Domestic Violence Therapy

Domestic violence survivors may often feel lost, isolated, and alone. But it’s vital to understand that there is domestic violence therapy available.

First and foremost, if you are a current domestic violence victim or you have escaped domestic violence, you must seek help. Then, it’s imperative to learn to cope and manage the residual emotional pain and fears. At Highland Springs, our compassionate and experienced team of counselors work with domestic violence survivors to break the chain of silence and isolation of domestic violence by providing counseling and support.

In this post, we will go over how domestic violence survivors can get help and seek treatment to manage living with their trauma. We’ll also answer frequently asked questions, including “how does domestic violence affect you emotionally?”

What are the 5 Types of Violence?

There are five main types of violence, including:

• Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is the most recognizable form of abuse and involves force being used to injure the victim. Even if the abuse does not cause significant injuries, it is still considered physical abuse — including a push or slap.

• Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is another kind of domestic violence. It happens when the abuser destroys the victim’s self-worth via persistent insults, humiliation, or criticism. The constant tearing down of the victim, both mentally and emotionally, is a form of abuse.

• Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is not limited to just sexual assault and rape. It also includes sexual harassment like unwelcome touching and demeaning behaviors. The definition of sexual abuse is broad and includes many scenarios, including being convinced to not take birth control or being forced into having an abortion.

• Financial Abuse

Examples of financial abuse, the least obvious form of abuse, include a husband preventing his wife from getting a job or pursuing a degree. Though financial abuse is not obvious, it is extremely common. It often happens when spouses join their bank accounts, and there’s little family support. The victim becomes financially dependent on their spouse and becomes trapped in the marriage.

• Psychological Abuse

The fifth form of abuse is psychological abuse, which is defined as somebody intimidating, threatening, using fear-causing behaviors towards the victim. For example, preventing the victim from having their own social media profile, from talking to other people without permission, or threatening the victim with violence when they do something the abusive partner does not agree with.

Who Does Domestic Violence Affect More?

Domestic violence strikes couples of all races, backgrounds, religions, and sexual orientations. Nearly 29 percent of women and 10 percent of men in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by a partner.

Risk factors that increase the odds of becoming a victim of domestic abuse include:

• Poverty
• Lack of a high school education
• Witnessing domestic violence as a child
• A low sense of self-worth
• Schizophrenia, bipolar, and other mental health conditions
  Substance abuse — particularly alcohol abuse

How Does Abuse Affect the Survivor?

Domestic violence survivors are at risk for:

• Death, illness, injury, and/or disability: Domestic violence is the leading cause of death, illness, and disability among women under 45.
• Emotional and psychological trauma: Domestic violence leaves behind a devastating impact on the survivor’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being, including feelings of shame, depression, anger, and suicide. Domestic violence survivors are also at a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) and other stress-related mental health conditions.
• Homelessness: When violence escalates, some women may choose to flee their homes. But, without employment or a support system, many women fleeing abuse become homeless.
• Using drugs and/or alcohol to numb the pain: Substance abuse and domestic violence are intimately linked and often occur at the same time.
• Physical health injuries and problems: These issues often go untreated, allowing them to spread and worsen.

Find Help Today!

Domestic Violence Therapy at Highland Springs

If you’re being abused at home, domestic violence therapy.

At Highland Springs, there is no “one size fits all” method for domestic violence survivors. We assess each client on a case-by-case basis to come up with a treatment plan that is the most conducive and effective for each client’s unique scenario and trauma.

Some of the methods we use for domestic violence therapy to help heal and learn healthy coping skills include:

• One-On-One Counseling — These sessions are a safe and confidential space for domestic violence survivors to express all of their feelings, thoughts, and fears without judgment.
• Group Counseling — Attending group counseling sessions allows survivors to connect with other people going through similar situations. Connecting with these peers allows survivors to reduce their feelings of isolation while getting first hand advice from other survivors about things that helped them the most in their recovery and healing.

Surviving domestic violence is liberating, brave, and triumphant. But, it can also feel scary, shocking, and extremely lonely. This is why finding a team of therapists you can trust is so essential for recovery.

At Highland Springs, our team is committed to protecting your privacy and developing a specialized treatment plan so you can reclaim your life and heal your trauma with domestic violence therapy.

Please call us today for more information about our domestic violence survivor services and how we can help you today.

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