Support after sexual abuse
This page is about the impact of sexual abuse and assault, and how psychological support at Integro Health can help you work through it in a safe, non-judgemental environment in South West WA. It is written for adults, whether what happened was recent or many years ago, in childhood or adulthood.
Sexual abuse is any sexual act or contact that happens without genuine, freely given consent, including experiences in childhood, within relationships, or by someone known or trusted. Its effects are wide-ranging and can include anxiety, flashbacks, shame, difficulties with trust and intimacy, numbness, and a changed sense of self. These are normal responses to a profound violation. They are not signs of weakness, and none of them mean that what happened was in any way your fault.
The many ways abuse can affect us
There is no right or wrong way to be affected by sexual abuse, and no correct timeline for how you should feel. Some people are affected immediately, others years later, and some move through periods of coping well and periods of struggling. The effects can touch how safe you feel in your body, how you relate to others, how you see yourself, and how you experience intimacy and trust. Many people seeking support after abuse also live with anxiety, depression, PTSD, or the wider effects of trauma.
Shame is one of the most common and most painful effects, and also one of the most misplaced. The responsibility for abuse lies entirely with the person who caused it, never with the person who was harmed. A central part of this work is gently returning that shame to where it belongs, and it does not belong with you.
At Integro Health, we work in a trauma-informed way. You are in control at every step. You choose what to share and when, and you never have to describe anything you are not ready to.
How we work with you
There is no single correct path to healing after abuse, and there is no timeline you are failing to meet. What we do is work alongside you, gently and entirely at a pace you control, using approaches grounded in psychological evidence and shaped by your individual story.
Understanding your experience
Your first sessions are about building a picture of you, not just the experience, but your history, your relationships, your emotional world, and what you are hoping life might look and feel like. There is no rush here. We ask questions because we genuinely want to understand.
Safety, trust, and going at your pace
Nothing happens before you feel ready. We begin by helping you feel safe and steady, and by building a relationship you can trust. You stay in control of what is discussed and when, throughout, and there is never any pressure to share details.
Working with the underlying layers
When and only when you feel ready, we can gently work with the experiences and their effects using approaches like EMDR and trauma-focused therapy, which can help without requiring you to recount events in detail. The aim is to ease the grip of the past and return the shame to where it belongs.
Building new ways of responding
Over time, we help you rebuild a sense of safety in yourself and your relationships, and a sense of self that is defined by who you are, not by what was done to you.
Ongoing support at the right pace
Change rarely happens in a straight line. Sessions are spaced to suit where you are, more frequent during difficult periods, stepped back as you gain ground. We are here for as long as the journey needs us to be, whether that is a few months or considerably longer.
Meet the Team
At Integro Health, you do not just book a clinic. You choose a practitioner who understands you. Our team of experienced psychotherapists brings clinical depth, genuine warmth, and a broad range of specialisations together under one roof. Take a moment to read about each of our practitioners and find the right fit for where you are right now.
Dr Paul King
General Practitioner
MBBS Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of Surgery
FRACGP Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Jools Fordyce
Social Worker & Family Therapist
Bachelor (Hons) – Applied Social Science with Diploma in Social Work
Postgraduate Diploma in Family and Relationship Therapy
Brooke Eden
Psychologist
Bachelor of Psychology
Graduate Diploma of Education
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.
Nicholas Kerr
Psychologist
Masters of Psychology (Organisational)
Bachelor of Arts
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.
Carli King
Office Administrator
As Practice Manager, Carli keeps the daily operations of Integro Health running smoothly, ensuring our clients always receive the highest standard of care.
What you can expect when you reach out
No judgement, ever
However you have coped, and whatever you have or have not told anyone before, you will be met with warmth, respect, and genuine care. Not a lecture, and not a checklist.
A whole-person lens
We look at every part of you, your mental, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual wellbeing, because the effects of abuse rarely live in just one part of a person’s life.
Evidence-based approaches
We draw on EMDR and trauma-focused approaches, delivered gently and safely. Not a one-size protocol, but a genuinely trauma-informed response, always at your pace.
In-clinic and online options
Whether you can get to our Eaton clinic in Bunbury or you need the privacy and convenience of telehealth, we can work with you wherever you are in South West WA and beyond.
