Therapists for Sexual Abuse or Assault

Get a Therapist Recommendation

Online sessions with one of our Therapists for Sexual Abuse or Assault

Offered at a specialised price as part of our collaboration with each therapist.

  • Get a Therapist Recommendation

    Online sessions with one of our Therapists for Sexual Abuse or Assault

    Offered at a specialised price as part of our collaboration with each therapist.

  • What kind of therapist to look for?

    A therapist trained specifically in trauma and sexual abuse or assault, often using approaches like EMDR or trauma focused CBT, can help you process this safely and at your own pace.

  • What you can work on.

    Expect to work on building safety and stability, processing the experience when and if you're ready, and addressing how it may be affecting trust, intimacy, or self worth now.

  • What your iniital sessions will look like.

    Early sessions typically focus on establishing trust and safety before any detailed processing begins. Your therapist will never pressure you to share more than you're ready to.

  • How to assess therapist fit

    A good sign is feeling in control of the pace and what you share. The right therapist centers your consent and safety at every step.

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    Abigail Shannon Kellogg: Trauma Informed, C-PTSD, Childhood & Relational Trauma, Narcissistic Abuse, Anxiety, Grief, Sexual Abuse Healing, Low Self Esteem, Imposter Syndrome, Burnout & Self Discovery Counselling Psychologist in Ahmedabad

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    Abigail Shannon Kellogg

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    Laraeb Pracha

    Laraeb Pracha

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    Hanisha Tolani

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    Arundhati Kane: Anxiety, Panic , OCD, Trauma & PTSD, Self-esteem, Identity Counselling Psychologist (Therapist) in Mumbai

    Arundhati Kane

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    Arundhati Kane

    20 Years Exp. | Stress, Burnout & Overwhelm | Anxiety | Trauma & PTSD | Relationship Issues / Marriage | Abuse

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    Dr. Taruna Jamalamadaka

    Dr. Taruna Jamalamadaka

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    Dr. Taruna Jamalamadaka

    11 Years Exp. | Trauma & PTSD | Grief | Anger & Emotional Regulation | Anxiety |Chronic Illness, Pain Management & Disability

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    Sheenam Samrat Therapist: Depression, Mood Disorders, Relationship Issues, Anger, Family Conflict Counselling Psychologist (Therapist) in Palampur

    Sheenam Samrat

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    Sheenam Samrat

    2 Years Exp. | Depression | Grief | Trauma & PTSD | Self Esteem & Imposter Syndrome | Stress, Burnout & Overwhelm

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    Sanjoli Sakhuja: Anxiety, Panic, OCD, Relationship Issues, PTSD, Career Counselling Psychologist (Therapist) in Delhi

    Sanjoli Sakhuja

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    Hitakshi Vyas Joshi

    Hitakshi Vyas Joshi

    Counselling Psychologist

    Hitakshi Vyas Joshi

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    Urvashi Jain

    Urvashi Jain

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    Urvashi Jain

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    Aprajita Karki

    Aprajita Karki

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    Aprajita Karki

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    Amatullah Lokhandwala: Anxiety, Panic, OCD, Trauma, PTSD, Depression, Mood Disorders Counselling Psychologist (Therapist) in Mumbai & Kuwait

    Amatullah Lokhandwala

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    8 years Exp. | Abuse | Stress, Burnout & Overwhelm | Trauma & PTSD | Depression | Anxiety

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    Vanshika Mirza

    Vanshika Mirza

    Counselling Psychologist

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What are common emotional and physical effects of sexual abuse/assault that therapy can address?

Sexual abuse or assault can include any sexual experience that happens without your willing consent. It includes unwanted touching, kissing, or sexual activity. It can also involve being pressured, threatened, or made to feel unable to say no. Sexual contact when you are asleep, unconscious, or unable to consent is also important to consider. You do not have to be certain that what happened “counts” as sexual abuse or assault to seek therapy. If something has left you feeling confused, uncomfortable, ashamed, anxious, numb, or distressed, you surely deserve support.

You also do not need to report what happened before seeking therapy. You can reach out for support even if you have never told anyone, made a police report, or decided whether you want to report it. Seeking help is your choice, and you can take that step at your own pace. There is no pressure to share everything in your first session. You can start slowly. You can begin with, “Something happened to me, and I’m finding it difficult to process.”

