Healing Hour

A safe healing space for LGBTQ+ people currently or previously affected by domestic abuse.

• Complimentary therapies
• Acupuncture
• Mindfulness meditation
• Art/poetry
• Healing through nature
• Peer supported open dialogue

Healing

The trauma of abuse affects survivors on every level; neurologically, physiologically, emotionally. Trauma can impact your ability to see a way out of the abusive situation and make you feel ‘trapped in’. The healing process is different for everyone and there is no time limit for when this starts or ends.

Steps to healing from Domestic Abuse:

• Safety first: The healing process begins when the victim of abuse is finally away from the abuser.
• Stabilise environment: Survivors may need a period of rest to adjust to a new normal before healing work can progress.
• Support networks: The support of family, friends, peers and loved ones is crucial in the healing journey.
• Set standards: Survivors should aim to set new standards for how they expect to be treated. This will help to reduce the fear of abuse occurring again.
• Settle incidents: As the obvious abuse is recounted, other abuse can also come to light. Processing this is crucial to healing.
• Stitch wounds: Survivors can rewrite their internal dialogue of what happened and hold their abuser accountable for their actions.
• Share experiences: One of the most useful steeps to healing from abuse is to find a support network with other victims of abuse.

Substance Misuse

You may currently (or previously) use drugs and alcohol to self soothe and cope with domestic abuse trauma. Our Recovery team can support you to:

• set goals to reduce, stop or maintain abstinence;
• explore more adaptive coping strategies;
• engage in recovery orientated groups and support;

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Your mental health and emotional wellbeing may have been affected by domestic abuse. Our Talking therapies team can:

• offer a trauma informed, safe space to talk about your feelings after domestic a domestic abuse trauma;
• coping strategies to manage your emotions;
• help you to find your own resilience, resources and strengths.

Sexual Health

Our Sexual health team can:

• support you to set boundaries around sex;
• offer advice around safer sex;
• support you with accessing sexual health testing.