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Counseling Services Foothills Alliance offers free counseling services to sexual assault survivors, their families, and their partners: Overview of counseling services Benefits of counseling Overview of Counseling Services Services Description Staff counselors The Foothills Alliance counseling staff includes two full time therapists and one part-time therapist. Each has a license, Master degree, specialized training, and significant experience with sexual abuse/assault counseling with children, adolescents, and adults. Purpose of treatment Initial treatment is focused on the more immediate needs for physical and emotional safety. The work that follows is designed to achieve healing, restore control, and develop healthier functioning over all. Counseling sessions Counseling sessions may take place weekly, or bi-weekly, and last from brief interventions of 6 to 10 sessions to longer interventions as needed to accomplish recovery. Foothills Alliance staff can also assist with referrals to counselors elsewhere in the community. Benefits of Counseling If the sexual assault experience seems to be interfering with your life (you can't sleep or you're having trouble going back to work, etc.), or you are feeling depressed, you may find it helpful to seek counseling. A goal of all survivors is to regain control over their lives and to integrate the experience of the sexual assault into their lives where it does not control their daily experiences. The experience of integration can be a painful and prolonged process. An advocate or counselor can help you through this healing process by: Treating you as powerful; you have survived. Asking you what you want or need. Listening. Normalizing your experience. Checking that you are safe, that no one is harming you currently. Helping you consider and build consistent long-term support. Encouraging you to express your feelings. Other constructive ways that counseling may help: Assistance Description Defining an incident as sexual assault Many survivors of sexual assault are left feeling confused and unsure of what actually happened, especially if the perpetrator is an acquaintance or dating partner. Counseling offers an opportunity to review the incident in question and for it to become clearer to the survivor about whether it was actually a sexual assault. Making decisions about legal and judicial options Very often, you may feel unsure about how to proceed in terms of reporting the assault to police or pressing criminal charges. In counseling, you can discuss various options and make a decision that will most likely promote healing and resolution. Enhancing academic and social functioning Sexual assault is a traumatic experience that disrupts your life and may temporarily make it difficult to function at your usual level. Counseling can help you develop good coping strategies that make it possible to pursue school, work, and social relationships during the period of recovery. Minimizing negative effects of the assault Survivors of sexual assault typically experience a wide range of feelings, including anger, depression, guilt, and fear, physical symptoms, difficulties with memory and concentration, nightmares or "flashbacks" of the assault, and disturbances in interpersonal relationships. Counseling provides assistance with "working through" the trauma of sexual assault to minimize the negative psychological and social effects so that you can move on with your life. Building social support A major goal of counseling is to help you build a support network of people who can help you through this difficult time. A support group can be an important part of the recovery process. Talking with others who have had the same experience can decrease feelings of shame and isolation. Also, counseling can include your partner or family members, as they may need help understanding how to be supportive. For more information about counseling, please contact the Foothills Alliance at 864-231-7273 or 800-585-8952 (hotline).

Hotline: (800) 585-8952 Local: (864) 231-7273 Fax: (864) 231-8515 E-mail: info@foothillsalliance.org Address: 216 East Calhoun Street Anderson, SC 29621 This website is not meant to be used in lieu of counseling or other professional guidance. This site is for informational and educational use only. To speak with a Foothills Alliance representative, please call (800) 585-8952. Website designed and maintained by Dian Hall.