Survivor Workshops
Workshops are a great tool to help survivors and their families, address specific challenges they face as a result of sexual abuse or sexual violence.
Workshops are typically one-off, structured sessions, designed to provide education and practical support for a specific topic.
They will usually be hosted over the course of a day, or half-day and will usually consist of a small group of other individuals with similar experiences.
A workshop provides the unique opportunity for a combination of education, practical coping strategies and peer support.
Sometimes a workshop may focus on social activity, for example, Survivors UK hosts monthly meet-ups for male and non-binary survivors.
During these meet-ups, they often hold creative writing and art workshops.
Benefits of attending a workshop:
- Gives the survivor the opportunity to get more information about a particular topic. Workshops may focus on subjects such as: healing from sexual abuse; managing flashbacks; coping with feelings of anger or shame. Exploring these topics can help individuals better understand why they feel the way they do and can offer practical strategies to support their healing.
- Allows the survivor to meet other people who understand some of the challenges they are going through. This can help break down the barriers and feelings of isolation many survivors feel.
- Provides a safe space for survivors to feel supported by both professionals and other survivors
“Paused by the Pandemic: A Workshop to Reflect on Overcoming Shame, Memories, Gaining Stability, Relationships and Sexuality”…
…is one particular workshop hosted by The Survivors Trust London member Into The Light.
This workshop focuses on the following:
- Shifting the shame that does not belong to you
- Processing of traumatic memories
- Increasing control over flashbacks
- Re-thinking sexuality as a possibility for yourself
- Reflecting on confidence in relationships
This Into The Light workshop is open both to people who have experienced abuse and their partners and friends as well as counsellors and other professionals.
Are workshops only for survivors?
No, sexual abuse and violence can affect a survivor’s loved ones too, so there will be some workshops available for family members, parents, carers or partners too.
Mosac gives non-abusing parents and carers the opportunity to attend Parent Workshops ( https://mosac.org.uk/our-services/workshops-training/) to help them, and their families move forward with their lives. This workshop is designed to help parents to gain confidence and rebuild their parenting skills to support their child’s healing.
Which members offer this service:
- Haven Network
- Survivors of Abuse
- One in Four
- Mosac
- Into the Light
- Survivors UK
