4 Stages of Emotions and Treatment After Sexual Trauma April 18, 2018 • Contributed by Camila Williams, PhD There may be many emotions to sort through after experiencing sexual trauma. These emotions are typically painful, so it is natural to want to avoid them. The problem is, these emotions don't tend to go away—they fester until you allow the time and space to work through them. A common cycle of emotions after surviving sexual trauma is: (1) guilt and shame, (2) blame and anger, (3) grieving/mourning, and (4) fear and anxiety. This cycle by no means captures everyone's experience after a trauma but is a general outline of common reactions. Let's consider them in more depth. I. (,t IL I k\D'NII k Nil There can be a lot of secrecy surrounding sexual trauma. Victims who come forward are often made to feel like they did something wrong. Some are advised to keep their experience quiet. People often blame the victim by outlining things they "should" or "should nor have done. Survivors of sexual trauma may internalize these messages and feel guilt and shame. They may replay in their minds the things they could have done to prevent or escape the trauma, even if they couldn't have done anything differently. They may feel guilty for having not stopped the abuse and ashamed for having been a victim of it. Learning to challenge these messages is one of the first hurdles of trauma treatment. Treatment at this stage focuses on self-compassion, understanding, and most importantly: accepting that sexual trauma is never the victim's fault. EFTA00038303