It's almost impossible for victims and survivors of sexual violence in Southend and it's surrounding areas to access the broad range of complex healing they need. I started How To Feel Like Yourself Again After Sexual Violence to solve that problem. 

Maybe you struggle with everyday things like going out to restaurants or wearing clothes that bring you attention? Maybe you feel like you are in a cage or carrying an invisible heavy weight around? Maybe you feel unworthy of happiness or good things and feel like there is something wrong with you or that you are to blame for what happened. 

As a group of women that understand, we support one another to look at how the trauma of sexual violence is still controlling you,  find out what is stopping you from healing and help you discover your biggest ally in healing sexual violence trauma. These workshops will leave you starting to reconnect with your instincts, building a future on what you REALLY want and building meaningful relationships.

The thing is, facing what happened, being honest with yourself and reaching out for help is hard and scary.  But every day I speak with women who suppress, deny and pretend their experiences did not happen. And as a result, they spend their lives blaming themselves for "not being like everyone else". They disconnect from what they really want, their relationships, and themselves. Their lives become about "managing". Managing the overwhelm, intrusive thoughts, burnout, crying, anger, numbness, flashbacks, rage and grief. It's hard to live life when all your doing is coping.

And I get why you wouldn't want to face what happened, all it's bought you so far is pain. But How To Feel Like Yourself Again After Sexual Violence offers an opportunity unlike anything else in Southend. The opportunity for the thousands of women subjected to sexual violence in our town to start being unapologetically themselves. The chance to start enjoying life, trusting who you are, and creating meaningful and sincere relationships—the chance to love yourself again and start tapping into your radiating inner confidence. Maybe you’ve always wanted to ride a motorbike, perhaps it's buying a van and travelling the world. Maybe like me, you want to live somewhere safe and peaceful.  Because that’s what happens when you process the trauma caused by sexual violence, you get the confidence to allow yourself the things you’ve always wanted. It all becomes possible because you get to believe in yourself.