 where she developed “The Get Clear Method”, a program designed to help clients identify how their lives have been impacted by their trauma while helping them set realistic goals that promote healing. Using holistic methods like trauma coaching, reiki healing, guided meditation, and oracle readings, as well as hosting classes, webinars, and healing circles, the clients of Still Whole Wellness have amazing success. Dr. Lori continues to spread the message to survivors that they can “Still Be Whole After Sexual Trauma”.
