Abuse Recovery

Dallas Counseling for Abuse Recovery

What do people mean when they say that something or someone is abusive? We typically think of four types of abuse — physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect.  Here is a definition of each.

Physical abuse is often the most easily recognized form of abuse. Physical abuse can be any kind of hitting, shaking, burning, pinching, biting, choking, throwing, beating, and

 other actions that cause physical injury, leave marks, or cause pain.

Sexual abuse is any type of sexual contact between an adult and anyone younger than 18; between a significantly older child and a younger child; or if one person overpowers another, regardless of age. If a family member sexually abuses another family member, this is called incest.

Emotional abuse can be the most difficult to identify because there are usually no outward signs of the abuse. Emotional abuse happens when yelling and anger go too far or when parents constantly criticize, threaten, disparage or dismiss kids or teens until their self-esteem and feelings of self-worth are damaged. Emotional abuse can hurt and cause damage just as physical abuse does.

Neglect is difficult to identify and define. Neglect occurs when a child or teen doesn’t have adequate food, housing, clothes, medical care, attention or supervision. Emotional neglect happens when a parent doesn’t provide enough emotional support or deliberately and consistently pays very little or no attention to a child. This doesn’t mean that a parent doesn’t give a child something he or she wants, like a new computer or a cell phone, but refers to more basic needs like food, shelter, attention and love.

Abuse Recovery for Children

Therapy enables children who have been abused to develop a healthy self-image, learn to trust again, and identify ways to protect themselves from further victimization. During therapy, the therapist will help children address complex issues stemming from their abuse such as trauma, shame, embarrassment, safety and self-esteem. Play Therapy has been effectively used with children who are victims of child abuse. 

If you or your child has experienced abuse in the past, or if you or your child is currently in an abusive relationship, Insights offers counseling and therapy to help to you and your child deal with it and build a healthier, happier life. The Insights therapists who specializes in abuse recovery for adults are Jeff Baldridge, Mary Sanger and Laura Elpers.  The Insights therapist who specializes in abuse recovery for children is Laura Elpers. Call Insights Therapy today at 214.706.0508, click here to email us, or click here to schedule an appointment. Insights offers flexible scheduling with daytime, evening and weekend appointments.