How to Heal
1. Make sure to receive any needed medical attention for injuries and to screen for STDs.
2. Reach out for counseling. This could be with a psychologist, campus counselor, someone at HEART, or a rape crisis center.
3. Join a support group for survivors where you can meet and discuss your experiences and journey.
4. Understand that in a typical healing process there are several stages and healing takes time. Feeling many different emotions along the way is completely NORMAL.
2. Reach out for counseling. This could be with a psychologist, campus counselor, someone at HEART, or a rape crisis center.
3. Join a support group for survivors where you can meet and discuss your experiences and journey.
4. Understand that in a typical healing process there are several stages and healing takes time. Feeling many different emotions along the way is completely NORMAL.
The Stages of Healing
1. Denial - trying not to think about what happened, thinking it is insignificant, or that it doesn't seem real.
2. Awareness - often when survivors experience flashbacks, depression, or feel consumed by what happened.
3. Healing - when life begins to even out. The survivor "works hard" through emotions and learns how to reclaim life. The survivor begins to take a break from thinking about the attack.
4. Recovery - the survivor transitions to becoming a source of insight. A person that is stronger, more hopeful, and more self aware. The survivor may make great strides towards personal or political growth.
2. Awareness - often when survivors experience flashbacks, depression, or feel consumed by what happened.
3. Healing - when life begins to even out. The survivor "works hard" through emotions and learns how to reclaim life. The survivor begins to take a break from thinking about the attack.
4. Recovery - the survivor transitions to becoming a source of insight. A person that is stronger, more hopeful, and more self aware. The survivor may make great strides towards personal or political growth.
Tips for Recovery
-Try to get as much sleep as you can, between 7-10 hours a night. also make exercise a priority which can help prevent depression or chronic health problems.
-Write down your feelings in a journal - many find recording their thoughts to be helpful.
-Practice meditation or relaxation techniques.
-Nurture the relationships you have with those that make you feel good about yourself.
-Make time for hobbies and activities you enjoy!
-Write down your feelings in a journal - many find recording their thoughts to be helpful.
-Practice meditation or relaxation techniques.
-Nurture the relationships you have with those that make you feel good about yourself.
-Make time for hobbies and activities you enjoy!
Resources for Survivors
- National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE
- Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR): 717-728-9740
- HEART @ Temple's Wellness Resource Center: 215-204-8436 or [email protected]