Abuse Counselling
Abuse Counselling
When we experience any form of abuse it can be painful. The pain may cloud confidence and we can find it difficult to want to share our experience with others. People who have experienced any form of abuse may have painful memories, unwarranted feelings of guilt, shame and anger. Sometimes we have flashbacks. Keeping these feelings inside us can create a sense of heaviness and it can all become unbearable. Abuse counselling can help.
Through abuse counselling/psychotherapy we are able to explore these feelings and understand the impact the abuse has had on our wellbeing. Therapy provides you with the skills to understand how to manage these feelings and how to deal with them in a safe way. The team at Sex Life Therapy, through abuse counselling, can provide you with new or better coping strategies to deal with the painful memories and/or flashbacks.
There is no “quick-fix” solution when dealing with abuse. The impact of abuse often is far reaching and through therapy we begin to understand how we have changed and make new decisions about how we want to be. Sometimes the journey will seem painful, yet as we deal with the abuse and develop new skills and strategies, the pain will lessen. Through abuse counselling/psychotherapy we become the controller of our experience not the abusive memories.
WHAT OUTCOMES/BENEFITS CAN I EXPECT FROM ABUSE COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY?
Our aim to work with you develop to increase your wellbeing and resilience.
Through abuse counselling/psychotherapy you will:
- Process the traumatic event/s in a safe, confidential and professional environment;
- Develop skills and strategies to manage memories, flashbacks and painful feelings;
- Understand distress tolerance;
- Address accompanying symptoms like depression, and/or anxiety; and
- Build your confidence, esteem and resilience.
Through abuse counselling we are able to support those who have suffered abuse and can help you begin your journey towards a happier life.
A GUIDE TO ABUSE
Abuse can come in many forms. Abuse does not happen to any one “type of person”. It can happen to anyone: women, children and men. Abuse impacts on each individual differently. Some people may experience depression, anxiety, self-esteem and confidence issues, even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you have experienced any form of abuse counselling and/or psychotherapy maybe able to assist you in your recovery.
TYPES OF ABUSE
There are many different types of abuse.
- Physical Abuse: Physical abuse involves physical violence, OR threats of physical violence. Physical abuse can include acts of violence like Abuse_Counselling_@_Sex_Life_Therapytwisting limbs, hitting, shaking, burning, choking throwing objects and other actions that can cause physical injury to the body. It can also include destruction of personal (or prized) property. Physical abuse also includes threats of these, and similar behaviours. Mugging can also be constituted as physical abuse.
- Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse includes any unwanted sexual behaviours and include rape, sexual assault, or forms of child abuse. Doing something you do not want to do sexually (including watching pornography) can be classed sexual abuse.
- Emotional Abuse/Psychological Abuse: T Emotional and psychological abuse are two terms which mean the same thing. Sometiems it is dificult to identify emotional/psycholgical abuse as there are not always outward signs/indicators. Emotional abuse include any beahviour which impacts or diminishes your self confidence, self-esteem, or emotional or psychological wellbeing. Psychological or emotional abuse includes behaviours which demean, degrade or humiliate an individual. Actions such as being criticised constantly, threatened, bullied, dismissed, or being yelled at are forms of psychological or emotional abuse. Denying or minimising abuse is also a form of emotional or psychological abuse. Emotional abuse can be just as painful and damaging as physical abuse.
- Social Abuse: Social abuse is any form of behaviour which isolates you, or attempts to isolate you from your soical world. This can be acquaintances, friends and or family. Social abuse can be about criticising or being suspicious of your family and friends, controlling your use of mobiles, phones and internet, and use of the family car, deliberately physically isolating you in your home or making you move away from family and friends, and demanding to know where you and who you are with at all times. Any behaviour which socially isolates you is a form of social abuse.
- Financial Abuse: Financial abuse is when an individual is made financially dependent on their partner. A perpetrator of financial abuse takes full control of all the finances, spending and decisions about money so the victim is financially dependent. Also denying access to money, including the individual’s own, forcing the individual to live on inadequate resources and demanding the individual accounts for every cent spent are all forms of financial abuse. This type of abuse is often a contributing factor for women becoming ‘trapped’ in violent relationships.
- Spiritual Abuse: Spiritual abuse is a form of abuse which undermines an individual’s sense of identity through criticism of spiritual beliefs, quoting religious texts to justify abusive behaviour and denying an individual freedom to speak their own language and practice their own culture.
- Neglect: Neglect is a form of abuse. Neglect occurs when adequate food, housing, clothing or medical care is not provided for example in childhood, or even older adulthood. Additionally, emotional neglect happens when support, love and attention are not provided.
ABUSE COUNSELLING IN COLLINGWOOD AND FRANKSTON – MELBOURNE
Dr Christopher and the team at Sex Life Therapy provide sex therapy and relationship therapy in Collingwood and Frankston (Mornington Peninsula). Skype session for sex therapy are available for other areas in Victoria and Australia. If you would like an appointment with Dr Christopher or one of team at Sex Life Therapy, call (03) 9005 5213, or complete the online inquiry form.