What people get wrong about sexual abuse
The most harmful myth of all is that the person who was harmed carries some share of the blame, because of what they wore, did, drank, or did not say. This is never true. Responsibility for abuse lies entirely and only with the person who chose to cause harm, in every case, without exception.
Another damaging misconception is that if you did not fight back, freeze, or report it, then it does not count or was somehow your fault. Freezing, going along with it to stay safe, or staying silent for years are all extremely common and completely understandable survival responses. They do not change what happened, and they change nothing about where the responsibility lies.
We also see many people in South West WA who have carried this alone for years, or even decades, believing they should be over it or that it is too late to seek help. It is never too late, and you were never meant to carry it alone. The effects of abuse can be worked through at any point in life.
Finally, many people avoid seeking help because they fear having to describe what happened in detail. You never have to. Individual therapy and counselling, delivered privately one-on-one at our Eaton clinic near Bunbury or by telehealth to locations like Margaret River, moves entirely at your pace, and healing does not depend on retelling the events.
Is it worth seeking support, even after all this time?
It is common to wonder whether what you experienced was serious enough, or whether too much time has passed to make support worthwhile. The honest answer is that if it still affects you, it matters, and it is never too late.
If your experience shows up in anxiety, flashbacks, difficulty with trust or intimacy, shame, numbness, or a changed sense of yourself, even some of the time, then support can help. You do not need to label your experience in any particular way, and you do not need to compare it to anyone else’s, to deserve care and support.
If you are ever in immediate danger, please call 000. You can also contact 1800RESPECT, the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service, any time on 1800 737 732.
Common effects worth understanding
The effects of sexual abuse are different for everyone, but some are especially common:
Trauma responses, such as flashbacks, nightmares, being easily startled, or avoiding reminders, which may be part of PTSD.
Shame and a changed sense of self, including guilt, self-blame, or feeling somehow marked or different, none of which reflect the truth of what happened.
Difficulty with trust and intimacy, including feeling unsafe in your body, in closeness, or in relationships. This can also connect with relationship difficulties and anxiety.
At Integro Health, we meet you as a whole person, never as a case. What we care about is helping you feel safe, whole, and able to live the way you want to. You can read more about what the first session looks like here.
Your questions answered
Yes, in many cases. A Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP provides access to a Medicare rebate for up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year with a registered psychologist. Your GP will assess your eligibility, and your sessions at Integro Health can be structured to make the most of those rebated appointments. It is worth speaking with your GP in Bunbury, Busselton, or wherever you are located to get a referral in place before your first session.
No. You never have to describe what happened in any detail, and you are always in control of what you share and when. Many people begin without saying much about the events at all. What matters is that you feel safe, and effective approaches to healing do not depend on recounting what was done to you.
Yes. What you share is confidential. There are narrow legal exceptions, for example where there is an immediate risk of serious harm to someone, or where a child is currently at risk, and we will always be clear and talk these through with you. For historical abuse involving you as an adult, whether anything is ever reported is your decision, not ours. We will explain all of this in your first session.
Yes. We offer telehealth sessions across South West WA and Australia-wide, which means you can access support from anywhere, whether you are in a regional area like Manjimup or Collie, or simply prefer the privacy of attending from home. Telehealth sessions work in the same structured, safe way as in-clinic appointments.
No. It is never too late. Many people we support are working through experiences from years or decades earlier, and find real relief in doing so. The mind can process and settle these experiences whenever you feel ready to begin, whether that is now or later.
Yes. Sexual abuse affects people of every gender, and we support anyone seeking help. If you have a preference about the gender of your practitioner, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate it, because feeling comfortable with who you work with matters.
No referral is needed to book a session. If you wish to access Medicare rebates through a Mental Health Treatment Plan, you will need a GP referral first, but you are welcome to contact us directly and we can guide you through that process if needed.
We work gently and at your pace, using trauma-informed approaches. EMDR can help the mind reprocess distressing memories, often without needing you to describe them in detail. Trauma-focused and compassion-based work helps ease shame and rebuild a sense of safety and self-worth. Where it fits, schema therapy can help with patterns formed early in life. Safety and control are always yours.
Medically reviewed by
General Practitioner
The clinical information on this page has been reviewed for accuracy by Dr Paul King, General Practitioner at Integro Health. It is general information, and not a substitute for personal medical or psychological advice.
