West Vancouver Sexual Abuse Therapy
Healing Without Reliving Every Detail
Talking about what happened feels impossible. Every time you try to open up in regular therapy, you shut down, dissociate, or can't find the words. Maybe you've been in counselling before where rehashing every detail just left you retraumatized without actually feeling better. Sexual abuse leaves marks that regular talk therapy often can't reach because the trauma lives in your body and nervous system, not just your thoughts. That's where West Vancouver EMDR therapy for sexual abuse offers a different path - one that lets you heal without having to narrate every painful moment out loud.
​
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps your brain process traumatic memories the way it should have originally. Creekside Counselling has worked with survivors throughout West Vancouver - from Dundarave to British Properties - who finally found relief after years of carrying abuse that talk therapy couldn't touch.
Benefits of EMDR for Sexual Abuse Recovery
-
The biggest benefit? You don't have to describe what happened in graphic detail. With traditional talk therapy, you're expected to verbalize your trauma over and over, which many survivors find retraumatizing. EMDR lets you process the memory while keeping details private if that's what feels safer.
​ -
EMDR targets how sexual abuse gets stuck in your nervous system. That's why you can logically know "it's over, I'm safe now" but your body still reacts with panic when someone touches you unexpectedly or you smell a certain cologne. Your brain filed the trauma as current danger instead of past event. EMDR helps refile it properly so the memory stops triggering your body's threat response.
-
For survivors dealing with shame - that feeling of being dirty, damaged, or somehow at fault - EMDR processes those negative beliefs at the same time as the trauma memory. The belief "it was my fault" or "I'm disgusting" gets challenged and replaced during EMDR processing, not through logical arguments but through how your brain naturally updates information.
​ -
EMDR also works faster than traditional therapy for trauma. Instead of years of weekly sessions, most survivors see significant improvement in 10-20 EMDR sessions for single-incident abuse, though complex or long-term abuse takes longer. That matters when you're tired of your entire life revolving around therapy appointments.
​ -
Many survivors tell us EMDR helped them reconnect with their bodies after years of dissociation. Sexual trauma often makes people numb out or disconnect from physical sensations as a protection mechanism. As traumatic memories get processed, that constant need to escape your body starts to ease up.
​ -
The approach also helps with symptoms that seem unrelated but stem from abuse - difficulty trusting people, sabotaging good relationships, avoiding intimacy completely, or the opposite - having no boundaries around sex. EMDR addresses the root trauma feeding these patterns.
Creekside Counselling's EMDR Approach for Sexual Abuse
We never rush into processing trauma memories. First sessions focus on building safety, trust, and making sure you have solid coping skills. If you're in crisis, self-harming, or experiencing severe PTSD symptoms, we stabilize those before doing any EMDR processing. You need a foundation first.
​
Safety isn't just physical - it's emotional too. That means believing you without question, respecting your pace completely, and creating a therapeutic relationship where you feel genuinely safe. We're not here to investigate your story or determine if the abuse "counts." If it hurt you, it matters, period.
​
Before any EMDR work happens, we teach you grounding techniques to use if processing gets too intense. You'll also identify your resources - safe memories, supportive people, calming places - that we can bring up during sessions if needed. Think of these as your emotional safety net.
​
When you're ready to start EMDR processing, here's how it works for sexual abuse specifically: You identify the traumatic memory and the worst part of it - could be an image, sensation, or just a feeling. You also identify the negative belief connected to it like "I'm powerless" or "I'm damaged." Then you focus on that while following bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sounds).
Here's what makes EMDR different for sexual abuse: you don't have to describe acts or details out loud unless you choose to. We can work with "the abuse that happened when I was 8" or "what my uncle did" without you having to verbalize specifics. Your brain knows what you're referring to - that's enough for processing to happen.
​
Sessions happen in short sets of 30-60 seconds of bilateral stimulation, then we pause and check in. You might notice memories shifting, emotions changing, or physical sensations moving through your body. That's all normal and shows processing is happening. We keep going until the memory loses its emotional charge.
​
Between sessions, you might have dreams, old memories surfacing, or shifts in how you react to triggers. That's your brain continuing to process even when you're not in the office. We check in on all of this each session and adjust our approach based on what you're experiencing.
​
For complex sexual abuse - multiple perpetrators, abuse over many years, or abuse combined with other traumas - we work systematically through memories rather than trying to process everything at once. This takes longer but prevents you from getting overwhelmed.