OTHER RESOURCES FOR ABUSE COUNSELLING
Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria
Womens Domestic Violence Crisis Service
Centres Against Sexual Assault
Sexual Assault Crisis Line
COLLINGWOOD OFFICE LOCATION
SYDNEY OFFICE LOCATION
Suite 201, Level 2/1 Erskineville Rd, Newtown NSW 2042
Telephone (02) 9188 4838
FOR PROFESSIONALS
Dr Christopher Fox – Clinical Supervision Opportunities 2026
For Pricing See Bottom Of Page.
Clinical supervision is an essential part of working therapeutically with clients. Clinical supervision is a professional requirement of all counselling, psychotherapy, psychology, social work and occupational therapy bodies. All people working in the helping professionals also benefit from clinical supervision (or practise mentoring).
All ethical and professional therapists have on-going formal clinical supervision to support their work in accordance with professional codes of practice requirements. Clinical supervisors are experienced therapists and maintain a responsibility for the good practice of supervisees and to protect clients from harm and unethical practice. Clinical supervisors also have supervision.
Clinical supervision is a space for the supervisee to engage reflexively with the content and process of their client work. Through clinical supervision topics such as therapeutic techniques, therapeutic relationships, difficult problems, ethical dilemmas or issues which impact on the therapist personally as a result of the therapeutic process.
The focus in supervision is three-fold:
Introducing your Supervisor – Dr Christopher Fox
As a clinical supervisor I work from a collaborative and supportive framework to facilitate the growth of the therapist. I draw on critical reflexive practice where the supervisee moves beyond reflection to engagement in self-in-therapy/therapy-in-self/therapeutic self, self-care and development as a professional. A focus on the praxis issues of practice-to-theory/theory-to-practice encourages the therapist to maintain a best-practice model drawing on evidence-based and practice-based evidence informed approaches.
My professional focus is in the areas of psychosexual therapy, sexuality, and gender diversity, as well psychological wellbeing. My theoretical orientation draws on an integrative model of psychodynamic, Berne, Adler, humanism existentialism, Rogerian and solution-focussed approaches to therapy in the main. My practice is also heavily influenced by systems (Satir, Bowen)/family and relationship therapy. I also utilise creative therapeutic approaches including storytelling, therapeutic photography, and clay/play dough. As a public health specialist and experienced community practitioner I also supervise health promotion, welfare and community development workers.
I have worked with sexual and gender diversity, as well as sexual health and wellbeing for over thirty years. I am an European Certified Psycho-Sexologist with the European Federation of Sexology and European Society of Sexual Medicine. I am Director of Sex Life Therapy – a specialist psychosexual and relationship therapy practice in Melbourne, and one of Australia’s oldest and largest psychosexual therapy services.
I work as a Senior Lecturer in Sexual Health (Sexology) in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney where I am the Co-Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health Programs and Pathway Coordinator for the Psychosexual Therapy Pathway in the Postgraduate Program in Sexual and Reproductive Health. I hold an adjunct Research Professor in Sexual and Reproductive Health at the Fiji National University. I am the President of the Asia-Oceania Federation of Sexology and have held executive positions on the governing councils of the World Association for Sexual Health, the Asia-Oceania Federation of Sexology and the Society of Australian Sexologists, including National Chairperson.
Indiviual and group sessions available
Individual Clinical Supervision is bookable through Chris Fox and available to general counselling and psychotherapy (psychologists, social workers, OTs, counsellors, mental health practitioners) or psychosexual therapy (psychosexual/sex therapists, sexologists, sexual health counsellors) on a regular or ad-hoc basis.
Psychosexual Therapy Group Supervision held on 1st Tuesday of the Month 16.00-17.30.
This group supervision is open to existing psychosexual/sex therapists/sexologists. Groups are limited to six participants.
Emerging Therapist Group Supervision held on 3rd Tuesday of the Month 16.00-17.30.
This emerging group supervision is aimed at recently graduate therapists (psychologists, social workers, OTs, counsellors, mental health practitioners) and therapist with less than five years practise experience. Groups are limited to six participants.
Cost
Ad Hoc = $125
6-Pack = $635.00 ($105.83 per session).
12-Pack = $1,145.00 ($95.42 per sessions)
Outer Barcoo: Rural and Remote Supervision held on 2nd Tuesday of the Month 15.30-17.30.
This is a general supervision group for practitioners in rural and remotes areas of Australia. The group will focus on practise issues and practice issues with a rural and remote lens.The two-hour groups will focus on traditional supervision and add a professional development aspect as well. This is an online group. (3rd Wednesday of the month at 1430-1630). The group is limited to six participants.
My career started in rural practice and I have always maintained an interest and a connection with these areas. Practising in rural and remote Australia has unique experiences which many urban-based therapists and supervisors do not grasp.
Cost
Ad Hoc = $170
6-Pack = $865.00 ($144.50 per session).
12-Pack = $1,470.00 ($122.50 per sessions)
If you are interested in individual or group supervision, please contact the office on (03) 9005 5213 or email [email protected]