Rise: Healing From Childhood Sexual Abuse

Nov 11 2023 1

Rise: Healing From Childhood Sexual Abuse Podcast artwork

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is an experience that often leaves the survivor debilitated in their adult years. However, we are resilient and we can rise. Your host, Jessica Heil, Registered Psychologist and a survivor of CSA herself will offer information about CSA in order to provide you with more knowledge on the topic, as well as strategies and tips that you can access now in order to begin moving from surviving to thriving.

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We are more than our trauma

Nov 11 2023 14 mins

This episode explores some of the emotional and cognitive changes that may occur once the perpetrator passes away.

Trauma Drive

Sep 27 2023 15 mins

Today's episode is all about trauma drives - the experience of feeling ultra-driven to be productive in order to avoid triggers related to past trauma.

Shame spirals

Aug 28 2023 22 mins

Today's episode is all about the experience of shame - why feeling shame is common with survivors of childhood sexual abuse, why feeling shame is NOT justified, and what you can do if you can't seem to shake feeling shame.

Fawning - the lesser-known trauma response

Aug 16 2023 14 mins

Today I describe the fawn response. Fawning is a stress response that is learned as a child that helps us stay safe. Fawning is when we try to please and appease an abusive authority figure in order to try to prevent harm from coming to us. Reference:Walker, Pete (2013). Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving. Lafayette: Azure Coyote.

Why is my body always in so much pain?!

Jul 31 2023 13 mins

Today's episode explores the link between childhood sexual abuse and chronic pain in adulthood. References:- Afara N, Ahumada SM, Wright LJ, et al. Psychological trauma and functional somatic syndromes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychosom Med. 2014;76(1):2-11.Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., Koss, M. P., &a

Dissociation

Jul 17 2023 11 mins

In this episode I discuss dissociation. Dissociation is a symptom that occurs frequently with survivors of childhood sexual abuse, which involves feeling numb, feeling like you're in a dream, and losing chunks of time without realizing it until afterwards.

Flashbacks

Jul 10 2023 18 mins

I describe what flashbacks are, and offer some techniques you can try when experiencing flashbacks.

Other trauma treatments

Jun 26 2023 20 mins

In this episode I provide information on Cognitive Processing Therapy and Internal Family Sytems Therapy. I also reference a few other trauma treatments (Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Sensorimotor Therapy, Natural Processing). References: Resick, P. A., Monson, C.M., & Chard, K.M. (2017). Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD: A Comprehens

EMDR

Jun 12 2023 19 mins

In this episode I describe what is EMDR (an evidence-based treatment for PTSD), how it works, and what to expect as you go through the therapy. References:Shapiro, F. (2017). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols and procedures (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Guildford Press.

Exposure Therapy 101

May 26 2023 26 mins

This episode is all about exposure therapy! Exposure is one of the most effective techniques that help a person learn to overcome the symptoms they experience from childhood sexual abuse. I describe how exposure works, as well as provide details on the therapy called Prolonged Exposure, which is the gold standard treatment for PTSD. I'm very honoured to have been featured on F