16 episodes
Rise: Healing From Childhood Sexual Abuse Jessica Heil
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- Education
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5.0 • 10 Ratings
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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
This episode explores some of the emotional and cognitive changes that may occur once the perpetrator passes away.
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Trauma Drive
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.
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Shame spirals
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.
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Fawning - the lesser-known trauma response
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?!
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., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245–258.
Mate, Gabor. (2011). When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-disease Connection. Hoboken, N.J., J. Wiley.
Van Der Kolk, Bessel. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking. -
Dissociation
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.
Customer Reviews
Great series
Jessica is knowledgeable, even, and candid. It’s a joy to find a voice like hers speak on this topic… Very very helpful show to listen to…
Just what I needed
Thank you so much for your vulnerability and wisdom. I am a survivor of CSA and my story is extremely similar. Even though I am currently working with a therapist, your wisdom is just blowing my mind and shattering lies and shame that have attached themselves to me due to the CSA. Please make more!
Thank you!
Again, Thank you, I just discovered your Podcast! I’m a survivor of CSA, you put words to my thoughts! I’ve learned so much! GOD! Please put more! We need it! Your story is my story!