You can decide what you want to share and when. You are allowed to take your time. A therapist can sincerely listen to you, help you understand your feelings, and support you without judgment. Before sharing personal details, you can also ask about confidentiality and when it may have limits.

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What types of experiences are considered sexual abuse or assault, and do I need to have reported it to seek therapy?

The effects of sexual abuse or assault can be emotional, physical, and relational. They can also change over time. Some people feel the impact immediately, while others may only begin to process what happened much later. There is no single “right” way to respond.

You may experience fear, anxiety, sadness, anger, shame, guilt, or confusion. You may question yourself or wonder if you could have done something differently. Some people feel emotionally numb or disconnected from what happened. Others may have unwanted memories, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, or feel constantly alert and unsafe.

The experience can also affect relationships. You may find it difficult to trust others, set boundaries, feel comfortable with closeness, or feel safe in romantic or sexual situations. Some people avoid intimacy altogether, while others may feel anxious or uncomfortable during consensual sexual experiences.

Physical effects can include difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, headaches, stomach discomfort, tension, fatigue, or other unexplained physical symptoms. These reactions can sometimes continue even after the immediate danger has passed.

Therapy can provide a safe space to make sense of these reactions. A therapist can help you understand what you are feeling, manage overwhelming emotions, rebuild a sense of safety, and develop healthier ways of coping. Therapy does not have to begin with discussing every detail of what happened. A trauma-informed therapist should respect your boundaries and allow you to move at a pace that feels safe for you.

These reactions can be difficult and confusing, but they are natural responses to a deeply distressing experience. You deserve compassion and support while working through them. With the right support, it is possible to feel safer, regain a sense of control, and move towards healing.

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Which therapy approaches are often used with survivors?

There is no single type of therapy that works for everyone after sexual abuse or assault. A therapist for sexual assault victims would use different approaches based on what you are experiencing. They will also consider what feels comfortable for you. Research shows that some approaches can be especially helpful when someone is dealing with trauma-related difficulties.

Trauma-focused CBT helps you understand how the experience may have affected the way you think, feel, and respond. For example, you would be struggling with thoughts like, “It was my fault,” “I should have stopped it,” or “I cannot trust anyone.” Therapy helps you reframe these thoughts. It can help you develop healthier and kinder ways of understanding yourself and what happened.

Cognitive Processing Therapy focuses more specifically on guilt, shame, self-blame, and changes in how you see yourself or other people. It can help you make sense of what happened. It can also help you understand that you are not responsible for someone else’s actions. EMDR as a therapeutic technique helps you work through distressing memories.

With the therapist’s guidance, you focus on a difficult memory while following specific eye movements or other gentle back-and-forth stimulation. Over time, the memory may feel less overwhelming.

Exposure-based therapy helps you gradually face memories, situations, or places you have been avoiding because they feel frightening. This happens slowly and with support. The goal is to help you feel safer. It can also help you learn that remembering something does not mean that it is happening again.

Body-focused or somatic approaches pay attention to how stress and trauma may show up in the body. A therapist may use breathing, grounding, movement, or awareness of physical sensations. These methods can help you feel calmer and more connected to your body. A therapist may use one approach or combine different methods. Most importantly, therapy should happen at a pace that feels safe for you. You should never feel pressured to discuss something before you are ready.

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How do I find a therapist in India who is specifically trained to work with sexual violence survivors?

Finding a therapist after sexual violence can feel difficult. You may not know where to start. That’s okay. You do not need to explain everything that happened before asking for help.

Start by looking for a therapist or counsellor who has worked with people who have experienced sexual violence, abuse, or trauma. You can search online. You can also ask someone you trust for a recommendation. Mental health organisations may also be able to help you find someone.

When you find a therapist, you can send a simple message:

“Hi, I’m looking for support after an experience of sexual violence. I’d like to speak with someone who has worked with survivors. Could you please tell me if you have experience with this, your session fee, and whether you offer online sessions?”

That is enough. You do not have to share more than you want to.

You can also have one session before deciding if you want to continue. Notice how you feel while talking to them. Do you feel heard? Do you feel respected? Do you feel safe?

If you don’t feel comfortable, you can look for someone else. It is okay to take your time. You are in control of what you share and when you share it. You deserve support that feels safe, respectful, and comfortable for you.