We also use EMDR to install positive beliefs and resources. Once traumatic memories are processed, we strengthen new beliefs like "I'm safe now" or "I deserve respect" using the same bilateral stimulation. This helps rebuild your sense of self after abuse tried to destroy it.
Pricing Information
Individual EMDR therapy sessions for sexual abuse are $180 per 50-minute session. We typically meet weekly, sometimes twice a week during active processing phases if that's helpful and you're stable enough for it.
​
Healing from sexual abuse isn't quick. Most survivors work with us for several months minimum, often 6-12 months for single-incident trauma, longer for complex or childhood abuse. That said, you'll notice improvements along the way - better sleep, fewer flashbacks, more ability to be present during intimacy.
​
We provide detailed receipts you can submit to extended health insurance. Most BC plans cover registered clinical counsellors. Many West Vancouver employers offer good mental health benefits that people don't realize they have - worth checking.
​
Some survivors qualify for Crime Victim Assistance funding if they reported to police, or ICBC coverage in specific situations. We can help you figure out what programs you might be eligible for to help with costs.
Areas We Serve
We're located in West Vancouver and see sexual abuse survivors from all over the North Shore including Horseshoe Bay, Dundarave, Ambleside, Eagle Harbour, Caulfeild, Whitby Estates, British Properties, Cypress Park, Gleneagles, Bayridge, and Chartwell. We also work with clients from North Vancouver, Lions Bay, Bowen Island, and throughout Greater Vancouver.
​
Virtual EMDR sessions are available and work just as effectively as in-person. Many sexual abuse survivors actually prefer online sessions for the added privacy and ability to be in their own safe space during processing. EMDR adapts perfectly to video sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR for Sexual Abuse
How is EMDR different from regular therapy for sexual abuse?
Regular trauma therapy involves talking through what happened repeatedly and learning coping skills to manage symptoms. EMDR actually processes the traumatic memory in your brain so it stops feeling like it's happening now. You deal with the root cause, not just symptoms. And you don't have to verbalize details out loud if you don't want to.Regular trauma therapy involves talking through what happened repeatedly and learning coping skills to manage symptoms. EMDR actually processes the traumatic memory in your brain so it stops feeling like it's happening now. You deal with the root cause, not just symptoms. And you don't have to verbalize details out loud if you don't want to.
Will EMDR make me remember things I've blocked out?
Sometimes additional memories surface during EMDR processing, sometimes they don't. We're not trying to hunt for hidden memories - we work with what you already know happened. If other memories come up, we'll process those too, but only when you're ready. Nothing is forced.
Do I have to describe sexual acts during EMDR?
No. You can keep details completely private. We just need to identify which memory we're working on - "what happened with my coach" or "the assault in college" is enough. Your brain knows what you're referring to. That's all EMDR needs to process it.
Is EMDR safe for childhood sexual abuse?
Yes, when done by a trained trauma therapist. Childhood abuse requires extra care because it affected your development and attachment. We move slower, build more resources first, and work systematically through memories. It's safe and effective but takes more time than single-incident adult trauma.
What if I dissociate during EMDR sessions?
Dissociation is common for sexual abuse survivors - it's how you survived. We work on grounding skills first so you can stay present enough for processing to happen. If you start dissociating during EMDR, we stop, bring you back to the present, and adjust our approach. You're never forced to push through.
How many EMDR sessions will I need for sexual abuse?
Depends on how long the abuse lasted and how many perpetrators. Single-incident abuse might resolve in 8-12 sessions. Childhood abuse over many years could take 20-40 sessions or more. Complex trauma takes time to heal properly. We go at your pace, not some arbitrary timeline.
Can EMDR help if the abuse happened decades ago?
Absolutely. Trauma doesn't expire. We work with survivors processing abuse from 40+ years ago all the time. If it's affecting your life now - your relationships, your body image, your ability to trust - EMDR can help now, regardless of when the abuse occurred.
What if talking about abuse makes me suicidal?
This is exactly why we don't rush into trauma processing. If you're having suicidal thoughts, we focus on safety and stabilization first - building coping skills, addressing current crisis, getting you stable. Only when you're solid enough do we carefully begin EMDR work, and we go slowly. Your safety always comes first.
You don't have to keep carrying this alone. EMDR therapy for sexual abuse in West Vancouver offers a path to healing that respects your pace and your privacy. Book your confidential consultation today and let's talk about whether this approach is right for you.