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This twenty-session group for
women with childhood sexual abuse histories is offered once a
year.
Meetings are held in Cambridge at One Arnold Circle on an
every other week basis from September to June, generally on a
weekday evening from 6:00-7:30 P.M. The group provides
education, insight, support and change for survivors who wish
to:
- learn more about the impact of childhood sexual abuse
on self-esteem, boundaries, and assertiveness in adulthood
- explore the effects of a personal history of abuse on
individual development in these areas
- understand more fully what self-esteem is, what
boundaries are, and what assertiveness is
- work toward developing a stronger sense of self, a
greater capacity for self-care, and improved self-esteem
- work toward building and exercising better boundaries
with others
- work toward establishing and setting better limits with
others
- work toward being assertive, not passive or aggressive
with others
As a group leader I bring 30 years of experience in the field
of childhood sexual abuse to my work with survivors, as well
as a personal history of incest. I am the co-founder of Incest
Resources, Inc., the first survivor organization in the
country, and I am a licensed psychologist, educator, and
author who has written extensively on childhood sexual abuse
and recovery.
Screening interviews are generally scheduled during May,
June, and July. The cost of the screening interview is $80.00,
payable at the time of the visit. The cost of the
twenty-session group is $800.00, payable in halves by August
1st and January 1st. It is not possible to make other payment
arrangements for the group, and it is not possible to use
insurance for the group. Also, the fee can not be adjusted to
accommodate absences, so commitment is very important.
Depending upon the final number and make-up of the group, I am
sometimes able to offer some slides.
If you are interested in setting up a screening interview,
please call the number above and leave your name, telephone
number(s), and the best days and times for me to return your
call.
FEEDBACK FROM PAST GROUP PARTICIPANTS
This group was a great experience for me. It helped me
to be aware of the areas I needed to strengthen and continues
to help me today as I still look at the materials given out in
the group. The atmosphere of the group was highly
supportive and caring, and the structure kept everyone focused
but also comfortable and at ease. The support and
encouragement I found in the group made my recovery process
much more enriching and worthwhile. I would highly
recommend it.
I really enjoyed this group, which was very supportive and
safe. I have much more insight about the connections
between my abuse and my self-esteem, boundaries, and
assertiveness. I'm more aware now of daily interactions
with coworkers, friends, and family, and I have a way to
continue my growth. I would absolutely recommend it to
any survivor struggling with these issues.
I found this group excellent and extremely useful. It
has helped me change my life, the way I am able to interact in
the world, and how I feel about myself. It was very well
structured and organized, and I still use materials and
exercises from the group. I gained compassion for
myself, learned from others, and made good friends. I
always felt included, valued, and validated as a group member.
This group helped me see how self-esteem, boundaries, and
assertiveness touched on large parts of my life. I found
that I could change how I dealt with these issues. I had
choices. And I could understand my feelings better and
not be so hard on myself. This group taught me that I
can consciously change my actions and be more comfortable with
situations that come up in my life.
This group was excellent and so helpful. Over the course
of the group I learned how to care for myself better by
putting myself first on my list of priorities. I also
learned that by being more assertive and speaking up and
expressing myself, I began to feel more genuine and
whole. The group was a very meaningful experience for me
in my recovery. I recommend it wholeheartedly!
Participating in this group has meant a lot to me. I've
become conscious of my issues and how my behavior and thoughts
impact my self-esteem, boundaries, and assertiveness.
The group helped me set goals and figure out steps to take to
work on these issues. I've also found the relationships with
the other group members very rewarding and I hope to continue
these.
This group experience was very valuable and meaningful to me
in terms of healing. I gained insight and
compassion for myself, which helps with self-care and promotes
better self-esteem. The group had a lot of focus and
purpose, without ever limiting anyone's contributions, and it
offered concrete resources of real substance that raised my
awareness. Two thumbs up for sure!
This group helped me see relationships and interactions with
others in a new way. Once I began to assert my
boundaries, my self-esteem improved; as my self-esteem
improved, I began to view self-care as a priority.
I developed a sense of self and arrived at a turning point in
my healing.
The gifts of this group were a sense of belonging, tools for
change, and compassion for myself. The group is not a
cure-all and there are times I forget the skills, but I have
the group materials and some new-found friends, and I
have hope again. I feel a sense of happiness I haven't
felt since I was 7.
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