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What if I'm not ready to talk in detail about what happened, can therapy still help?

Yes. Therapy does not always have to begin with the story of what happened. Sometimes, the starting point is the patterns that exist around the experience such as what you notice in your thoughts, emotions, body, relationships, or daily life.

A trauma-informed therapist would help you explore questions such as:

  • What situations make me feel unsafe or overwhelmed?
  • Why do I react so strongly to certain things?
  • What do I tend to avoid?
  • What happens when I try to get close to someone?
  • What do I tell myself when I feel vulnerable?

A therapist can also help you understand emotional and behavioural patterns without asking you to reconstruct the event itself. This can include exploring self-blame or difficulty trusting others. You might also notice people-pleasing or feeling disconnected from your emotions. You may find yourself constantly on guard, struggling to set boundaries, or feeling the need to stay in control.

Therapy can focus on developing new ways of responding in the present. This can include recognising triggers and managing difficult emotions. It can also involve communicating your needs, building boundaries, and developing self-compassion. Eventually, this can create a greater sense of choice and control.

As you feel safer and understand your responses better, you may choose to explore the experience in greater detail. You may also choose not to. The goal is not necessarily to tell the whole story. It is to understand how the experience is showing up in your life now and what you want to be different.

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Other common questions

Can therapy help with issues like trust, intimacy, self-blame, and relationship difficulties after sexual abuse/assault?

After sexual abuse or assault, life can start to feel different. You might question people you once trusted. You might feel distant from people you love. You might struggle with closeness. You may even feel uncomfortable in your own body. You may know that what happened was not your fault. Yet, you may still carry fear, shame, guilt, or confusion.

Therapy can give you a space where these feelings can be understood without judgment. It can help you feel safer, more in control, and more connected to yourself and others. A lot of this work happens through small situations that come up in the therapy room.

For example, if you find it difficult to trust people, you may wonder if the therapist will judge you or misunderstand you. You may also worry that they will leave. The therapist can show you that your boundaries matter. You can say, “I don't want to talk about this.” You can say, “Can we stop?” You can ask for a break. Your choices are respected.

If you struggle with intimacy, the therapist would ask what happens when someone gets physically or emotionally close. You might notice your body becoming tense. You might feel like pulling away. Together, you can slow things down. You can learn what feels comfortable, uncomfortable, safe, or unsafe. The therapist also helps you look at what happened without taking responsibility for someone else's actions. You learn to set boundaries through roleplaying. For example, a partner asking for something you do not want. You can practise saying, “No. I'm not comfortable with that.” Therapy can also help with low self-esteem, body discomfort, helplessness, communication problems, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, and feeling emotionally numb or disconnected. A trauma-informed therapist works at a pace that respects your safety, comfort, and readiness.

How do therapists ensure safety and control for survivors during sessions?

After sexual abuse or assault, being in a therapy room and talking about painful experiences can feel difficult. A trauma-informed therapist pays attention to this. They give you the autonomy to navigate through your experiences in a therapeutic journey.

Pacing is one of the first ways this is done. You can decide what you are ready to share. You can also choose what you do not want to discuss.

For example, if the therapist asks about something that feels too difficult, you can say, “I don't want to talk about this right now.” You can ask to pause. You can change the topic. You can take a break. Your therapist should respect that choice.

If talking about the experience starts to feel overwhelming, the therapist may slow the conversation down. They may ask, “How are you feeling right now?” or “Would you like to take a break?” This allows you to stay within what feels manageable.

If you begin to feel anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected, the therapist will help you to ground yourself. Such grounding exercises can help you reconnect with the present moment. Before asking a sensitive question, the therapist may explain why they are asking it. They will ask for consent, “Is it okay if we talk about this?” You can say yes. You can say no. You can say, “Maybe later.”

You can also have choices in the therapy process. You can discuss what you want help with. You can ask questions about different techniques. You can tell the therapist when something feels helpful or uncomfortable.

Through these experiences, therapy can help you rebuild something that may have been taken away during the abuse: a sense that your voice matters, your boundaries matter, and you have a choice in what happens to you.

Is online therapy safe and confidential for survivors of sexual abuse/assault in India, and what precautions should I take?

