Sexual Assault Trauma Therapy Online

If you’ve experienced sexual assault or abuse, whether last month or decades ago, what you’re feeling makes sense. Fear, shame, numbness, anger, trouble trusting, or nightmares are common responses to something that should never have happened to you. Healing is possible. Our clinicians provide confidential, trauma-focused therapy for survivors by secure video in 44 states, at a pace you control.

You’re in Charge of Your Care

Sexual violence takes away choice. Therapy should give it back. In our work with survivors:

  • You decide what to share and when
  • You never have to describe details before you’re ready, and some treatments don’t require it
  • You can ask questions about any part of treatment and say no to anything
  • You can request a clinician of a particular gender, and we’ll do our best to match you
  • Sessions take place by video from a space where you feel safe

Common Reactions After Sexual Assault

Everyone responds differently, and there’s no “right” way to react. Survivors often experience:

  • Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
  • Avoiding people, places, or situations that are reminders
  • Feeling on edge, easily startled, or unable to relax
  • Shame, guilt, or self-blame, such as “I should have stopped it”
  • Numbness, or feeling disconnected from your body
  • Difficulty with intimacy, sex, or trust
  • Depression, anxiety, or panic
  • Sleep problems
  • Using alcohol or other substances to cope

Many of these are symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is very treatable. If you experienced repeated abuse, especially in childhood, you may relate to our page on complex PTSD and childhood trauma.

It Was Not Your Fault

Self-blame is one of the most common effects of sexual assault, often as “what if” thinking about what you wore, whether you drank, or why you didn’t fight or leave. Freezing, going along to survive, or not reporting are normal responses to danger, not consent. Responsibility belongs to the person who caused harm, and therapy can help you truly believe it.

Evidence-Based Treatments for Survivors

Leading guidelines, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (VA/DoD) and American Psychological Association (APA) PTSD guidelines, recommend trauma-focused psychotherapy as the first-line treatment for PTSD. Our clinicians are trained in the three most recommended approaches:

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). First developed with sexual assault survivors, CPT helps you change “stuck points” such as self-blame and beliefs about safety, trust, and intimacy, and can be done without a written account.
  • Prolonged Exposure (PE). PE helps you safely approach avoided memories and situations so they lose their power, with strong research support in assault survivors.
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR helps you reprocess memories with bilateral stimulation, without needing to describe them in depth.

Before trauma processing, many survivors start with grounding, emotion, and sleep skills, often from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Recent Assault vs. Past Assault

If the assault was recent, your first priorities are safety and medical care. You can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org for confidential support, medical exam information, and local advocates. If strong reactions continue for more than a month or feel unmanageable sooner, therapy can help.

If the assault happened years ago, it’s never too late. Something like a new relationship, becoming a parent, or news coverage can bring memories back, and treatment works just as well for past trauma.

Can Trauma Therapy Work Online?

Yes. Research shows trauma-focused therapies by video work about as well as in-person treatment for many people, and some survivors find it easier to open up from home. Your clinician will make a safety plan with you first, including what to do if the connection drops. Learn how our teletherapy works.

Support for Partners and Family

If someone you love is a survivor, believing them, letting them lead, and avoiding questions that suggest blame make a real difference. Loved ones can benefit from their own therapy, and with the survivor’s permission can sometimes join a session.

What Healing Can Look Like

Recovery doesn’t mean forgetting; the memory starts to feel like the past rather than something still happening. Survivors often describe sleeping better, feeling safe in their bodies, enjoying closeness, and replacing shame with self-compassion, often within a few months of trauma-focused treatment.

Insurance Coverage

We’re in-network with:

We do not accept Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans.

Psychological Healing has 40 clinicians, offering in-person sessions in 20 states and video sessions in 44 states.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of therapy is best for sexual assault survivors? Trauma-focused therapies such as Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, and EMDR have the strongest evidence. The best choice depends on your symptoms and preferences, and we’ll help you decide.

Do I have to talk about what happened? Not in detail, and not until you’re ready. EMDR and CPT without a written account don’t require you to describe the assault at length.

Will my therapist have to report the assault? For adults, therapists generally do not report a past assault without your consent. Exceptions include situations such as abuse of a minor or a vulnerable adult, or imminent danger. Your clinician will explain the limits of confidentiality at the start.

Is sexual trauma therapy covered by insurance? Usually, yes, as outpatient psychotherapy. We’re in-network with Aetna, Optum/UnitedHealthcare, and others.

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. For confidential support after sexual violence, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673.

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Clinically reviewed by Karan Singh, Ph.D.
Last reviewed October 16, 2026