Yes, online therapy can be a safe and private option for survivors of sexual abuse or assault in India. You can take a few simple steps to protect your privacy and feel more comfortable.

Before starting, check the therapist’s qualifications and experience in working with trauma. Choose a private place for your sessions where others cannot hear you. Headphones can provide additional privacy. Avoid discussing sensitive experiences when you are in a shared or public space. You can also ask the therapist how they maintain confidentiality and whether sessions are recorded. Make sure you know what will happen if you suddenly feel overwhelmed, unsafe, or the call gets disconnected. You have the right to ask questions, pause a conversation, or stop a session if you feel uncomfortable.

Do I need to involve police or legal processes to benefit from therapy, or can I seek help independently?

You do not need to involve the police or start a legal case to seek therapy. You can approach a qualified mental-health professional on your own and receive support for what you are experiencing. Government guidance for survivors also recognises the importance of providing care, support, information, and referrals while respecting the survivor’s decisions. There are legal exceptions, particularly when the survivor is a child. Under India’s POCSO law, suspected child sexual abuse must be reported to the authorities. If you are an adult, you can discuss your options with your therapist and decide whether you want additional legal or medical support.

Are there support groups or peer spaces in India for survivors, and how do they complement individual therapy?"

Yes. Support groups and peer spaces can help you feel less alone because you meet people who understand parts of what you are going through. Hearing someone say, “I have felt that too,” can bring a sense of understanding and validation that can be difficult to find elsewhere. SoulUp offers therapist-led support groups and one-to-one conversations with trained peers who have lived through similar experiences. SoulUp currently lists a Trauma and PTSD Support Group for people dealing with trauma, including survivors of relational trauma, with a therapist facilitating the sessions.

Individual therapy gives you private, personalised space to work through your own experiences in depth. A support group adds the experience of hearing others, sharing coping strategies, and realising that you are not alone. The two can be used together.

Therapists for PTSD/Trauma → Divorce Therapists → Therapists For Emotional Regulation → Therapists For ADHD → Couples Therapists → Therapists For Depression → Therapy For Borderline Personality Disorder → Therapists For Bipolar Disorder → Therapy For Anxiety → Therapists For Loneliness → Therapists For OCD → Therapists For Infidelity → Therapists For Postpartum Depression → Therapists for Grief → Therapists for Retroactive Jealousy → Therapists for Narcissistic Abuse → Therapists for Procrastination → Therapists for Work-Life Balance → Therapists For Gambling Addiction → Therapists For Separation Anxiety → Therapists For Self-Esteem → Therapists For Social Media Addiction → Therapists for BDD → Therapists for Seniors →
Narcissistic Abuse Support Group → ADHD Support Group → BPD Support Group → Porn Addiction Support Group → Conscious Coupling → Divorce Support Group → Grief Support Group → PTSD Support Group → Childfree: Yes or No? → Emotional Regulation Support Group → Emotional Eating Support Group → OCD Support Group → Bipolar Disorder Support Group → Single Parenting Support Group → ADHD Parent Support Group →
ADHD Support Groups → Divorce Support Groups → Relationship Support Groups → Skill-based Groups → Addiction Support Groups → PTSD Support Groups → Emotional Regulation Support Groups → Support Groups for Women → Support Groups for Men → Patient Support Groups → Groups for Life Decisions → Support Groups for BPD → Support Groups for Depression → Postpartum Depression Support Groups → Groups for Couple Relationships →
Anxiety → Porn Addiction → Overthinking → Narcissistic Abuse → Depression → ADHD → Borderline Personality Disorder → Couple Relationships → PTSD → Emotional regulation → Retroactive jealousy → Sleep Issues → Attachment Style → Grief → Narcissism → Postpartum Depression → Procrastination → Men's Mental Health →
Humanistic/Person Centred Approach → Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) → Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) → Expressive Arts → Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) → Internal Family Systems (IFS) →
Pregnancy Loss Support Group → Support Groups for Loneliness → Support Groups for Caregivers → Support Groups for New Moms → Support Groups for Adoption → Support Group for Drug Addiction → Support Group for Empty Nest → Support Groups for Gambling Addiction → Support Groups for Heartbreak → Support Groups for Infidelity → Support Groups for Procrastination → Support Groups for Retroactive Jealousy →